A good leather jacket gets better with age — softer, more shaped to you, with a character no new jacket has. But that only happens if it is looked after. The good news: leather care is mostly about a few habits, not products or effort. This is the routine we recommend for every piece that leaves our workshop.
The everyday basics
- Hang it on a wide, padded or wooden hanger. Thin wire hangers pinch the shoulders and leave dents that are hard to remove. Never store a leather jacket folded.
- Give it room to breathe. Leather is a natural material. Store it in a breathable cloth bag, never in plastic or vinyl — those trap moisture and can cause mildew or a stale smell.
- Keep it away from heat. Radiators, heaters, hair dryers and car dashboards dry leather out and can make it stiff or cracked.
- Avoid long hours in direct sunlight. Strong sun slowly fades color, especially on brighter shades like red and blue.
- Empty the pockets. Heavy keys and phones stretch pockets out of shape over time.
What you should never do
Do not put a leather jacket in the washing machine, do not tumble dry it, and never use bleach. Water and heat together pull the natural oils out of the leather, and the jacket can shrink, stiffen or lose its color. Our care rule is simple: soft dry clean only.
Quick cleaning at home
For everyday dust and marks, a soft, dry cloth is all you need. Wipe gently in the direction of the grain. For a small spill, blot it straight away with a dry cloth — do not rub, which pushes the liquid deeper. Then let the area dry naturally at room temperature.
For anything bigger — oil, ink, wine or a stain that will not lift — take the jacket to a leather cleaning specialist. A general dry cleaner who does not work with leather can do more harm than good.
Day to day, a soft, dry cloth is all smooth leather needs.
Caught in the rain?
A little rain will not ruin leather. Shake off the water, blot the jacket with a dry towel and hang it on a wide hanger at room temperature until it is completely dry. Do not speed things up with a heater or hair dryer — fast drying is what causes stiffness and cracks.
Suede needs a slightly different touch
Suede has a soft, raised nap: brush it, don't wipe it.
Suede is softer and more open than smooth leather, so it marks more easily. Brush it regularly with a soft suede brush to lift dust and restore the nap, and keep it away from rain where you can. If suede does get wet, let it dry naturally, then brush it gently once it is fully dry. Leave stubborn stains to a specialist.
Storing it between seasons
Before putting a jacket away for a few months, make sure it is clean and completely dry. Hang it on its wide hanger inside a breathable cloth bag, somewhere cool and dry, with a little space around it so it is not crushed by other clothes.
A quick checklist
- Do: wide hanger, cloth bag, cool and dry, blot spills, specialist for deep cleaning.
- Don't: wash, tumble dry, bleach, fold, plastic bags, heaters, long hours in strong sun.
Look after it like this and your jacket will keep its shape and color for years. Every jacket in our shop comes with these care notes on its product page — and if you are still choosing, our guide on how to choose a leather jacket color may help.
