A leather jacket you won't wear. Before you put it away

As the temperature gradually rises, and before the rainy season and summer, many people are thinking, ``Maybe it's time to put away your leather jacket.''

However, leather items are a little delicate, and if you just store them away like other clothing, you may end up having trouble when you wear them the next season.

Here we will introduce what you should do and precautions before storing for the upcoming season. I would be happy if you could use this as a reference, whether you are someone who struggles every year or someone who is just starting out.

First of all, we do not recommend excessive oiling before storage. This is because it easily leads to the growth of mold, which is the biggest enemy of leather items.

Many of the reasons why mold grows easily are related to humidity.

Leather jackets are often not worn during humid seasons, and the battle against humidity will determine whether you win or lose.

If you apply too much oil and leave it in a humid place for a long period of time, there is a risk that it will rot and become moldy.

If you wear an oiled leather jacket properly and move it around, the oil will penetrate deep inside and come out.

Therefore, please be careful during seasons when you won't wear your clothes for a long time, as oil may remain on the surface and inside, causing mold and dust to easily adhere to them.

So what should you do before storing?

Basically, I think all you need to do is wipe off the dirt on the surface with a brush or towel.

Jackets that are often used outside have invisible dirt attached to them. Wipe it all off with a well-drained towel. I think it's even better if you have a brush because you can work on small areas such as zippers and between threads.

For stubborn stains, we recommend using a cleaner.

If you leave stains as they are, they will be difficult to remove. Furthermore, there is a risk of staining. Once it becomes a stain, it is difficult to get it back to its original state. Please be careful.

As for storage, we do not recommend storing it in non-woven fabric that you receive for cleaning etc.

The main reason is that it doesn't have good breathability.

As I explained at the beginning, in order to prevent mold from forming, you have to fight against humidity.

If you use non-woven fabric to store your clothes, there is no place for the moisture inside to escape, and it gets trapped, and by the time you think it's time to wear it, it's often moldy.

Although it is suitable for preventing dust from adhering, there are many cases where the above problem occurs.

Therefore, when using non-woven fabrics, etc., please choose a well-ventilated location and be careful not to get moldy.

The signs of mold on leather items are easy to spot, so there are two patterns.

One is the phenomenon in which the surface of the leather turns white. Basically, I think it's safe to suspect that it's mold. You can wipe it off, but mold grows roots, so even if it is removed on the surface, it may reoccur. Also, mold can spread to nearby objects, so please be careful if you find it.

The second thing is the smell. I think many people notice the distinctive smell of mold. The point to note here is that it is difficult to remove odors from leather items. It is almost impossible to remove mold odors, people's odors, and perfume odors.

If you have multiple leather jackets, you may want to create a rack specifically for them in a well-ventilated area.

If you're storing it in a closet, I think it's better to store it on the front side of the door that opens rather than the back side.

If you have any other concerns, we recommend that you take your leather items to a specialist cleaning service.

At KADOYA, we also have a cleaning service [Refleather] that specializes in leather items. Please take advantage of it!