Leather is a staple in the wardrobe thanks to its tough-wearing, durability and timeless coolness. However, if cracks in your favourite leather jacket start to appear or its colour starts to fade, it’s understandable that you’d want to learn how to restore leather or how to care for leather to prolong its use.

At Hurleys, we want you to get the most out of your purchases, so look no further than our leather care guide for how to look after and restore your leather jackets, bags and footwear.

Can worn leather be restored? Absolutely! Read on for leather restoration tips that you can carry out yourself.

How do you Repair Damaged Leather?

Leather clothing items typically appear in darker colours, after all, you don’t get more classic than a black leather jacket to keep the chill off of your back - especially as we’re staying out late in beer gardens this summer. 

• BOSS Women’s Casual Black Jameggy Leather Jacket

Unfortunately, colour fading is more noticeable on darker material. Many things can lead to leather fading including excessive wear and sunlight. Give your clothing and accessories longevity by learning how to make leather look new. 

How to Restore Faded Leather

As an example, let’s look at how to restore leather shoes. Dubarry boots are especially well known for their suitability to the outdoors, whilst still looking sleek and stylish. However, this does mean that they are prone to damage more so than other shoes.

• Women's Dubarry Longford Black Boots
• Women's Dubarry Longford Black and Brown Boots
• Men's Dubarry Wexford Java Boots 

Thankfully, they have generously offered their line of leather cleaning and leather protection products to accompany their popular footwear range. 

1. Gently clean the surface of the leather that you wish to restore - use a quality leather cleaner and work in circular motions, removing any debris or remaining product with a lint-free cloth.
2. Next, massage a small amount of leather conditioner to add moisture and soften the leather surface. The Dubarry Footwear Care Trial Pack is a quick way to tackle both of these steps with a single purchase.

• Dubarry Footwear Care Trial Pack 

1. Choose a leather colour restorer that matches the shade of leather you are targeting and with gloves and a clean cloth, begin to polish the leather. It may take a couple of applications for your desired coverage. 
2. Allow the leather colour restorer to soak in and then gently buff the surface with a clean cloth. 

Dubarry Leather Colour Restorer appears in multiple shades and works best on smooth leather. This makes it ideal for leather soles and heel edges to make the leather look as good as new. 

• Dubarry Black Leather Colour Restorer
• Dubarry Mid Browns Leather Colour Restorer 
• Dubarry Dark Browns Leather Colour Restorer 

You may wonder, can you use a leather shoe colour restorer on a leather jacket or other accessories? 

We’d recommend investing in a specialist balm geared towards the specific leather product you’re aiming to treat. Using the wrong treatments could cause the leather to clog, resulting in dryness, cracking and peeling. 

Amongst Hurleys’ broad footwear selection you will encounter leather trainers, leather brogues, leather boots, leather sandals and more so it’s handy to know how to care for your next buy.

How to Repair Cracked Leather

Whilst worn leather is a look in its own right, a scaly, cracked leather is prone to falling apart altogether. Leather footwear is once again a major victim of this particular deterioration, especially in the areas where the foot bends.

A good leather conditioner or leather cream can prevent the leather from cracking. The idea is to keep the leather moisturised so the fibres stay flexible.

1. Once again prepare, clean and dry the leather with the same care as previously explained.
2. Take a fine bristled brush and mild soap to clean the cracks further to ensure you have covered even the deepest of grooves. The end goal is to get the leather to a softer, more flexible state. 
3. Test out the leather conditioner or leather cream on a small patch before smoothing the treatment until the crack is visually less pronounced. Dubarry’s leather treatments are ideal for this job. 

• Dubarry Footwear Leather Cream
• Dubarry Footwear Conditioner 

1. Wipe away excess product and leave it to dry naturally, letting the leather absorb the cream or conditioner overnight. 
2. If the leather hasn’t improved, consider giving another application but avoid over-conditioning as this could cause the leather to collapse and leave it looking waxy and unappealing.

Hurleys Hint:  Reapply conditioner or cream to the leather each month to keep it in top condition.

Reviving your leather clothing and accessories has both financial and environmental perks, so ensure your much-loved purchases have a long life ahead of them by following the advice in this care guide. 

For further fashion tips and more helpful guides, see what else our blog has to offer!