A well-made leather jacket is one of the few pieces of clothing that gets better with age, but only if it is looked after. The good news is that proper care takes very little time. A wipe after wear, a conditioner once or twice a year and sensible storage will keep a jacket from the Learto collection looking right for decades.
Everyday care
After wearing, hang the jacket on a wide, padded hanger so the shoulders keep their shape. Thin wire hangers leave dents in the leather over time. If the jacket is damp from rain or snow, shake it off and let it air dry at room temperature, away from radiators, heaters and direct sunlight. Heat dries out the natural oils in leather and is the fastest way to cause cracking.
Wipe surface dust and light marks with a soft, slightly damp cloth, then let the area dry naturally. Do this before marks have a chance to set.
Cleaning smooth leather
For anything a damp cloth will not shift, use a cleaner made for leather garments. Apply a small amount to a cloth rather than directly onto the jacket, work gently in circles and test on an inside seam first. Never use household cleaners, alcohol wipes or anything containing bleach; they strip the finish and leave pale patches.
If a jacket is heavily soiled or stained with oil, take it to a specialist leather cleaner. Standard dry cleaning uses solvents that can stiffen and discolor leather, so always ask for a cleaner who handles leather garments specifically.
Conditioning
Leather loses moisture slowly, and a conditioner replaces it. Once or twice a year, more often in dry climates, apply a thin layer of leather conditioner with a soft cloth, let it absorb for a few minutes and buff off the excess. Over-conditioning is a real problem: too much product leaves the surface greasy and attracts dirt, so less is more. Cowhide jackets, including our leather biker jackets, take conditioning well and reward it with a deeper patina.
Caring for suede
Suede is more porous than smooth leather, so prevention matters. Treat a new suede jacket with a suede protector spray before the first wear and repeat each season. Brush it regularly with a suede brush to lift the nap and remove dust, and lift dry marks with a suede eraser. Do not use leather conditioner on suede; it flattens the texture. Avoid heavy rain where you can, and if the jacket does get wet, let it dry naturally and brush it once dry.
Caring for shearling and sheepskin
Shearling needs a slightly different routine because you are caring for wool and leather at the same time. Brush the wool with a soft shearling or suede brush after wear, moving with the grain, to keep it from matting. Spot clean stains on the wool with a cloth dampened in lukewarm water and a drop of wool-safe detergent, blotting rather than rubbing, then wipe with plain water to remove residue.
Never machine wash, soak or tumble dry shearling, and never dry it with heat. If it gets soaked through, lay it flat on a towel to dry and reshape it while damp. For odors, sprinkle baking soda on the wool, leave it for an hour and brush it out. Condition the suede side of a shearling jacket only once or twice a year, and use a specialist cleaner for anything serious.
Storage between seasons
Store leather in a cool, dry wardrobe inside a breathable cotton garment bag, never in plastic, which traps moisture and encourages mildew. Give the jacket room so the shoulders and any wool trim are not crushed. A cedar block keeps moths away from shearling and wool linings without the smell of mothballs. Before storing, clean and condition the jacket so it goes away in good condition and comes out ready to wear.
Mistakes that ruin leather jackets
- Drying a wet jacket on a radiator or with a hairdryer.
- Using baby wipes, dish soap or all-purpose sprays on leather.
- Storing in plastic dry-cleaning bags.
- Leaving the jacket folded in a drawer, which sets permanent creases.
- Spraying perfume or hairspray while wearing it.
- Ignoring small scuffs until they become cracks.
Breaking in a new jacket
New cowhide feels stiff; that is normal. Wear it for short periods around the house, move your arms, and it will soften within a few weeks. Sheepskin and lambskin feel soft immediately. If a jacket feels tight across the chest or shoulders rather than just stiff, it is the wrong size: leather does not stretch meaningfully, so check our size guide and exchange it while it is unworn.
Looked after this way, a genuine leather jacket is a long-term purchase rather than a seasonal one. Explore the full range of men's and women's leather jackets and coats, or read our comparison of sheepskin, cowhide and suede before you choose your next one.