Taking Care of Leather Clothes

Taking proper care of leather clothing while it is on display as well as informing customers about leather care will protect inventory investments and increase customer satisfaction.

Leather is an expensive item to keep in inventory, and it is a shame to ruin a garment while it waits to be purchased from the sales floor. Due to the expense and reputation of leather products, educating leather buyers on how to protect their clothes will also keep shoppers coming back for more leather items. It is important for leather clothes to look good on display and continue looking good for years to come in the homes of valuable patrons. Leather coats are perhaps the most popular leather garments as well as the most difficult to maintain.

Correct maintenance begins with using sturdy, preferably wooden hangers. The shoulders of the clothes hanger should be widened, or there should be pads that provide support for the shape of the shoulders. Imagine the shape of a leather coat hung on a wire clothes hanger in storage or out on display. When storing or displaying, all items should also be removed from pockets and any dirt or liquid spill should be cleaned. The quicker spills are cleaned, the better. Avoid using a cleaning agent that is not designed for leather, as this will cause the leather to fade or change from its original color and appearance. Most dirt or spills can be cleaned with a wet towel quite easily, and then the garment should be left to dry naturally (with no heat source).

A leather conditioner can be applied to keep the leather flexible and moisturized to prevent cracking. In storage, leather jackets should not be kept in an overly dry or humid place or in plastic garment bags or other non-breathable covers. Both dry and humid environments have negative effects on leather over time as well as direct sunlight. When it is time to take a leather coat out of storage it should be sponged lightly with water to remove the salt deposits that will have collected on its exterior. Again, the garment should be left to dry naturally in an open-air environment. These same rules apply for most types of leather garments, with a few additions to particular merchandise.

One of the most common leather maintenance mistakes is to have matching pieces cleaned separately. Perhaps there was a spill on only one of the garments that is part of a leather outfit. If you only clean one piece it will end up a different color from the other. Leather sets should be washed together. Also, most leather garments should not be ironed because the heat will greatly damage them. If at all possible, leather should really be professional cleaned to avoid problems; however, there are some stains that still cannot be repaired.

Leather is an organic material that absorbs everything. Ink, gasoline, and paints are extremely difficult to remove from leather, and in most cases it is better to simply replace the garment. Making sure that customers are aware of these things before walking out of the store with a new leather purchase is very good service practice. People investing in leather garments should be warned of these difficulties ahead of time. It is also a great idea to let customers keep the wooden hanger you use to display the garment. Supply wooden hangers that are not too expensive but that give good shape to each type of garment. This will help to insure the customer's satisfaction in their purchase and keep them loving leather.

About the Author:

Ron Maier is the owner of Only Hangers, a leading provider of wooden hangers, plastic hangers, and other types of clothes hangers. For more information, please visit Onlyhangers.com