What Does Leather Patina Mean?
Patina is when there is a change in the appearance of leather over a period of time and can also occur in other materials like copper as their character tends to change. Patina is also known for its quality as only real and genuine leather will change in its appearance and so it is easy to distinguish real and fake leather. Sometimes creators intentionally age leather to make it look more genuine and mimic leather patina by using some simple tricks listed below.
How to Correctly Age Leather
The quickest way to achieve patina leather is by using your leather products very regularly but also caring for them and treating them well. It is important you don’t buy faux leather as this will not patina and instead the leather will crack over time, preventing that rich and textured look. You need to purchase real, quality leather such as full grain which will nicely age over time rather than peel. Another tip is to purchase leather that is uncoated as this provides a protective layer and with it the leather is unable to change and age.
Most of the time you won’t even notice your leather aging, things like sunlight help to speed up this process naturally and us regularly wearing our leather goods such as leather bags or jackets helps the patina develop. Although, there are remedies you can use to speed up this aging process even more such as leather conditioner which its purpose is to soften the leather and remove its natural protective layer allowing it to become more flexible and age quicker.
How to Care for Leather After Patina
There is not much difference in caring for patina leather than normal leather, you should clean it regularly to avoid dust and it is important to use leather conditioner every few months. It is also important that you choose the correct leather conditioner as patina leather is quite fragile. It is crucial the conditioner does not have any stripping ingredients that will ruin the patina. It is recommended by professionals that you spot test some conditioner on your patina leather before using it fully to see how the leather reacts to it and ensure no damage will be made
Tips for Buying Distressed Leather
Some people prefer to buy leather that is already aged and mimics the patina look but will eventually turn into patina over time. When purchasing this type of leather you should always ensure you are getting high quality leather such as full grain leather so you know it is genuine, you can do this by asking the manufacturer questions before purchasing it about the type of leather and the process they took to distress the leather. Full grain leather is the most popular type of distressed leather as it comes with natural marks and scars that create that worn and aging look. The differing colors and textures of this distressed leather is what people love about it.
