Shebag’s workshop has finally shipped the Dior Toujours waxed-leather bags — this is already the fifth mass production batch this year, and demand continues to exceed supply.

As always, Shebag isn’t afraid of competitors copying our craftsmanship, so today we’ll once again explain how Shebag reproduces the Dior Toujours waxed-leather bag.

Leather Selection: Premium Full-Grain Waxed Calf Leather
The original Toujours uses European full-grain calfskin supplied by top Italian or French tanneries such as Tanneries Haas, Roux, or Perlinger.

Shebag sometimes cannot source directly from Tanneries Haas, Roux, or Perlinger, since those factories supply Dior in bulk. Instead, Shebag works with smaller-batch suppliers willing to accept limited orders, such as Weinheimer Leder in Germany or Tempesti in Italy, using their waxed calf leather as a substitute.

For edge-painting, Shebag uses Uniters transparent finishing liquid from France, which matches the gloss of Dior’s original.

Shebag carefully controls wax temperature and ratio (70% beeswax, 30% carnauba) to avoid excessive buildup. During buffing and polishing, temperature and speed must be precisely balanced to prevent “wax blooms.”

• Leather grade: Only A-grade hides are chosen, retaining natural pores and grain with minimal scars.
• Thickness control: Final thickness ≈ 1.6–1.8 mm — slightly thicker than normal calfskin to enhance drape and abrasion resistance.
• Tanning process: A combination of vegetable tanning and light chrome retannage preserves flexibility while allowing multilayer waxing and polishing.

Wax Finish Process
The hallmark of the Toujours lies in its surface oil-and-wax finish, which gives the leather its soft touch and subtle sheen:

• Base-oil infusion: After tanning, the hides are deeply impregnated with conditioning oils to soften the fiber structure and create a smooth feel.
• Wax application: A beeswax + carnauba-wax blend is applied two to three times. Each layer is heated to about 60 °C and hand-rubbed to ensure even absorption.
• Hot-pressing & burnishing:
  • A heated roller (≈ 70–80 °C) lightly presses the surface so the wax merges uniformly.
  • Then the leather is hand-polished with cotton cloth or horsehair brushes to form a semi-gloss patina.
• Aging patina development: Over time, the wax layer subtly migrates, producing a natural “pull-up” effect — tonal shifts in light that mark genuine waxed leather.

Cutting & Stitching

• Cutting: All panels are computer-cut to align natural grain direction and prevent deformation with use.
• Edge finishing:
  • After initial sanding, transparent wax-based edge paint is applied.
  • The waxing-and-sanding cycle is repeated 3–4 times using 320–600-grit sandpaper for refinement.
  • Finally, light heat-polishing yields glossy, sealed edges.
• Stitching:
  • Dior uses high-strength nylon or linen thread (0.6 mm) with traditional French saddle-stitch technique.
  • Stitch density is about 8–9 stitches per inch for tight, even seams.
• Structural reinforcement: Double leather cores and lightweight fiber boards are inserted at the base and handle joints to keep the bag structured yet supple.