Monsoon-Proofing Your Bag: A Survival Guide

The monsoon is not one problem, it is three: direct rain, ambient humidity, and the grit that comes with wet streets. A bag that survives all four months has usually been given a little thought in May rather than heroic rescue attempts in July.

Choose the material for the season. Coated and quilted fabrics — the shells we use on printed slings — shrug off a shower and dry in minutes. Vegan leather handles rain well too, provided you dry it properly. What genuinely suffers is anything textured or embellished: rosette fabric and rhinestone mesh hold water in the gaps, so those are better saved for dry evenings.

If you do get caught out, blot rather than rub, and let the bag dry at room temperature with the zips open. Never use a hairdryer, a radiator or direct sun — heat is what causes stiff patches and lifted top coats, not water. Stuff the bag with newspaper while it dries so it does not dry into a new shape.

Humidity is the quieter enemy. Linings that stay damp start to smell within days, so once a week let the bag air out fully open. A silica gel sachet dropped into the main compartment costs nothing and does more than any spray. Keep bags out of sealed plastic boxes through the season.

And keep an old tote by the door. Nesting your good bag inside a plain waterproof one for the walk to the station is not elegant, but it is the single most effective thing you can do — and nobody sees it once you are inside.

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• #bag care
• #waterproofing