Caring for a Leather Coat

Your chances of buying a leather coat are pretty good this year. Once you’ve invested in one, you’ll want to properly store and care for it in order to get the most mileage out of that investment.

• When storing your leather coat, both on- and off-seasons, always use a strong, sturdy hanger. Wooden ones are best, since they help the shoulders bear the brunt of the weight but don’t stretch the leather out irregularly as metal hangers sometimes do.
• It’s best to leave any leather items at home if rain is in the forecast. But if you find yourself in a deluge, towel off any droplets once inside and allow the leather to air dry, away from a heating source.
• Have your leather items dry-cleaned once a year; otherwise, dirt buildup could cause deterioration.
• Hang your jacket correctly. Hanging a jacket folded for a long period of time could encourage creases and cracks in the leather. Instead, hang it on a wide, preferably padded hanger in a well ventilated closet — never in the sunlight, as that can quickly discolor the jacket. One of the tips we can give you is not to store your jacket on a wire hanger. You’re asking for weird “bumps” in the shoulders. After you hang it, don’t shove it into your closet among dozens of other coats. Give it some space!
• Keep your jacket away from heat. Heat will dry out and cause leather to become brittle and crack. Never lay your jacket on or near a radiator or heating vent, and never iron or steam it yourself.
• Use a leather conditioner. Leather will always naturally lose some of it moisture, but using a reputable leather conditioner on finished leather can prolong its life.
• Don’t clean at home. Unless you have the experience or aren’t worried about causing irreparable harm to your leather jacket, you should not try to clean it at home. Some cleaning labels may say that you can wash your leather jacket in a washing machine, but any small misstep can cause serious damage.
• Stay anonymous. Don’t put a sticky name tag on suede or leather. When you peel it off, chances are you’ll take some fabric with it, or worse, leave an adhesive mark.