There's no tradeoff for a leather jacket's ultra-comfortable texture and timeless style. It is always-wanted vintage modern apparel and a must-have for every wardrobe. Most people have over one leather jacket that they are proud of.
Wearing a leather jacket will give you confidence and comfort, whether as a reminder of those biker days, your days in college, or maybe you just bought one for the occasion. The timelessness of leather jackets means that you get to wear them with almost any outfit or garment.
Because of their novelty, genuine leather jackets are precious pieces of apparel that require special care for you to use them for a long period. It is true that you probably won't wear the jacket for 365 days a year.
However, there are some instances where you might want to store your leather jacket for a long period, requiring extra care. Below are some tips to ensure that you enjoy your valued leather jacket for a long period.
The Do's Of Storing A Leather Jacket
Store When Clean
The only sure way of ensuring that your leather jacket maintains that aesthetic touch is always to store it when clean. However, keeping your genuine leather clean requires using some specific cleaning methods.
Otherwise, you could end up causing wear and tear to this treasured clothing. After you take the genuine leather jacket from its storage, clean the leather and condition it before you wear the jacket. Research the quality and best leather conditioners that you can use to clean the jacket.
Do not use any wax- or silicone-based product. These products will dry out your leather jacket. Further, don't use animal oil products. These can induce discoloration on your leather jacket, making it lose that classic and beautiful touch.
Instead, clean the jacket using quality, good leather conditioner, and use a cotton soft-bristled brush to remove any unwanted dirt or dust. Repeat the entire process before you store the leather jacket. It will ensure that the leather maintains its original pigment and luster.
Store A Climate-Controlled Area
The rule of thumb when it comes to storing a leather jacket is ensuring that the area is climate controlled. For example, never store the jacket in a humid and hot area such as an attic or a crawl space. Rather, store your jacket in the main areas of your house, such as a guest or your bedroom closet.
To be specific, all the leather garments must be stored at room temperature. Further, the relative humidity should be about 40-50%. The leather jacket begins forming mildew if the relative humidity is above 60%. You can avoid this problem by storing the jacket in a climate-controlled place. If the humidity is too high, consider installing a dehumidifier. Further:
- Store your genuine leather jacket in a wooden, breathable box. This protects the timeless garment from dust particle accumulation. Otherwise, you would have to be cleaning it now and then.
- Fill and cover your leather jacket using non-acidic paper. This is a great way of treasuring it and allowing it to stay for long in its original form and shape.
By doing this, you'll be ensuring that the jacket serves you for a long time without any discolorations or wearing off.
Keep it Away From direct sunlight
Keeping your leather jacket exposed for a long is a bad idea. Hence, always ensure that it isn't exposed to direct sunlight under storage. So, what's exactly wrong with storing the leather under sunlight?
Although nothing is wrong with short exposures, the jacket will fade if stored under sunlight for long spells. Regardless of how new the jacket is, it will fade if exposed to direct sunlight for long. Even if it has a dark brown tone, it might fade and become a light brown after exposure to direct sunlight for several months or even weeks.
Hang The Jacket on a Clothing Hunger
Regardless of where you plan to store the leather jacket, ensure that you hang it on a clothes hanger. If not stored on a clothes hanger, leather jackets can develop wrinkles. For instance, if you toss the leather jacket on at the bottom of your closet or on the floor, it might get wrinkles that are hard to remove.
Hence, always hang your leather jacket on perfectly-sized hangers after removing it. They shouldn't be any small or wide. This is because they could stretch the shoulder areas of your valued leather jacket, causing its seams to fray.
However, do not just store the leather jacket on any hangers. To protect this treasured garment against wrinkling, store it in a high-quality, heavy-duty wooden clothes hanger. Compared to the plastic clothing hangers, the wooden hangers are more durable and stronger. Thus, they are unlikely to deform under the sheer weight of the leather jacket.
The Don'ts of Storing A Leather Jacket
Do Not Store When Wet
Never store your leather-made jacket when wet or even damp. The leather jacket will retain moisture, assuming it is made from genuine leather. Genuine leather absorbs water through its porous surface, which allows it to absorb moisture and hold it. Stored with moisture, the leather jackets will form mildew. Hence, only store it when completely dry.
Do Not Store Near The Air Vents
The other mistake you should avoid when storing your leather jacket is storing it close to your air vents. Although they release conditioned air, this exposure to alternating temperatures could have a toll on your leather jacket, making it prone to wear and tear. Hence, to err on the cautious side, store the leather jacket away from the air vents.
Applying Perfumes
Applying heavy sprays and perfumes to your leather jacket will damage the jacket material. This automatically changes the look of your clothing. Hence, don't apply these fragrances or sprays to your treasured leather jackets.
Don't use Chemical Substances
Chemical cleaning substances can change the leather material or change its pigment. Hence, keep away from chemical-based cleaning products and only clean your genuine leather jacket before you store it using special cleaning products.
Don't Fold the leather jacket
Leather isn't a material to fold and then stuff into your wardrobe closet. Hence, you should have someplace to freely hang the leather jacket and ensure it is always straightened. Further, ensure that you don't use metallic hangers because they can deform your jackets.
Don't Store It near Heat
When leather absorbs heat over time, it becomes dry and loses its moisture and softness. Eventually, the lack of moisture makes the jacket chip off or crack. To retain the softness, ensure you store the jacket in a cool but dry place.
Conclusion
A leather jacket is treasured apparel that is a must-have. Wearing it can give you some confidence and comfort. Moreover, because it is timeless, leather jackets are a choice for any season or occasion, giving you a classy look.
However, you must store the valued leather jacket properly to retain its aesthetic appeal and last longer. Hence, follow the above do's and don'ts of storing your leather jacket.