How to Store Leather

Last Updated: February 8, 2023

With the costly price and luxurious reputation of leather goods, it's important to use proper leather storage techniques to preserve your items. Taking care of leather items will keep leather in the best condition possible, preventing wrinkles, discoloration, and hide degradation. To store leather correctly, you have to take into account humidity and dust, and use materials like acid-free tissue—not plastic. Luckily, we have all the tips you need to store your leather items to keep them looking great!

Steps

1
Include acid-free paper in with your leather items when you store them. Stuff the arms and legs of shirts, coats and pants to retain their shape. These items can be hung and covered for protection from dust and damaging environmental elements.
2
Hang leather clothing items to protect them and prevent wrinkles. Cover them in plastic, or choose a cloth covering or garment bag which will allow the leather to breathe. Use wide hangers instead of wire hangers which leave creases in garments and can damage or destroy the items over time. Similar to using wire hangers, using any ribbon loops located inside the clothing items to hang them can disfigure the clothing due to the counterweight of the leather. There is just as much a chance for the loop to pull out of the fabric, resulting in a tear, due to the weight of the garment.

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3
Store leather in a breathable container. Good storage container choices for leather are fabric bags, suitcases or wooden trunks. Do not store it in plastic because leather needs breathe and plastic prohibits that. Leather can mildew if the surrounding conditions are too humid. Leave enough room around each item so it can each breathe and is not crowded.
4
Apply leather conditioner to preserve leather quality and further retain moisture.
5
Place the leather in a climate controlled area. Exposure to elements like heat, sunlight and moisture will jeopardize the leather's quality.
6
Acquire the services of a professional to store leather items. Your local cleaner will sometimes offer this service.
7
Take your leather items out of their storage area periodically to extend their life. Leather can be stored long term but should be taken out periodically air the material out.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I keep my cotton clothes and sweaters white?

Community Answer

While eating you can put the edge of a napkin in the top of your shirt to avoid spills. Cotton clothes you can wash them after every use. When you spill on your clothes don't wait to clean them as some stains take forever to wash off. You should grab a wash cloth and get it wet, put a little bit of soap on one part of it and rub it carefully until the stain is faint. Then put the sweater or cotton clothing in the laundry.
Question

We have a leather sofa & would like to put a faux fur throw on it & hold this in place with a polyester gripper sheet. Will this damage the leather?

Community Answer

It might. I suggest that you put something else on over the leather, like paper wrap.