UNDERSTANDING YOUR LEATHER

AND SUEDE GARMENTS

Most leather and suede garments will clean beautifully when processed by a professional suede and leather cleaner. However, there are some exceptions, due to quality and/or condition of the skins.

COLOR CHANGES

Processed and refinished leathers & suede occasionally vary in color & finish from the original garment for one or more of the following reasons:

  1. BASIC DYE
    2.  - The penetration of the dye varies from skin to skin. Some dyes penetrate the skins, coloring them uniformly throughout. Others show resistance and will only dye the surface of the skins. In some cases, the dyes used are solvent soluble, which will result in excessive dye loss during the cleaning process. It is extremely difficult to restore skins dyed with solvent soluble dyes to their original color.
  2. OXIDATION AND SUN FADING
    3.  - Some colors will fade and oxidize during normal wear or storage. It is generally impossible to restore blues, greens, aquas, and salmon pinks to their original brightness. However, depending on the degree of fading, the color loss can be masked to some degree by retinting. The original color may not be restored completely.
  3. SMOOTH LEATHERS: "FINISHED OR UNFINISHED (NAKED SKINS)"
    4.  - Finished skins have a sprayed on leather finish, which can sometimes be lost during accepted cleaning processes. In these cases, the garment must be refinished to cover fading, stains, etc. Because of the number of colors available and the variations between them, there could be a slight difference from the original color. Unfinished or naked skins are those in which the dyes penetrate the skins. There are no surface finishes applied. Generally, these skins must be redyed after the accepted cleaning process to restore faded colors, cover stains, etc. In these cases, a surface dye is generally applied which may change the feel and appearance of the leather as well as add stiffness to skins.
  4. ANTIQUED LEATHERS
    5.  - An antique finish will not be exactly the same after cleaning. Anew finish must be applied after processing which will not duplicate the original shading and patterns exactly. The color and feel of the leather may change slightly.

SPOTS AND STAINS

 

Any protein stain, such as blood, egg, or milk, has an affinity to leathers. These types of stains are usually difficult to remove by the normal spotting and cleaning procedure. There is always the possibility of color removal or skin injury.

DYE TRANSFER

 

Most manufacturers generally use color fast dyes when matching leather trims to cloth garments. However, when dark suede or leather is used with light cloth, or highly contrasting shades of suede and leather are adjacent to each other in one garment, there is always the possibility of dye transfer or color bleeding from the dark color to the light.

SKIN DEFECTS

 

Many skins contain defects caused by lice, grub infestations, scars caused by wounds, etc. The manufacturer is able to mask many of these defects by treating the skins with oils, dyes or pigments. The matching dyes are not colorfast and, therefore, fade during processing. When this happens, the skin defects become very noticeable. They appear as a light area on suede and a dark area on grain leather.

BELLY WRINKLES AND THIN SKINS

 

Belly wrinkles and thin skins are inherent damage. Wrinkles that stop at the seams of specific panels are called "belly wrinkles." Thin skins (split or shaved skins) usually have unevenness in nap. When the skins are cleaned the surface tissues are exposed and the belly wrinkles and thin weak areas become evident. Holes can develop easily in these areas duri9ng normal wear and cleaning.

SHRINKAGE

 

Suede and leather have a natural tendency to draw up slightly and contract as the skins dry out and natural oils are lost. In most cases, proper cleaning restores most oils and extends the life of the garment. Slight shrinkage is eased by body heat during wearing and the garment will take on body conformity. In other cases, depending on the degree of shrinkage, the garment can be satisfactorily stretched by a special processing technique.

PIGSKIN

 

Pigskins do not respond to cleaning and spotting as well as other leathers. It has very little nap and varies from skin to skin in color and texture. Because of the fiber structure of the skin, spots and stains soak deeply into the skin and are very difficult to remove. The types of cement used in the seams and hem of the pigskin bleed through to the surface and leave dark marks and stains that are difficult to remove.

SPLIT COWHIDE (BUSH COATS)

 

Split cowhide has a very rough texture and a heavy fullness of hand when compared to other leathers. It loses its color and oils more readily during cleaning than other leathers causing a slightly harsher feel. Because of the rough texture these skins are very difficult to retint.

FOREIGN TANNED GARMENTS

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ertain garments tanned in foreign countries have been tanned and dyed by processes that are not always compatible with our cleaning and refinishing procedures and/or chemicals. Most foreign skins are top dyed for a brighter appearance. These vivid colors tend to fade and bleed easily during normal processing. These garments tend to react more adversely to cleaning and refinishing than domestically manufactured garments.

GLOVES

 

The linings in most leather and suede gloves are glued to the inside of the fingers. In most cases the cleaning solvent will dissolve the glue causing the linings to come loose.

PLASTICS AND VINYLS

 

Plastics and vinyls are manufactured with many different formulas by hundreds of different manufacturers. Most of these materials will dry-clean satisfactorily under controlled conditions. However, even when handled carefully, the material may shrink, stiffen and peel when exposed to certain chemicals used in dry-cleaning.

HELPFUL HINTS

AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE

Read care labels and hang tags carefully…save them! Question salespeople before making your purchase. Be sure of decoration…keep it simple…due to the mechanical action, fancy decorations may not stand up during the normal cleaning procedure. Buy from reputable stores.

AT THE TIME OF WEARING

Wear a scarf around your neck to prevent the garment from becoming soiled by skin oils. Avoid cleaning fluids, shoe creams and saddle sops. Do not allow a leather garment to become over soiled. (Most people wear split-cowhide garments far too long which creates heavy ingrained soil.) Remember…age sets spots and stains. A professional suede and leather cleaner should clean garments. Avoid storing in areas of extreme temperature, wetness or dryness. Do not store in plastic bags; leather must have air circulation to keep them from drying out. Do not store soiled garments. Store in a cool, ventilated closet on a proper hanger. Wet garments should be allowed to dry out naturally. DO NOT PUT THE GARMENT IN HEAT. After drying, a high-density type sponge will raise the nap again. If the wet garment is dirty, it may need professionally cleaned. Wiping with mild soap and lukewarm water and then drying and buffing with a soft cloth may clean grained leathers. Suede can be brushed clean with a sponge, rubber brush or special suede brush. Heavily soiled suede should be professionally dry cleaned. Press suede and leather with the lowest setting on the iron. DO NOT USE STEAM. Press with heavy brown paper between the iron and the material. Press one panel at a time, constantly moving the iron to avoid hot spots.

AT THE TIME OF CLEANING

Because genuine suede and leather requires special processing to reserve the finish, feel and color, you should take your garment to a professional cleaner equipped for this type of cleaning. Care labels and hangtags should accompany the garment when taken to be cleaned. Unless all pieces of a multi-piece outfit are processed at the same time there can not be a guarantee that they will match after cleaning. Advise your cleaner of stains or spots, whether visible or not. It is also a good practice to remove all buckles, ornaments and hardware or ask for special handling. Remove articles from pockets.

AFTER CLEANING

Inspect your garment immediately. Do not wait several months before removing it from the bag.