How to Care for Suede, Leather & Fur Garments
Suede, leather, and fur garments are luxurious and long-lasting, but they require special care to maintain their good condition. These materials differ from everyday fabrics in that they are natural and more sensitive to moisture, heat, and chemicals. If they are not cleaned or stored correctly, they can become permanently damaged.
At Hampstead Garment Care, we use professional techniques and specialised equipment to clean, restore, and protect these materials. Our goal is to keep your garments looking new, feeling soft, and lasting longer.
Why Suede, Leather & Fur Need Professional Care
Unlike synthetic fabrics, these materials absorb moisture and oils and can easily be damaged:
Suede has a soft, textured surface that can become flattened, stained, or rough when exposed to water or regular detergents.
Leather contains natural oils that keep it flexible. If those oils are lost due to heat or harsh cleaning products, the leather can dry, crack, and fade.
Fur includes both hair and skin. If stored or cleaned improperly, the skin can shrink or dry out, and the fur can shed or lose volume.
Due to these challenges, professional treatment is crucial to preserve the colour, shape, and structure of each item.
Everyday Tips to Protect Your Garments
You can help maintain your garments between professional cleanings by following these easy and practical steps. These practices don’t just protect your garments in the short term—they significantly extend their life and preserve their appearance.
🔹 Keep Away from Water
Avoid wearing suede or leather in the rain or snow, as moisture can cause staining, stiffness, and permanent damage to these materials. If your garment does get wet, gently blot the moisture with a clean cloth. Let it air dry naturally in a cool, ventilated space—never use a hairdryer, radiator, or direct sunlight, as these can cause cracking and shrinkage.
Extra Tip: For suede garments, once dry, lightly brush the fabric to restore its natural nap and texture.
🔹 Use Protective Sprays
Protective sprays specifically designed for leather, suede, and nubuck serve as an invisible shield against water, dirt, and stains. Apply these sprays before wearing the garment for the first time and reapply every few weeks or after exposure to moisture. These sprays help maintain the fabric’s natural look while adding a layer of defence without affecting breathability.
Extra Tip: Always test the spray on a small hidden area first to ensure colourfastness. Protective sprays made for leather and suede help guard against water and stains. Apply these before use and reapply regularly.
🔹 Maintain Regular Cleaning
Keeping your garments clean regularly helps prevent dirt and oils from building up, which can lead to staining or deterioration over time.
Brush suede daily or after each wear using a suede brush to lift the nap, remove dust, and maintain the texture’s fresh appearance. This also prevents particles from embedding into the fibres.
Wipe leather garments weekly with a soft, barely damp cloth to remove surface dirt and body oils that can cause discolouration. Follow up with a dry cloth to absorb any moisture.
Use leather conditioning wipes occasionally to keep the material soft and prevent it from drying out.
Gently shake fur garments after use to remove dust and maintain volume. For long-haired fur, gently brush the ends to keep them fluffy and untangled.
Extra Tip: Regular maintenance prevents long-term damage and extends the time between professional cleanings, saving you money while preserving garment quality.
🔹 Store Properly
Proper storage is one of the most critical factors in maintaining suede, leather, and fur garments. Incorrect storage can cause irreversible damage.
Use wide, padded hangers to support the shoulders and maintain the garment's shape, preventing stretching or sagging.
Store items in breathable garment bags made from cotton or non-woven fabric. These allow air circulation and prevent moisture build-up, which can cause mould or mildew.
Avoid plastic covers as they trap humidity and can cause leather to dry out or suede to become stiff.
Keep fur in a calm, ventilated environment during warm months. Fur needs low temperature and controlled humidity to prevent the hide from drying out and cracking.
Leave space between garments to allow air flow. Crowding them can cause creasing, flattening of fur, or colour transfer.
Extra Tip: For valuable fur pieces, consider professional cold storage during the summer months to prevent natural oils from evaporating and maintain the pelt's longevity.
Use wide, padded hangers to support the shape of your garments.
Store items in breathable garment bags to prevent moisture build-up.
Keep fur in a calm, ventilated environment during warm months.
🔹 Avoid Chemicals
Avoid spraying perfume, hairspray, or alcohol-based products on these fabrics, as they can cause staining or dry out the material. These products contain chemicals that can break down natural fibres, strip essential oils, and cause discolouration. Even a single spray can leave permanent marks or drying patches on leather and suede. Fur is especially sensitive to chemicals, which can cause the hair to become brittle and shed.
Extra Tip: Always apply beauty products before getting dressed. If you need to freshen your garment, use a fabric-safe spray specifically designed for leather, suede, or fur.
🔹 Rotate Garments
Avoid wearing the same item too often. Giving garments time to rest helps them maintain their natural shape. Natural materials like leather and suede require time to recover and reabsorb ambient moisture, maintaining their flexibility. Regular rotation also prevents overexposure to body oils and friction, which can cause early wear and fading.
Extra Tip: If you wear a leather jacket frequently, try resting it for at least 24 hours between wears to allow the fibres to relax and maintain their original structure. Avoid wearing the same item too often. Giving garments time to rest helps them retain their natural shape.
Our Professional Care Process at Hampstead Garment Care
We follow a step-by-step method to clean, restore, and protect each garment, ensuring it maintains its original quality and appearance for years to come:
1. Inspection
We carefully assess each garment using specialist lighting and fabric analysis tools. This allows us to identify stains, fading, texture damage, and weak areas in the fabric or stitching. By understanding the history and condition of the garment, we create a tailored treatment plan that delivers safe and effective results.
