I know that there are a lot of people who shy away from purchasing certain secondhand clothing items because they think they’ll be too much work to clean. Leather is one that I hear about often.

If you’re one of those people who passes over leather items, I urge you to reconsider. And as far as real leather goes, secondhand leather is the most sustainable and humane type of leather to wear.

I know there are people who don’t like to wear leather at all, and I also know that there are a lot of alternatives out there. And that’s great and all, but (controversial as this may be) I really like items made from leather. I like how they look, how they feel and how they smell.

However, I do purchase the majority of my leather items from the secondhand market. I haven’t added a brand new leather item to my wardrobe in a long time.

The main reason that I buy secondhand leather and why I haven’t tried exploring other options is because I like to think that I am honoring the life of the animal who died to make the item in the first place. I’d hate to see a perfectly good leather jacket, vest, or a pair of shoes be sent to the landfill for any reason, and especially because somebody was “tired” of them.

And because of it’s durability, it will last for YEARS with the proper care.

I mean, can you imagine this awesome leather vest that I just found laying in a landfill, not living it’s best “new” life?? I found it at a local consignment shop of $9! It’ll look so good with dresses and boots this fall.

Just look at these details…

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So, if I’ve been able to convince you to give preloved leather a try, follow these 5 simple steps to clean up your new leather item. And then refer to them as often as you need to keep your preloved leather item looking brand new.

* I am not a leather care expert. Through trial and error, this is the method that I found that work best for me. If you are unsure of cleaning your leather yourself, I would recommend that you seek out a local leather cleaning specialist.

An Easy Way to Clean Leather

These are the steps that I use for primarily outerwear such as vest and jackets that have most likely had another layer between the wearer and the item.

Step 1

Fill a bowl or sink with warm soapy water. I like to use a mild dish or laundry detergent.

Step 2

With a wet cloth dipped in the water, wipe down the inside of the item, paying extra attention to the neck and the underarm area. Then wipe over the outside with the soapy water. Repeat until you are satisfied with the cleaning.

Step 3

Discard the soapy water and replace with new lukewarm water (no soap). Using the cloth, go over the item on the inside and outside until all traces of soap are gone.

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Step 4

Hang to dry.

Step 5

Once dry, lay flat on a clean towel and apply leather lotion with a clean cloth.

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Now that the hard (not really) work is done, enjoy your awesome leather item for years to come!

Do you wear leather? Do you purchase it secondhand or do you avoid it and why?

Until next time,