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THE LEATHER HANDBOOK LEATHER CARE & RESTORATION
Over 30 Years Experience
With 30 years experience within the leather industry, we’re pretty confident no job is beyond our expertise.
Covering nationwide repairs
A SERVICE YOU CAN TRUST FROM THE LEATHER RECYCLING EXPERTS UK Mobile Repairs: Covering nationwide leather repairs is easy for us, with multiple offices around the UK, reaching you is no problem. Leather Cleaning & Protection : It is important that you regularly clean your leather items to prolong their life. We don’t use any harsh chemicals. Only highly effective water-based, 100% natural cleaning products. Rips & Holes in Leather : Tears in leather can be easily repaired with a bit of industry knowledge and expertise. The same repair process can be used on rips in jackets, chairs, sofas, or car interiors. Leather Colouring : We have a range of colouring options and methods available. Even for the more delicate leathers such as Aniline. If you’re looking for a colour restoration or a full colour change, get in touch with us today to see how we can help you. What can we repair? We can repair, restore, and clean various types of leather including; coated, aniline, pigmented, waxy pull-up, 2 tone, and antique leather. OUR PRODUCTS View the finest leather care & repair products in the world:
LRC 1 - Leather Cleaner
The Leather Cleaner is a fantastic cleaner for all types of leather apart from suede, nubuck, aniline and absorbent materials. It has a leather aroma and will deep clean and remove the most stubborn dirt possible.
LRC 2 - Luxury Leather Cleaner
The Luxury Leather Cleaner is a delicate cleaner for all types of leather apart from suede, nubuck, aniline and absorbent materials. It has a leather aroma and is designed for more delicate leathers, like nappa, calf leathers and luxury leather.
LRC 3 - Alcohol Cleaner
The Alcohol Cleaner is used to wipe over leather after doing a prep stage to fully remove grease, leaving the surface perfectly clean ready to apply paint. It can be watered down and used to help remove stains on leather. Do not use on suede, nubuck or absorbent materials.
LRC 4 - Leather Protection Cream
The Leather Protection & Conditioning Cream has a built in leather aroma it’s a 150 year old recipe that has been changed to suit modern leathers. It will still protect older leather and antique leathers. Once applied it provides a waterproof layer and stops stains and dirt build up happening as well as softening the leather, keeping it supple. OUR PRODUCTS View the finest leather care & repair products in the world:
LRC5-Leather Detailer Spray
The Leather Detailer is designed for all types of leather apart from suede, nubuck, aniline and absorbent materials. It has a leather aroma and will clean and protect in one. It’s designed as a maintenance spray after leather has been deep cleaned.
LRC 6 - Leather Mousse Cleaner
The Leather Mousse Cleaner is for all types of leather apart from suede, nubuck, aniline and absorbent materials. It has a leather aroma and will deep clean and remove the most stubborn dirt possible. Designed to last longer when cleaning more delicate older leathers.
LRC 7 - Aniline Cleaner
The Aniline Leather Cleaner is a gentle Aniline cleaner, with a soft cleaning action using the finest ingredients. It is water based and designed to clean and revive your Aniline Leather. It will aid in making the Aniline Leather soft and supple again and brighten the surface.
LRC 8 - Aniline Mousse Cleaner
The Aniline Mousse Cleaner is a gentle Aniline cleaner, with a soft cleaning action using the finest ingredients. It is water based and designed to clean and revive your Aniline Leather. It will aid in making the Aniline Leather soft and supple again and brighten the surface. Being a mousse it lasts longer on the surface to clean even more dirt from within the structure and grain due to Aniline being absorbent. OUR PRODUCTS View the finest leather care & repair products in the world:
LRC 9 - Mould Remover The Mould Remover is designed to remove mould and prevent mould growth. It is quick & easy to use and can be used on all surfaces. It helps prevent spores growth, mycotoxins and allergens. This has been specifically formulated to give a highly effective cleaning action to remove mould quickly and safely and prevent the re-growth of spores.
LRC 10 - Leather Air Freshener
The Leather Air Freshener has an amazing leather aroma and is designed to be sprayed in the air and not directly on the leather. It can be sprayed in foot wells of cars or on the fabric on the underside of a sofa or on fabric below cushions on a leather sofa. It can be misted into the air in a room to give a new fresh leather smell.
LRC 11 - Soft Top Waterproofer
The Soft Top Waterproofer is to be sprayed onto soft tops of cars after they have been fully cleaned and dried. It gives a waterproof protection layer helping to stop dirt and green growth in the future. It helps stop staining and makes cleaning much easier.
LRC 12 - Canvas Roof Dye
The Canvas Roof Dye is perfect for dying canvas materials. This can be used to also change the colour of canvas substrates. When applying to canvas roofs ensure this is thinned down with water, rub in the first coating and then spray the next layers on one coat at a time allowing this to dry in between coats. OUR PRODUCTS View the finest leather care & repair products in the world:
LRC 13 - Aniline Colouring Dye
The Aniline Colouring Dye is water-based and highly concentrated. It’s designed to be sprayed on to aniline to bring back the colour of Aniline Leather items. Do not sponge on as Aniline is absorbent and will absorb all the dye the moment you apply the sponge making that area darker than the rest.
