Leather Jacket Stretching Tips For Beginners

So you have finally brought the leather jacket of your dreams but you realize that it doesn’t fit you as snugly as you’d want it to. Not to worry, you did not buy the wrong size or anything like that. The jacket simply needs to be stretched out as per your body shape.

Animal skin is very different from all other clothing material. It takes the shape of the wearer over time and becomes almost like a second skin to your body. But if you are new to the world of leather jackets then you will need to learn how to stretch out your leather jacket while not harming the material.

Here are some quick and easy tips.

Wearing it

The common tendency is to store your leather jacket away for special occasions and such. But this will lead to the jacket not being stretched and when you finally wear it will not fit or look how you want it to. Rather, wear it for a few hours every day, be it at home or outside, and the jacket will be stretched out perfectly. If you have bought a jacket crafted by professionals, then wearing it regularly will stretch the material while not harming it at the same time.

Conditioner

One of the easiest ways to stretch your leather jacket is to use the conditioner that comes with it. Make sure to not overuse the conditioner and also not to let water touch the material while the conditioner is applied. Jackets from soft leather such as sheep or goat skin can be easily stretched out using conditioners whereas stronger leather such as cowhide will take more time.

Using water

If you did not stretch out the jacket but at the same time need to wear it for a special occasion, here is a tip to have it stretched within a few hours. Dip a piece of cotton cloth in water, slightly rinse it, and then wipe the sides of the jacket with it. Make sure that you don’t wipe the entire jacket but only the areas that require stretching. Now wear the jacket while it dries. Once dry, the leather jacket will have stretched out perfectly. This can get a little tricky as the amount of water you use is key to stretching out the jacket properly.

Using heat

Another quick method, heat can soften up the leather material and allow the jacket to be stretched naturally. You can place a piece of cotton cloth on the jacket and iron on top of it while keeping the heat level between low and medium. Or you can also use a hairdryer. Once again, be extra careful while using heat to stretch out your jacket as an excess amount of heat can harm the material. Also, no water should be used while using heat to stretch out your leather jacket.

Use any of these methods to get your leather jacket to its perfect shape and form. The best way is to do so is through daily usage of the jacket for a few hours, but you can also try out the quick fixes!