In this blog post, Soral want to share more about caring for your leather goods. While a stylish and timeless material, leather requires a bit of love and care to ensure it continues to look its best. There are some things you can do, many with little effort, to ensure that your Soral products continue to look their best:

• Never wash a leather product in a washing machine: Leather products are inbued with and retain natural oils. These oils are easily washed away if a leather good is put through a washing machine cycle. While it is possible to replenish these natural oils over time, the leather will be prone to cracking; this sort of damage is irreparable. As a result, it is never recommended to wash leather in a washing machine.

• Only gently wash with a damp cloth and leather conditioner: While washing with water should always be avoided, leather products can be gently wiped with a damp cloth and left to air dry. This will lessen the effects of the natural oils being removed from the jacket and avoid cracking the leather. Several times per year leather conditioner should be applied to your leather products to ensure the natural oils are retained. This will also keep the leather looking its healthiest and best.

• Always hang your leather jacket on a hanger: While tempting, a leather jacket should never be folded over or thrown into your standard pile of clothes. Leather is prone to crease marks, which is made worse and sometimes multiplied by folding the leather. Always hang your jacket on a hanger to ensure that the jacket avoids these crease marks and that the leather stays its healthiest. Jackets should always be kept in a dry place to ensure the leather remains in ideal condition

• When travelling, ensure your leather products are well ventilated: Leather needs to breathe. Just like skin, leather needs some ventilation to prevent mildew and rot. Air can naturally pass through leather, leaving moisture to evaporate naturally. That can’t happen when your leather is sealed up. Never store or transport leather goods in bags with little to no ventilation, such as a grocery bag. It is best to use either a purpose-made travel bag, or some type of breathable fabric — pillowcases are great for shoes, bags, and/or other accessories if need be.

• When not in use, avoid storing in direct sunlight: If a leather item accidentally gets waterlogged, it can be tempting to throw it in front of a heater or to use a hair dryer to speed the process. It is never advisable to do that. Just like skin and other fabrics, when leather gets wet and then heated right away, it can shrink and dry out too quickly. Rather, let it dry naturally. Also, it is best keep leather out of direct sunlight when storing. Leather risks fading naturally over time and sunlight speeds up that process. Drying and cracking can also ensue. Darker places with some humidity are preferred, although again, ensure air flow so that mildew can’t form.

With these tips, we hope you will be able to keep your Soral products looking their best, and that you will get many happy years out of your investment.