Caring for Your Leather Apparel - Part I - Conditioning

Let's face it - purchasing a leather garment comes with the same responsibility as caring for your own skin. Think about the similarities. Your new fetish leather corset is porous and needs to breathe. You need to be choosy about how to store and hang that sexy new leather harness because it can wrinkle or sag. That shiny new leather jacket IS a skin, after all! But while you'll never have to worry about dark circles under the eyes with your leather (thankfully), still consider your purchase as the beginning of a committed relationship. Doing so will ensure you keep your beloved leather healthy and supple for a lifetime.

Resources for caring for leather apparel run deep and wide, but the topic falls into roughly three domains: Conditioning, cleaning and caching (or storing). This article focuses on conditioning of your leather apparel. Subsequent articles will focus on cleaning and caching.

The Label is Your Contract

As you're shopping amidst tangled rows of chains, hangers and leather looking for the right size, look also at the manufacturer's care label. Follow the manufacturers care instructions exactly. Thinking of that tiny label as a little contract between you and the manufacturer and vendor is your best defense for a refund after you attempted to protect your coat and weren't satisfied with the results. If your item experiences damage in the form of discoloration, bubbling, warping, cracking or similar due to the application of a protector or conditioner you used at the recommendation of the vendor or manufacturer, take it back in the original store bag, receipt in tow, for a full refund. In the case of an online retailer, follow the retailer's instructions for a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number and send it back, but take a picture first (just in case)

Protecting your Leather

In case the scenario above alarmed you, don't be. Its purpose is to simply reinforce the importance of following the label instructions. It's worth repeating that following the instructions on the label is your best insurance for life long, good looking leather. Those instructions will usually direct you to purchasing protectors and conditioners. So when the store clerk asks you if you would like to purchase leather conditioners and protectors with your new leather jacket or outfit, reply confidently with a resounding "Yes certainly, thank you!" These important accessories will only set you back about ten dollars or less a piece, an expense well worth it for extending the life (and investment) of your leather item.

Fifi says

"...consider your purchase as the beginning of a committed relationship. Doing so will ensure you keep your beloved leather healthy and supple for a lifetime."

Let's be clear: A leather "protector" is specifically designed to act as a water and oil repellant by forming an invisible barrier to protect against wine, coffee, water, oils, urine and etc., any of which will cause your leather to crack and stiffen. A leather "conditioner" conditions the leather by working with the natural surfactants imbued by the tannery to preserve that natural softness that is leather's alone. For both protectors and conditioners, avoid greasy products as these fill the leather's pores and making cleaning and conditioning more difficult. Realize however that all protectors will tend to fill the pores to a degree to form the necessary moisture barrier.

After making sure your leather is clean and dry, treat the entire leather garment by applying the protector lightly. After allowing it to dry naturally, reapply. Be sure to follow the directions on the bottle. Repeat the application periodically. Now you are ready to wear your leather.

Some recommended protector products include:

• Scotchgard Clothing & Leather Protector (4 stars out of 5 on Amazon as of this writing)


• Tana Style 16 Protective Spray protects (well known, recommended for all types of leather)


• Leather Master Protection Cream (5 out of 5 stars on detailersdomain.com)


• The Spinneybeck Finished Leather Maintenance Kit is popular

Conditioning Your Leather

Leather apparel needs conditioning just like any other leather. Again, the oils contained in good conditioners will work with natural oils of the leather, penetrating the fibers to replenish and restore its suppleness.Let's start with a list of common mistakes people make when conditioning their leather. Don't:

• Attempt to condition or oil your leather when it is dirty, dusty or wet. The danger here is that the dirt or dust will scratch the leather, block the conditioner from the leather, and just make a worse mess in general.


• Use a cloth that is not soft enough and which can scratch the leather. Many recommend using a 100% cotton diaper or Nubuck cloth for applying and buffing with conditioner.


• Use a substandard product, one that is too old, too greasy or which contains petroleum, silicon or mineral oils. These products tend to plug the pores and will eventually damage your leather apparel.


• Apply conditioner before performing a spot check. Always apply new conditioner to a small, inconspicuous section first as a color safety check.

Fortunately conditioning leather is easy. Start by applying a thin coat of conditioner and softly work it into your leather apparel. You should let the fibers absorb the conditioner before wiping up any residue. The great thing about conditioning leather is that you can do it as often you want. The leather will let you know you are over-conditioning by not absorbing the excess amount. Make sure you wipe up any excess with another clean, soft cloth since left over conditioner, besides appearing unsightly, can attract dust and dirt and will serve as a medium in which bacteria colonize.

Apply conditioner in this way several times throughout a season, and more if you expose it to intense or prolonged sunlight or other harsh weather conditions. Keep all this in mind when you approach conditioning your leather and you'll be wearing it like a pro for a long, long time!

Some recommended conditioner products for apparel include:

• Lexol Leather Conditioner (5 star rating on mySimon.com, 4.7 stars on Amazon.com. Probably the best known leather conditioner.)


• Mothers Leather Conditioner (4.5 star rating on epinions.com, used on auto leather too)


• Zymol Leather Conditioner (4 star rating on Amazon.com)


• Zelikovitz Professional Leather Conditioner (power user zelikovitzleathers on eBay)

Leather apparel can last for a lifetime if it is regularly maintained and treated well. Just remember that leather is skin. Condition, clean and nourish it as you would your own, and you will help keep it supple and durable for a lifetime.