Store a leather jacket clean, conditioned, and hanging on a wide wooden or padded hanger inside a breathable cotton bag. Keep it somewhere cool, dark and dry, with space around it. Never in plastic, never folded, and never in a hot loft or a damp basement.
More leather jackets are ruined in storage than in wear, and the damage is slow enough that nobody connects it to what they did six months earlier. Here is how to avoid it.
Before You Put It Away
Do not store a jacket dirty. Whatever is on it will still be there in six months, and it will have had time to work into the hide.
- Clean the surface. Wipe down with a barely damp cloth to lift dust, salt and grime. Pay attention to the collar and cuffs, where body oils build up.
- Let it dry fully. At room temperature, away from heat. Storing a slightly damp jacket is how mildew starts.
- Condition it. A jacket that goes into storage dry comes out stiff. Apply a thin coat of conditioner suited to your hide, testing on an inside seam first.
- Empty the pockets. Keys, coins and phones left in pockets stretch and distort the leather permanently.
- Close the zips. This helps the jacket hold its shape and stops the zip tape twisting.
The Hanger
This matters more than people expect.
Use a wide wooden or padded hanger that matches the width of the jacket's shoulders. The whole weight of the jacket hangs from those two points for months.
Never a wire hanger. A thin wire concentrates the weight into a narrow point and creates a bump in the shoulder that does not come out. On a heavy cowhide or shearling jacket this happens within weeks.
Heavier jackets need a sturdier hanger. A shearling B3 will bend a light wooden hanger over a season.
Never Fold Leather
Fabric creases relax when you hang it up. Leather does not. A fold crease left in place for months becomes a permanent line, and on a fold that has been under pressure the leather can crack along it.
Always hang. If you genuinely have no hanging space, roll rather than fold, loosely, with acid free tissue inside the roll. Hanging is much better.
The Bag: Cotton, Not Plastic
This is the most common mistake, because a plastic dry cleaning bag looks protective.
Leather needs to breathe. It holds a small amount of moisture naturally. Sealed in plastic, that moisture has nowhere to go, condenses inside the bag and creates the conditions for mildew. Plastic can also react with some leather finishes over long periods, leaving marks that cannot be removed.
Use a breathable cotton garment bag. It keeps dust off while letting air move. An old cotton sheet works if you do not have one.
Remove the dry cleaning bag the day the jacket comes home.
Where to Store It
Good: a wardrobe in a normally heated room, or a spare cupboard. Cool, dark, dry and stable.
Bad:
- Lofts and attics. Extreme temperature swings, and summer heat dries leather out badly.
- Basements and garages. Damp, which brings mildew.
- Near radiators or heating pipes. Constant dry heat.
- In direct sunlight. Fades and dries leather, and the fading is uneven.
- Vacuum bags. Compression creates permanent creases and there is no airflow at all.
Give It Space
Do not cram the jacket between other clothes. Pressure from both sides flattens the shape and prevents air circulating.
This matters most on shearling and on panelled jackets. Wool compresses permanently under pressure, and coloured panels pressed against each other for months can transfer dye.
Check It Halfway Through
Once during a long storage period, take five minutes:
- Take it out of the bag and let it air for an hour.
- Flex the leather at the elbows. If it feels stiff or shows fine pale lines, condition it.
- Check for any musty smell, which is an early sign of damp.
- Look at the shoulders for hanger marks.
- Brush the wool if it is a shearling jacket.
Bringing It Back Out
Take it out a week before you need it, hang it somewhere with airflow, and let it settle. Any storage smell will lift on its own. Condition it before the first wear of the season if it feels at all dry.
Do not use heat or a steamer to remove creases. Hanging it in a bathroom during a hot shower is enough for light creasing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I store a leather jacket in summer?
Clean and conditioned, hanging on a wide wooden or padded hanger inside a breathable cotton bag, somewhere cool, dark and dry with space around it.
Can you store a leather jacket in a plastic bag?
No. Leather needs to breathe. Plastic traps moisture, which leads to mildew, and can react with some finishes over time. Use a cotton garment bag instead.
Can you fold a leather jacket?
Avoid it. Fold creases in leather set permanently and can crack along the line. Always hang. If you have no choice, roll loosely rather than folding.
What kind of hanger should I use?
A wide wooden or padded hanger matching the jacket's shoulder width. Wire hangers concentrate the weight and create a permanent bump in the shoulder.
Can I store a leather jacket in the loft?
No. Lofts get extremely hot in summer and swing in temperature, which dries leather out badly. A wardrobe in a normally heated room is far better.
Should I condition a jacket before storing it?
Yes. A jacket stored dry comes out stiff. A thin coat of conditioner before it goes away keeps the hide supple through the months it is not worn.
How do I get creases out after storage?
Hang it somewhere with airflow for a week and light creases will drop out. Hanging it in a bathroom during a hot shower helps. Do not apply direct heat or use an iron.
Looking After Yours
Clean it, condition it, hang it on a wide hanger in a cotton bag, and give it room. That is the whole routine. Browse Men Leather Jackets and Women Leather Jackets at Leather Outlet, or read our guide on winter leather care. Made to order in real leather, XS to 5XL, free worldwide shipping.
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