Storage
In keeping your leather accessories, it is best
to avoid having the leather items come into contact with
each other. The finishing may cause the leather items
to stick together. Plastic bags are not the best wrap
for all accessories, tissue paper is recommended. Plastic
is the cause of excessive drying of the leather. Avoid
extreme temperatures, whether hot or cold and humidity.
This is especially a constant problem in south-east Asia.
Avoid extreme dryness, too. Your leather should not be
exposed to direct sunlight or heat for long periods of
time. It will cause your leather to dry.
For leather coats or jackets, store them on a wide wooden,
plastic or padded hanger. This will help maintain the
shape. Store your leather products in a well-ventilated,
cool and dry place. Use cloth like cotton sheets or any
cloth that is breathable to cover your leather. If your
leather clothing acquires wrinkles or creases, let them
hang out. Ironing is not necessary. If you think you should
iron it, place heavy brown paper over the leather and
use medium to cool temperature of the iron. By all means,
do not overheat the leather. This will result in an unnecessary
permanent shine.
Do not leave heavy objects in the pockets such as key
chains. This will cause the leather to sag and stretch.
Suede & nubuck
Suede leather is a special kind of leather made
from calfskin. The leather is buffed on the flesh side.
It is very soft and resembles fabric. Nubuck is similar
that it is buffed to have the fabric-like quality. These
kinds of leather are not fit for everyday use and cleaning
them needs special cleaning kits.
Wet
When your leather becomes wet do not put it into the dryer.
Let it dry at normal room temperature. Empty the leather
item first and stuff it up with tissue paper and let it
stand to dry. Like dry cleaning, putting your leather
product into the clothes dryer may cause permanent damage.
If your leather has fur, use a hair blower and set it
to the lowest temperature. Let it blow on the fur and
shake the fur during the drying process.
Special tips for exotic leathers
The key in caring for exotic leathers here is
using the minimum or mild. Use a mild cleaner and conditioner
for skins derived from reptiles or snakeskins. The cleaner
and conditioner mentioned here are products designed to
clean leather. As mentioned, they should be mild. Leather
care products are not the same. Products that are used
for smooth leather may leave a residue. Do not use such
products. This may build up later on around the base of
the scales and cause the scales to crack of fall off.
Additional tips
Do not send your leather clothing to the dry cleaners.
Dry cleaning will remove the natural oils of the leather
resulting in cracking, fading and shrinking. If the stains
seem to be stubborn, you may need to send it to a leather
specialist. Even then, there may be some slight discolouration
or changes in size. If your leather comes in sets or pairs
such as gloves and matching garments, these should be
sent together. The specialist will be able to make the
colours match.
If you are unsure of special leather cleaning kits
or leather care kits, test it first on a part of the
leather item that is not visible when worn or used.
An example is the inside part of a leather jacket. You
will be able to see results and evaluate if it is indeed
useful in protecting and caring for your leather.
When dressing up, do not apply hair sprays or perfumes
while wearing leather. This may cause stains or discolouration.
Do not attach pins or adhesive tags or badges to the
leather. Pins will puncture the leather and later on
the holes may stretch or tear the leather. Adhesive
tags or badges may create permanent stains.