LRC 14 - Leather Colourant Dye
The Leather Colourant Dye is waterbased NMP free. It is designed to paint pigmented / coated leathers and not for use on suede, nubuck or aniline leathers. It can be sponge applied or sprayed directly onto the leather and is self-sealing.
LRC 15 - Leather Prep
Leather Prep is used to remove the surface coating on pigmented / coated leather and to prep the leather on aniline. It’s safe to use on more delicate leathers like nappa or calf leather. It is to be used prior to any restoration or colouring process.
LRC 16 - Leather Lacquer Finish (Gloss, Matt, Satin)
The Leather Lacquer Finish is a clear coat sealer and comes in satin, gloss or matt. These can be mixed together to gain different sheen levels. For use on pigmented / coated leather 2 to 3 coats are usually applied. It can be applied to aniline leather but with just a single coating and no more. OUR PRODUCTS View the finest leather care & repair products in the world:
LRC 17 - Suede / Nubuck Protector Spray The Suede/Nubuck Protector Spray is for spray application to give a protection layer to delicate materials like Suede and Nubuck. Make sure the surface is clean and dry before application, spray on several layers allowing to dry between coatings.
LRC 18 - Gel Degreaser
The Gel Degreaser is designed for removing head grease and stains from leather. It can be used on all types of leather other than suede and nubuck. It should be applied by a spatula and then left to dry, once dry if grease is present it will go a brown / green.
LRC 19 - Ink & Stain Remover
The Ink & Stain Remover is a solvent based product. It’s for removing ink & stains from the leathers surface. It can be used on all types of leather, but not for use on suede and nubuck. Use gently to remove stains. If it is rubbed too aggressively the coating will be removed.
LRC 20 - Leather Softening Creme
The Leather Softening Crème is designed to soften dried out cracked leather. Apply thickly by sponge or even massage in with your hands. Once coated you can wrap your item in cling film or plastic to allow it to sweat into the leather to soften it. Very dried out leather may require several applications. OUR PRODUCTS View the finest leather care & repair products in the world:
LRC 21 - Colour Enhancer The Colour Enhancer is a cream based product that is colour dye charged. It’s designed for aniline leathers to bring back colour. It can be used on car seats and other furniture where cracking is visible and where people do not wish to restore the seats leaving all patina in place. This would colour the cracks in, but not fill them.
LRC 22 - Flexi Filler
The Flexi Filler is a smooth paste type product, white in colour. It’s designed to fill in cracks on very high wear areas or very fine light cracking in leather. It’s not suitable for suede, nubuck, aniline or absorbent materials. It can be sanded and coloured over.
LRC 23 - Heavy Filler
The Heavy Filler is a thick paste product. It comes in a range of colours. It’s designed to fill in bigger cracks, holes and abrasions in leather. It’s not suitable for suede, nubuck, aniline or absorbent materials. It can be sanded and coloured over.
LRC 24 - Fibre Binder
The Fibre Binder is a watery filler glue, designed to bind the fibres of rough leather back together again, giving you a stable surface to sand and colour. It’s not suitable for suede, nubuck, aniline or absorbent materials. It can be sanded and coloured over. OUR PRODUCTS View the finest leather care & repair products in the world:
LRC 25 - Quick Dry Filler
The Quick Dry Filler is a liquid white filler. It dries clear and is very quick drying for those jobs on the road. It can be applied by spatula spreading over the surface and great for minor repairs and light abrasions. Not for use on suede, nubuck, aniline or absorbent materials.
LRC 26 - Leather Glue
The water based Leather Glue is used for repairing and gluing tears, rips and cuts. It dries clear and stays very flexible. It’s not for use on suede, nubuck, aniline or absorbent materials.
LRC 27 - Wood Polisher
The Wood Polisher & Reviver is a liquid polish designed to clean and revive wood. It has fantastic results on French polished furniture. Also works brilliantly on wooden areas on cars dashboards.
LRC 28 - Vinyl Cleaner
The Vinyl Cleaner is a very strong cleaner designed just for vinyl items. It deep cleans and helps brighten all vinyl parts. It’s not to be used on leather, suede, nubuck, aniline or absorbent materials. OUR PRODUCTS View the finest leather care & repair products in the world:
LRC 29 - Carpet Cleaner / Fabric Cleaner The Carpet & Fabric Cleaner is a water-based product designed to deep clean carpets and fabrics. It’s suitable for car interiors and handbag linings and produces amazing results. It’s not suitable for suede, nubuck or aniline..
LRC 30 - Leather Repair Pen
The Leather Repair Pen is the perfect product to touch up piping on leather seats. This can be colour matched to your car interior colour for minor touch ups. It’s not suitable for suede, nubuck, aniline or absorbent materials.
