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How to Repair a Peeling Faux Leather Jacket

Mary Smith
By Mary Smith. Updated: July 20, 2023
How to Repair a Peeling Faux Leather Jacket

Faux leather, sometimes known as leatherette is a great material for those who can't buy leather, either for budgetary or moral reasons. Faux leather jackets are fantastic for any casual outfit, but they are unfortunately often very sensitive to deterioration. Over time the faux leather cracks and peels easily. If you have found yourself in this situation, you should know that this does not mean that your jacket is completely spoiled.

To restore this type of garment there are various methods that you can apply from the comfort of your home. In this oneHOWTO article we explain how to repair a peeled faux leather jacket easily and effectively.

You may also be interested in: Can I Wash a Linen Jacket?

Repair a peeled faux leather jacket with patches

Leather and synthetic leather patches are very useful for restoring garments. You just have to make sure you find the patches that match your jacket color properly and glue them well to leave your jacket almost like new. Alternatively, you can use a completely different colored patch, if you want contrasting patches. To repair a faux leather jacket with patches, you need to follow these steps:

  1. Before sticking any patches on your jacket, make sure the leatherette is completely clean.
  2. To clean it, dampen a clean, soft cloth with dishwasher soap. Then, wipe the surface with the damp cloth and dry with another non-fluffy cloth.
  3. Look for adhesive patches with a color that matches your leatherette jacket.
  4. Apply patches carefully over cracks and peels, avoiding pockets of air to build up under the patch.

If you have a synthetic leather jacket, you should clean it before you repair the peeling. Follow the steps in our article on how to clean a faux leather jacket to see how it's done properly.

A lot of the patches can be found on rolls, allowing you to adjust the size and shape according to your needs. Check out the link below to find some faux leather repair tape:

Repair a peeled faux jacket with liquid leather

Not only good for peeling faux leather jackets, liquid leather can also save your favorite item when they have a tear or rip. This product can be found in any hardware store or online store, but it is very important that you carefully read the instructions for use before applying it to any garment. Here we explain how to repair peeled leatherette with liquid leather:

  1. Before you begin, make sure your jacket is completely clean of dust and grime.
  2. Similarly, the surface must be completely dry.
  3. Using the applicator from the container, apply small amounts of liquid leather directly to peels, tears and any worn areas of the jacket.
  4. With the blade of a small knife or razor, spread the liquid leather over the surface of the jacket, without leaving the torn areas.
  5. Go over with the blade until the leather is completely smooth on the material.
  6. Let dry in a ventilated room, not exposed to sunlight.

You may need additional help repairing rips and tears, something you can see in our article on how to sew leather by hand.

Check out the link below to buy some liquid leather in a vinyl and leather repair kit:

Repair a peeled faux leather jacket with repair dye

Repair dye is one of the easiest options for repairing a peeled faux leather jacket. By applying the right amount of dye to tears and peels you can hide the deterioration of the leather or synthetic material, restoring an otherwise lost garment.

You just have to make sure you have the exact dye color for the shade of your jacket and follow these simple steps:

  1. Before applying the dye, clean the surface of your jacket with a soft cloth dampened with water and mild liquid detergent soap.
  2. Wait until the jacket is completely dry before starting to apply the repair stain.
  3. Apply the repair dye with a spray, slowly and carefully spraying the cracks and peels of the jacket.
  4. Distribute the dye so that the color is balanced with the tone of the jacket.
  5. Let the dye sit for 15 minutes, then apply a new coat of spray to the jacket.
  6. Go over as many times as necessary until you reach the desired shade. Remember to wait 15 minutes between each spray, otherwise you could damage the jacket.

Find a link to purchase some leather color-restorer dye in below:

Repair a peeled faux leather jacket with olive oil

There are some natural properties which generally aren't as effective, but may work in a pinch. This is the case with olive oil, a product which can help hydrate leather and synthetic material. The regenerative properties of this vegetable oil help the leather to regain shine and color, reducing its deterioration. In this way you should apply the olive oil on peeled leatherette jackets:

  1. Dip the corners of a clean, soft cloth in olive oil.
  2. Rub the surface of the jacket with the oil-soaked cloth, using gentle, circular motions.
  3. When the cloth begins to dry, soak it in again with the oil.
  4. Moisten all the leatherette of the jacket and you will see how it recovers its shine and softness, hiding stains and peeling.
  5. If you do not want the garment to be impregnated with the smell of oil, spray it with your usual perfume and let it dry in a ventilated place.

Be careful when applying the olive oil to ensure you don't make the rips and tears worse. If you have other jackets which need to be repaired, take a look at our article on how to wash a padded jacket.

How to Repair a Peeling Faux Leather Jacket - Repair a peeled faux leather jacket with olive oil

Repair a peeled faux leather jacket with moisturizer

The moisturizing cream that you use daily to care for your skin can also help you if you want to know how to make a faux leather jacket brand new again. You only need to apply the cream on your leatherette jacket and you will see how leather and synthetic material recover their best version quickly and easily.

  1. To begin, wipe the jacket with a soft cloth, dampened with lukewarm water.
  2. Use soap to clean leather chairs to optimize the treatment of the jacket.
  3. Let the garment dry completely and, after a few minutes, begin to apply the moisturizer with a clean, dry cloth.
  4. Apply the cream carefully, completely moisturizing the entire jacket.
  5. It goes over the cracked and peeled areas better.
  6. Let your jacket dry in a ventilated area but without direct sunlight.

Leather and faux leather are far from the only materials coats and jackets can be made from. Some materials are even harder to care for, as can be the case when you have to look after a tweed jacket.

If you want to read similar articles to How to Repair a Peeling Faux Leather Jacket, we recommend you visit our Home cleaning category.

Write a comment

What did you think of this article?
3 comments
Rating:
Betty Evans
Would be helpful if provided where to purchase repair materials -- patches, etc.
OneHowTo Editor
Hi Betty,

Thanks for your comment. We have added some affiliate links to help you source these materials. We hope this is helpful!
Rating:
Elaine Sultana
The jacket is practically decomposing, not just peeling! It was left in a bone dry flat over one summer in Malta. I need to know how I can fix (or affix) a piece of leather to cover the entire area.
Rating:
Mudassar
How we can repair ledder jacket .
How to Repair a Peeling Faux Leather Jacket
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How to Repair a Peeling Faux Leather Jacket

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