Q. What happens if I get caught in the rain wearing my new jacket?

A. Most leathers are reasonably shower resistant, though not waterproof, and as such, their use in prolonged heavy rain should be avoided. Should your leather or suede garment become wet, put on a well-shaped hanger and allow to dry naturally away from direct heat or sunlight. For Suede/Nubuck, any rainspot marks can then be rubbed gently with a Lakeland Suede/Nubuck Cloth. For Nappa and Aniline leather, rainspots can generally be removed by rubbing the affected area against itself.

Q. How do I care for my leather/suede?

A. When making your initial purchase, you will be advised by our experienced staff how best to care for your particular garment, and given a copy of our information leaflet “Guide to Leather”.

Lakeland stock a comprehensive range of products designed to protect and clean your garment. For further advice contact any of our stores or ring our Customer Care Department on 015394 39030.

Q. How often should I have my leather/suede dry cleaned?

A. The care and cleaning products recommended by Lakeland will postpone and even eliminate the need for dry cleaning and we would normally advise against dry cleaning for the first 2/3 years. However should excessive soiling make dry cleaning absolutely necessary we would advise you to contact Lakeland Customer Care Department (015394 39030) for details of a recommended specialist leather cleaner.

In an attempt to cover some of the basic queries regarding the dry cleaning of leather, we have listed some of the more common questions raised by customers.

Q. Can I expect leather and suede to look as good as new after cleaning?

A. Not usually. Unlike fabric garments leather does not benefit from dry cleaning. During the cleaning process, dirt and grime is removed from the leather and inevitably this process also removes some of the substances used in the original production to dye and soften the skins and on occasions adhesive which may have been used in the manufacture.

Q. What can I expect to happen to suede/leather after dry cleaning?

A. Although a specialist leather cleaner will endeavour to restore the colour and softness of the garment to as near its original condition as possible (they should record the type of finish and colour, noting any variations in colour either between panels or from use, before cleaning), some colour loss or change to the texture is occasionally unavoidable even after treatment from the best dry cleaning.

Q. Why did my leather jacket seem to get tighter following dry cleaning?

A. When skins are tanned and dyed they are impregnated with fats, then stretched and tacked out on boards to dry. Occasionally the skin is over stretched and following cleaning will shrink back. A dry cleaner specialising in leather should measure the garment in order that the correct size and shape can be ensured during finishing.

Q. Which cleaner should I entrust to dry clean my leather and suede garments?

A. Contact Lakelands Customer Care Department (015394 39030) and they will recommend a specialist.