LRC 31 - Anti Bacterial
The Anti Bacterial Spray will help with flu viruses to help stop them spreading. You can use the Anti Bacterial Spray as a cleaning product to wipe over areas where someone has touched or sneezed to kill and get rid of bacteria and flu viruses. It should be used after cleaning the surfaces. Not for use on suede, nubuck or aniline leather. You can use it in the home and the car.
LRC 32 - Interior / Dashboard Cleaner
The Interior Cleaner & Dashboard Cleaner is a water- based product. It’s to be used to clean deep down on all plastic trims and dashboards. Fantastic results everytime, brightens plastics and leaves them looking natural. Not for use on suede, nubuck or aniline leather. You can use it in the home and the car. OUR PRODUCTS View the finest leather care & repair products in the world:
LRC 33 - Aniline Protector Spray
The Aniline Protector Spray is designed to be sprayed onto aniline leather via the trigger spray. It gives a protection layer to the aniline helping stop dirt, grime and stains taking place.
LRC 34 - Handbag Edge Filler
The Handbag Edge Repair Filler is a runny filler designed to fill in piping and edges of handbags prior to colouring the edges again. It gives a natural feel and look. It’s extremely flexible and won’t crack.
LRC 35 - Piping Filler
The Piping Repair Filler is a runny filler designed to fill in piping on car seats and sofas prior to colouring the piping again. It gives a natural feel and look. It’s extremely flexible and won’t crack.
LRC 36 - Leather Primer
The Leather Primer is designed to give even greater adhesion to leather paint. Make sure when carrying out a repair that the colour has been removed in the normal way then apply the Leather Primer via sponge or spray application. OUR PRODUCTS View the finest leather care & repair products in the world:
LRC 37 - Vinyl Adhesion Promoter
The Vinyl Adhesion Promoter is designed to be sprayed or sponge applied and give fantastic adhesion properties to vinyl materials. For use on vinyl only.
LRC 38 - Leather Protection Spray
The Leather Protection Spray is designed to give protection against stains, ink, juices, newspaper print and much more. It keeps the leather cleaner for longer and is an easy to apply product. It works on all types of leather including aniline, but not suede or nubuck.
LRC 39 - Stain Remover Soap
The Stain Remover Soap is a natural soap product. Apply water to a cloth and rub over the soap and then gently work over the stain to remove. With its unique abrasives it will break down and remove almost any type of stain.
LRC 40 - Luxury Mousse Cleaner
The Luxury Mousse Cleaner is for all types of leather apart from suede, nubuck, and absorbent materials. It has a leather aroma and will deep clean and remove the most stubborn dirt possible. It’s designed to last longer when cleaning more delicate older leathers. OUR PRODUCTS View the finest leather care & repair products in the world:
LRC 41 - LeatherGuard The Leather Guard is a stain protection system. It’s designed to be applied by hand rubbing the solution into the leather. When applying use sparingly and do not apply too much at a time. Apply a thin layer and allow to dry being careful not to get streaks. Not suitable for suede, nubuck or absorbent materials.
LRC 42 - Wood Wax Paste
Wood Wax Paste is a fantastic wood protection product. It’s to be applied after using the wood cleaner. Apply in a circular motion allowing to dwell for a few minutes before buffing off and locking in the protection and giving a fantastic sheen & protection layer to wood.
LRC 43 - Boiled Linseed Oil
Boiled Linseed oil is completely safe on all types of wood, other than exterior items made of oak. Applied via a cloth to the wooden areas and left to soak in, then a second coating is applied, can be used on stone and terracotta tiles as well.
LRC 44 - Dye Stopper
Dye Stopper does just that, stops dye and stains damaging your leather, can be used on pigmented, aniline, suede, nubuck and alcantara. Pigmented: spray onto a pad and massage in. All other leathers: spray on and leave, two coats will be required. OUR PRODUCTS View the finest leather care & repair products in the world:
LRC45 Base Grain Copier Compound
The base grain copier is a heat cure filler used with a heat iron and Teflon paper, its designed as a base layer for doing grain repairs on leather or as a graining compound for vinyl. Its flexible and can be coloured over and sanded if required.
LRC46 Grain Copier
Is a finer compound for producing the grain impression in leather, its perfect for doing invisible repairs to holes and burns, in leather, simply place over the hole, cover with a grain pad and then Teflon paper and heat cure with a heat iron to produce grain, then colour as normal.
LRC47 Re New Leather Restorers The Re New Restorer is self sealing and designed for repairing and restoring the colour of leather items. It can even change the colour of leather if you wish. Its designed to be wiped on and used to give leather a fresh new look without the need of major preparation work, perfect for injecting new life in old classic car seats where patina is important to be kept.
LRC48 Shoe Restorer All other creams round the world are based on synthetic waxes and can only accept a small amount of dye and can also cause streaking. The LRC Shoe Restorer has the ability to accept more dye, this is unique and that is why it is a world leader. It can be reworked, and you can blend colours whilst working it into the leather. What is unique about this is that it can actually dye the leather unlike other shoe creams or polishes. OUR PRODUCTS View the finest leather care & repair products in the world:
LRCK2 Steering Wheel & