April 25, 2022 3 min read

Imagine buying your dream leather jacket. After doing all sorts of research, consulting all your friends as well as people who live and breathe leather, and getting lucky enough to buy that one piece of leather jacket that you've always wanted. It looks beautiful and fits perfectly. Wow! And then one day, something goes wrong and it develops torn lines or maybe a broken zipper. We've heard enough sob tales of people letting their favorite attires rot in their closet because of a defect or two. But little do they know that accidental rips aren't the end of the world. Almost anything and everything in this world can be repaired and altered. Even your favorite mens leather jackets.

Follow the basics

While accidental damage is unavoidable, it is very important to follow the basics when it comes to the care and maintenance of leather jackets. Hang them the right way in your closet and follow the best care practices. Give your leather jacket the love and care it deserves: reach out to professional cleaners every 6 months or so.

Minor stain removal

An accidental spill might lead to minor stains on your leather jacket. The ideal solution is to reach out to leather jacket professionals and let them work their magic. In the event of minor stains, professional leather jacket cleaners normally resort to deep cleaning, followed by a color touch-up. In certain cases, they might apply a protective layer to prevent the accumulation of dirt on the same spot in the future.

General cleaning and protection

A few not-so-subtle marks on your leather jacket? You can buy one of the leather cleaners and protectors available in the market and clean it yourself. The trick is to get rid of the marks, if any, as well as protect it from potential harm in the future by making it softer. The leather cleaners and protectors in the market include a fabric brightener to get rid of the marks and dullness, as well as a fabric softener to make your jacket more supple and durable.

Full repair

The big daddy of all forms of repair and alteration. When you've lost all hope and you think that your jacket is beyond repair, turn to a professional leather expert for a complete repair. We already mentioned that almost anything and everything can be fixed, and the same can be applied to leather jackets - no matter how bad the condition. Albeit expensive, and rightly so, a full repair service includes some, if not all of the following: deep cleaning of the leather jacket, full stain removal, exterior and interior damage repairs, and complete color restoration.

Alterations

A quick and popular solution to plenty of wear and tear issues. A tear right at the end of your leather jacket sleeve? Just shorten both your sleeves. A broken zipper? Just replace it with a new one. An accidental rip? You can get creative and patch up with another layer of leather that looks just as stylish. The patch panel solution is particularly popular for motorcycle jackets because of their rugged yet funky nature. Like we always say, it's always wise to consult a leather jacket specialist, speak your heart out and let them work their magic.

Are leather repairs and alterations limited to just leather jackets?

Of course not. Almost any and every leather item can be repaired and altered provided you reach out to the right people. This includes leather shoes, bags as well as furniture.