2. Stain Removal
We treat stains using gentle, fabric-safe techniques designed specifically for natural materials. Each stain is analysed to determine whether it is oil-based, protein-based, or caused by environmental exposure. We then use targeted cleaning solutions that dissolve the stain without affecting the garment’s natural oils, colour, or texture. We treat stains using gentle, fabric-safe techniques designed specifically for natural materials.
3. Conditioning
Leather and suede naturally lose essential oils over time due to exposure to air, body heat, and environmental elements. Without proper conditioning, these materials can become dry, stiff, and prone to cracking. At Hampstead Garment Care, we apply specialised conditioners that penetrate deep into the fibres to restore moisture, flexibility, and softness. These conditioners are carefully selected based on the type of leather or suede to ensure they do not darken the fabric or alter its texture. This step is essential for preserving the garment’s strength, preventing premature ageing, and maintaining a supple finish.
4. Colour and Texture Restoration
Over time, exposure to sunlight, friction, and wear can cause colours to fade and textures to flatten. Our colour and texture restoration process is designed to revive the original appearance of your garments. We use fabric-safe dyes to restore colour to leather carefully, ensuring it matches the original shade without streaks or patchiness. For suede, we gently brush the surface to lift the nap and restore its natural velvety feel. Fur garments are hydrated and conditioned to bring back shine, volume, and softness. This process not only enhances the garment’s appearance but also improves its overall texture and feel, making it look and feel like new again.
5. Finishing and Pressing
Our finishing stage is designed to enhance the natural drape and structure of the garment while preserving its delicate fibres. We use low-temperature steaming systems and specialised padded presses that gently remove creases without flattening textures or altering the grain of leather and suede. For fur garments, we use air-fluff technology to restore volume and softness. This step ensures your garment not only looks visually refined but also feels comfortable and luxurious when worn.
6. Final Quality Check
Every garment undergoes a thorough multi-point inspection by our senior specialists. We verify colour consistency, texture restoration, seam stability, and overall appearance under professional lighting conditions. Any area that needs additional touch-up is refined before packaging. Only once it meets our premium standards is it carefully wrapped in breathable materials and prepared for return to you. This commitment to excellence ensures your garment is returned in the best possible condition, ready to wear with confidence. Every garment is inspected one last time to ensure it looks its best before we return it to you.
Why You Should Avoid Cleaning at Home
Trying to clean these materials at home can cause severe damage because everyday cleaning methods are not designed for natural, porous fibres like suede, leather, and fur. Even small mistakes can lead to permanent changes in texture, colour, or structure.
Leather can dry out and crack because household soaps strip away natural oils that keep the material flexible and healthy.
Suede can become stiff and lose its texture when exposed to water or subjected to improper brushing techniques, resulting in a worn and rough appearance.
Fur can shed, shrink, or lose its natural shine, especially if the hide dries out or is exposed to heat and improper storage conditions.
Colours may fade, become patchy, or bleed when harsh chemicals are used, reducing the visual appeal and value of the garment.
Hardware such as zippers, buttons, and decorative trims can also become tarnished or damaged when cleaned with unsuitable products.
In many cases, once damage occurs, it cannot be fully repaired, and the garment may never return to its original condition. Professional cleaning protects both the appearance and the long-term value of your garment by using controlled processes, specialist tools, and expert knowledge tailored to each fabric type.
Why Choose Hampstead Garment Care?
Choosing the proper care provider is essential when it comes to protecting valuable garments made from suede, leather, and fur. At Hampstead Garment Care, we are not just cleaners—we are preservation specialists committed to extending the life and beauty of every item you trust us with.
✅ Over 10 years of experience with luxury garments – Our technicians are trained in advanced fabric science and understand how different materials react to temperature, moisture, oils, and time.
✅ Specialised equipment and cleaning technology – Unlike standard dry cleaners, we use machines and tools designed specifically for natural skins and delicate fibres.
✅ Eco-friendly, fabric-safe cleaning methods – Our solvents and treatments are gentle on garments yet powerful against stains, ensuring long-lasting protection without the use of harmful chemicals.
✅ Tailored care for every item – No two garments are treated the same; we create a personalised treatment plan for each piece based on age, fabric, and condition.
✅ Pick-up and delivery services across London – Our door-to-door service saves you time and ensures your items are transported in climate-controlled conditions.
✅ Preservation-focused approach – We don’t just clean; we restore, protect, and prepare garments for long-term storage, maintaining their beauty for years.
We treat every garment with precision, care, and respect—just as a conservator would handle a valuable work of art. When you choose Hampstead Garment Care, you are choosing long-term preservation, luxury-level expertise, and complete peace of mind.
Book Your Service Today
Protect your investment with professional cleaning, long-term preservation, and luxury garment care tailored to your needs:
🔹 Easy online booking with flexible appointment times
🔹 Door-to-door collection and delivery across North West and Central London
🔹 Fast turnaround and express options for urgent garments
🔹 Seasonal storage solutions and protection plans for high-value items
🔹 Personalised garment care consultations with our specialists
👉 Contact Hampstead Garment Care today to restore, protect, and extend the life of your suede, leather, and fur garments. Experience unmatched craftsmanship, eco-friendly care, and premium service designed for garments you truly value.**
