02/22/2023

Caring for Suede and Leather

If you own a suede or leather garment, you know they require special care. And sometimes, even when you do everything right, flaws can still appear. For instance, after only a short period of wear, suede and leather garments can show local damage. If you perform a microscopic examination of the damaged area, you will find that the skins are less compact and weaker than other areas of the garment.

Causes of Weak Areas

• A combination of skins is taken from different animals and are used in the makeup of the garment.
• Skins that come from different areas of the same animal can have a variety of thicknesses or inherent natural defects.
• Skins could be split thinly to accommodate soft, flowing skirts, tops, or other types of garments needing lightweight suede or leather panels.
• Weak areas in leather or suede may also be a result from wounds, disease, and insect bites received during the animal’s lifetime.
• Sometimes skins can pill, separate, or tear if used in an area of a garment that receives repeated rubbing, friction, or abrasion during wear.

Damage due to defective skins and frequent use becomes more apparent after a normal leather cleaning. That’s because dyes or finishes may have masked the problem before it was cleaned for the first time. The agitation of cleaning can aggravate the area that was defective or abraded during wear.

In some cases, a professional leather cleaner may be able to replace the damaged skins and return the garment to a wearable condition. In other cases, however, they may not be able to match the skin’s color or texture.

Suede and leather are susceptible to a wide range of problems, so it is important that you are aware of the potential problems and limitations of leather garments. A Cleaner World has used the same specialist for years, and they pick up and deliver your cleaned suede and leather garments to our stores. If you have questions about suede and leather, feel free to stop by one of our convenient locations and let us take a look at your items to determine the best care plan.