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Dyeing Leather Jacket

Kundan Pandey
Wondering if you should dye your leather jacket? If yes, then how to do it? If no, then why not to do it? Seek answers to these questions by reading further...
The same light colored leather jacket that appealed to you few months back is no more your favorite party wear. You are bored to the extent that you are planning to buy a brand spanking new leather jacket. Sadly, you discover you are short of your budget, for this month.
Instead of waiting for next month's salary or pocket money, you decide to do something interesting and economical. You make up your mind to impart new life and panache to your old leather jacket by giving it a dash of new color. Your mind finds solace in ideas of dyeing the leather jacket.
You are ready for an interesting DIY project. Before you rush to the shop and purchase dyes, have a look at some pointers with respect to dyeing that will truly breathe live in your old and now-not-so-attractive leather jacket.

You Want to do it Your Way or Their Way?
Think and Decide. What? Do you want to seek some professional help in recoloring your leather jacket or you want to embark upon the journey on your own.
It isn't rocket science that you must take professional help but if you are suspicious of your coloring abilities or you think you won't be able to commit to the DIY leather jacket coloring project with your heart and soul, then don't hesitate to seek professional help.
Note: Dyeing leather jackets on your own, must only be carried out if you really have the courage to lose your jacket. Be mentally prepared to suffer any losses in color, texture, shining or any negative outcome. If you don't have a prior experience in dyeing on your own, the result can be anything. So be prepared likewise. Experiment with a leather jacket that you really don't care for!
You simply can't risk coloring your jacket from anything available in the market. Right? You want the best, quality and genuine products to inject a new life in your old jacket. Thanks to several leather repair, care, restoration and cleaning companies that they have manufactured products dedicated to leather care and cleaning.
Most of such companies have customer oriented e-commerce websites and you can easily order cleaning kits by paying some price. An entire leather care kit may cost you anywhere between US$20 to US$60 or more, depending on the brand you choose and including shipping costs. If you are going to do it your way, here are some fundamental tips that will help you.

Here's How You Dye the Leather Jacket
Apparently, dyeing a leather jacket will appear to be quite a simple, hassle free and straightforward task. It actually, is the same. But the results often surprise individuals who color their jackets because ultimately, it may not be the same! Here are some simple tips to achieve best results.
☛ It is essential to clean the jacket before dyeing it. To know instructions of cleaning the jacket, refer to the garment shop's tips and techniques. If it is an old jacket, you must have cleaned it sometimes. Use the same standard way to clean it completely. Don't try new ways of cleaning the jacket.
☛ Just like you will test a hair dye on a small area of your head, to know if it is causing discomfort to you, you must also check the effect of your purchased dye color on a small test area of jacket or similar clothing piece. Apply the dye for sometime and let it dry.
After it has dried properly, wash with a paper towel to see the end result. That will give you a hint of the end result on the entire jacket. Remember, not all dyes respond to different types of leathers. You need to experiment to find out the suitable color for your jacket. You can take advice from your friends, relatives.
Several online forums are there in existence on which people discuss matters related to leather care. You can post your queries on such forums to seek proper answers from people who have experience in dyeing leather jackets.
☛ On a proper platform (a big clean table with newspaper laid on them), place your jacket. The room should be ventilated as the leather jacket needs to be dried completely. Use hand gloves, as dyes are very difficult to be removed, if they come in contact with skin.
☛ Using sponge or brush (as given in the leather dyeing products), rub the dye properly into the old leather jacket. Apply the dye evenly to one side of the jacket and leave it to dry for several hours. Do the same on the other side of the jacket.
You must gently stroke the brushes, with craft and skill, coloring the jacket properly. After drying for several hours, remove any excess dye by the help of paper towel. Dry it further to get the finished new jacket. If you think that the jacket is still not dark like you expected it to be, apply more coats on it.
Didn't you find the process of coloring your leather jacket interesting? Definitely, it is. So now that you know the easy steps of dyeing leather jacket, it is time to try it. As stated earlier, if you don't want to do it on your own, seek professional help. After all, they are best aware of the nitty gritties of types of leather and their reactions to all sorts of dyes!