Our leather goods most of the time are not used on a daily basis. Weather can be a factor or maybe is that rule we once told you about letting your goodies to have a break. However, downtime can be rough on leather, especially if it's in a place that's unhealthy. Leather’s refreshed by natural daily use, moisture in the air, oils in our skin, and the general friction of movement. So, today we're telling you how to store your leather goods.
Rules to store your leather goods
- Avoid sunlight and heat. They are really horrible for your leather. UV rays and heat cause moisture within your leather to disperse, and with it, the oils that bonds too. As the oils are removed from their microscopic protein bonds, the fibers these oils bond together become hard and brittle, causing your leather to crack and dry out.
- Avoid places with high moisture and/or humidity. Although water is actually extremely healthy for leather in the right amounts, too much can be dangerous. Usually, the moisture in the air around leather is enough to keep it healthy on its own. The leather actually absorbs this moisture as part of a natural refreshing cycle, which disperses old oils and prepares it to receive new ones. Too much moisture – either when cleaning or just plain sitting around can disperse the oils so much that your leather will dry out.
- Make sure the place you choose to store your leather goods is cool, away from constant light, dry and clean.
- If the leather needs to be placed on a hanger, avoid using metal frames. These can deform the shape of your leather, and are generally a bad fit for such a supple material. Instead, try padded hangers made of wood, which has an easier texture.
- If you plan to store away your leather for an extended period of time, clean and condition it before it is sealed away.
- When its time to store them, dust jackets work ideally for this, or a wooden box if you prefer. Make sure it is not airtight, or it could dry out.
- Stuffing newspapers or packing paper around and inside them also provides extra protection. Stuffing newspapers inside your jacket sleeve, for example, will help it to retain its shape and not flatten out. Speaking of which, when you store leather make sure nothing is putting pressure on it, or it may deform and wrinkle. Give your leather space to flex out.
