As real leather ages, it gets better and more beautiful. The alluring pattern that leather develops with age is called leather patina. This patina adds to the elegance of the leather, giving it a rich, textured look. Many people, especially leather connoisseurs purchase leather with the patina look in mind and wish to know how they can speed up the aging process and have their leather develop a beautiful patina. In this article, we will discuss exactly what leather patina is and how you can age leather gracefully.
Leather Patina
The Whats and Hows of Leather Patina
As time progresses, and real leather ages, it changes its character and appearance, this phenomenon is known as leather patina. Often patina adds a warm, lived-in look to the leather. Materials other than leather like bronze, wood, and copper can also develop a patina. Leather patina indicates the quality of leather, as only the finest grade, real leather can develop a patina as it ages.
Leather patina elevates the character and allure of your leather and hence it is desired by countless leather owners. Sometimes, manufacturers try to mimic the appearance of a patina. They do that by distressing new leather and intentionally aging it. Even though you cannot copy the effects of time, but you can try some tricks to get a close appearance to a natural patina.
How to Develop Leather Patina?
One of the best ways via which you can age your leather, and develop a patina is by using them regularly. However, with regular use, should also come regular care so as to enhance the lifespan of leather and protect it from harmful elements. If patina is what you desire, make sure to opt for the right leather, and by that we mean real leather.
Bonded leather and faux leather do not develop a patina with time. In fact, as they age, they tend to fade, crack and peel. On the other hand, high-quality leather, that is well taken care of will age beautifully and develop a patina with time that will add to its value. Moreover, another point to take into consideration when buying a leather with patina in mind is to get one that is uncoated. This is because some leather is coated to prevent it from aging.
If you have the right kind of real leather, the more you naturally expose it to the elements, the quicker it will develop a patina. Things such as regular wear and tear, body oils, and a little bit of sunlight triggers the patina phenomenon. However, keep in mind not to expose leather intentionally to sunlight for extended periods of time as it can dry out the leather, damaging it. When you use your leather products like wearing your leather jacket, carrying your leather bag, or sitting on your leather sofa, you will accelerate the development of leather patina.
To speed up the patina development process, consider using Whites Pearl Leather Conditioner. This leather conditioner does not add a synthetic coating to your leather. It softens it and breaks down the stiffness of new leather, making it more flexible. Moreover, Whites Pearl Leather Conditioner also hydrates the individual fibers. This allows your leather to bend and mold easily with usage, which will help in developing a leather patina. Apart from helping to develop a beautiful leather patina, Whites Pearl Leather Conditioner also protects your leather from drying out, fading, peeling, and cracking.
Opt for Distressed Leather
As mentioned above, you can opt for leather that has been distressed by the manufacturer if a swift patina is more on the agenda. Distressed leather that is high quality will continue to patina as it ages. When buying distressed leather, try to find full-grain or aniline leather, and also check if the distressing looks natural and organic. Moreover, you can also consult the manufacturer on the methods used to distress leather.
Caring for Patinaed Leather
Just like real leather, you can care for patinaed or distressed leather by routinely cleaning it and conditioning it every six months or so. Using Whites Pearl Leather Conditioner on your distressed or patinaed leather will not remove the patina. However, we do encourage you to do a patch test first. Find a discreet area on the leather and apply a small amount of leather conditioner. Wait for a few hours and then check if the leather reacted with the conditioner. If there was no reaction you are good to go and can condition your leather.
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