A scuffed, ripped or cracked leather jacket can feel like a disaster. But rather than panic, read on for practical solutions to repair a leather jacket and restore it back to the jacket you first fell in love with.
It's a scenario we all dread. Despite best intentions, good leather care maintenance, the worst has happened… the leather jacket you love and wear ALL the time has become scuffed, ripped, cracked or damaged. Cue - the immediate panic and questions of whether you can repair a leather jacket…
Be it by no fault of your own, with a pet, an accident or climate conditions the most likely culprits - you’re now left wondering can a rip in a leather jacket be repaired? Can a cracked leather jacket be repaired? Or, the worst case… can leather be repaired from cat scratches on a jacket?
Just the thought of the above can feel overwhelming, we get it. It would be no exaggeration to say that when it comes to wardrobe staples, a leather jacket can feel like a soulmate - uniquely made for you and invested in for the long haul.
So what happens when the threat of longevity gets rocked and your leather jacket for whatever reason ends up worse for wear? This is where we’re here to help.
As leather experts, at Apostl, we’ve curated a list of common questions that come up that may help bring comfort to the leather lovers out there concerned about whether you can repair a leather jacket and save your beloved item in the long-term.
Read on below for a guide on how you can repair a leather jacket, with considerations to scuffed, ripped and cracked leather jacket mends in mind.
Ask Apostl: Q&A On How To Repair A Leather Jacket
Protect and maintain the quality of your APOSTL leather goods with our Aqua Seal Leather Waterproofing & Conditioning Spray. This versatile spray is specially formulated to waterproof and condition your leather at the same time, and is suitable for use on all our products. Whether you want to preserve the pristine condition of your new APOSTL items or rejuvenate an older piece, simply apply the spray and enjoy long-lasting protection from the elements.
Learn about how to best assist and repair the aesthetics of your leather jacket by reading our curated tips based on your specific leather repair questions.
Read on to find out the answers to common leather repair queries including: can a rip in a leather jacket be repaired, can cracked leather jacket be repaired and can leather be repaired from cat scratches on jackets?
Q. Can a rip in a leather jacket be repaired?
Torn leather can feel like an absolute worst case scenario. But before you go into panic mode, let us ease your mind. The good news is, it doesn’t have to spell the end of your long and loyal chapter together.
The simple answer to ‘can rip in a leather jacket be repaired?’ is, yes it can. In the case of a leather jacket you know is going to be seen and needs to look good at all times the important approach here is to consult with a specialised leather repair company.
Be it a rip, tear or newly formed hole, a rip in a leather jacket can be repaired with a quality mend or darning technique. Often tailors can use adhesive glue to bind a torn piece back to its place (if you’ve kept the fabric tear) or they may patch it up with a leather piece and dye it to suit the surrounding leather.
In the case of a micro-tear or hole, a rip in the leather jacket can be repaired often at minimal cost or effort of the tailor. It may come down to a simple stitch back together at the seam or weaving new thread back through to tidy up loose threads that created hole. It depends on the type of damage that’s occurred.
With this all in mind, knowing exactly what kind of a rip in a leather jacket needs to be repaired will help give you a sense of what a leather repair specialist might do.
For those unsure about what to do with an Apostl leather jacket, feel free to email us directly to see if we can help support you at hello@apostl.com.au. For concerns about if a rip in a leather jacket can be repaired that isn’t an Apostl original, try LookSmart Alterations in Hobart who specialise in leather jacket repairs or Google for your specific local state or territory leather tailor.
Q. Can a cracked leather jacket be repaired?
Yes but it still comes with a caveat: cracked, aged or wrinkly leather can be surprisingly as tricky as a tear.
As most leather jackets are made using durable genuine leather that is designed to soften with time and wear in mind, often cracked or wrinkled leather is a natural evolution of a well loved jacket.
However, if wondering whether a cracked leather jacket can be repaired specifically, it’s important to know how it became cracked and what type of leather it is as to how to treat and repair the leather jacket.
Cracked leather commonly occurs either from cheap fabric (i.e. faux leather), ageing or from drying out after being wet. Determining the leather your jacket is made of will help determine the treatment solutions. In regards to type, there are two main leather jacket materials - genuine leather or faux leather.
Genuine leather, such as our Apostl leather jackets, are made of genuine leather (ethically sourced cowhide) that is durable and ultra high quality. By their very nature, they carry a low risk of becoming cracked easily, but can become soft and wrinkled with wear and time.
Faux leather on the other hand is often made of polyester or polyurethane (plastic) and carries a much higher risk of cracking naturally and due to its material nature, is less easy or feasible when debating whether your cracked leather jacket be repaired.
With this in mind, speaking to our own genuine leather specifically, there are two ways to go about looking into how can cracked leather jackets can be repaired.
For cracked leather due to dried out conditions (i.e. leaving a jacket near an open hot fire after it was saturated from the rain), we recommend giving leather a clean first and applying a leather conditioner or oil to soften, smooth out and rehydrate the fibres in the leather. See our care guide here.
For those feeling a condition and oil isn’t enough and feeling lost about, ‘can a cracked leather jacket be repaired?,’ the next best step we recommend would be taking it to a leather repair shop. Speak to them directly to see if they can do deeper work on leather, either oiling and conditioning or buffing and re-dying.
Q. Can leather be repaired from cat scratches on jackets?
Your cat curled up and decided to start kneading the leather jacket you threw on your sofa the night before with their claws and now the sleeve of your leather jacket is covered in scratches - yikes.
Don’t panic. Short of removing the comfy cat that doesn’t know they’ve done anything wrong, the question is, how does one deal with the aftermath of their pet’s self soothing, leather damaging ways?
Well, in the very same way you will learn to love your cat again with time, the leather can be repaired from cat scratches on your jacket, but it’s going to take just as much serious TLC.
When it comes to just how can leather be repaired from cat scratches on jackets, think a step-by-step approach. Treating a leather jacket is much the same as prepping to apply makeup or fake tan - it requires scrubbing/buffing, hair/fibre removal, a primer and then colourant and a finishing product.
For those who prefer a DIY approach and want to learn how leather can be repaired from cat scratches on jackets, this How To Fix Cat Scratches On Leather video shares how you can approach it.
Alternatively, for those wanting to preserve the prestige of their original genuine leather without completely starting again we recommend going directly to the experts.
Apostl Leather
By asking a leather care specialist directly and seeking their services as to how leather can be repaired from cat scratches on the jacket, you will get the best repair advice tailored to your leather jacket.
Note: it also takes the burden and stress off you, and by entrusting them, saves time and resources, as they can bring your leather jacket back to its natural state using the highest quality products and professional tools and approaches you may otherwise not have.
For more on how to care for your leather jacket go to our care guide or email us with your direct queries around Apostl leather and how you can repair a leather jacket.