About Our Materials
Our totes are made of Neoprene; you can learn more about Neoprene here. According to the Process Industry Forum, Neoprene, which has been around since the 1930s, is “the DuPont trade name for Polychloroprene rubber or Chloroprene, which is a versatile synthetic rubber.” Since Neoprene is waterproof and highly resistant to UV rays, it’s the perfect material for a day in the sun! In addition, it’s quite durable and resists tearing (take that, day at the beach!).
According to chemicalsafetyfacts.org, a website designed and maintained by the American Chemistry Council, Neoprene is “generally stronger and harder than natural rubber and more resistant to water, oils and solvents.” It’s used to make a variety of products meant to withstand even the harshest of elements.
Unlike many other brands, our Neoprene is sourced from Macro International, and is limestone-based, not petroleum-based.
The lining, handles and bottom of our bags are made of CORDURA®, a tough-as-nails fabric that has been around since 1967, billing itself as the fabric made to “enhance protection and comfort and empower people to boldly take on the world.” CORDURA is a brand of Invista, a company that has been innovating for the past 80 years.
We want your Spectacular bag to last a long time, and we know you do, too! Here are some tips to keep your bag looking its very best.
Neoprene Use and Care
In 2016, Anna McCleod*(now the Global Content & Communications Manager at The Woolmark Company) writing for Grazia Magazine, notes that the ideal way to clean Neoprene garments is dry cleaning. For our totes, we recommend hand-washing, and cannot stress enough the importance of Anna McCloud’s Step 1:
“Air-time is key. It’s super important to hang up your neoprene piece directly after wear. Once it’s crushed or folded, it’s a real challenge to get those stubborn creases out of the fabric. Hang your piece indoors away from direct sunlight, which can cause the material to dry out and crack. Only allow the product to be exposed to the sun when being worn and store it away in your wardrobe.”
Mary Marlowe Leverette, writing for thespruce.com, also has great tips for caring for Neoprene. While the article focuses on wetsuits, many of her tips apply to Spectacular Bags, too.
Here are her most important recommendations to keep in mind:
- Use cool water only when cleaning your Spectacular bag
- Hang the bag to drip-dry away from heat or sun, using a wood or padded hanger
Other Notes to Keep in Mind
We highly recommend spot-cleaning your bag if necessary. If the entire bag must be washed, you can hand-wash it using cool water; be sure to rinse the bag thoroughly afterward.
How Do I Store My Spectacular Bag?
When you’re not using your bag, store it on a hanger and stuff the inside with the padding we provided, to ensure that the bag keeps its shape. Note that if you fold the bag up or stuff it into a drawer, not only can it lose its shape, but it can develop crease marks that can be difficult to remove. If you do get crease marks, we recommend very carefully briefly pressing the creased area with an iron; be sure to place a pressing cloth in between the iron and the bag.
Bag Lining, Handles and Bottom Use and Care
- To clean the lining, handles and bottom of your bag, CORDURA® recommends using a mild spray cleaner or detergent (we recommend two teaspoons of Dawn dishwashing liquid mixed with one quart of water).
- If you get oil or grease on the lining, handles or bottom of the bag, you can first treat the stain with a dry cleaning solvent.
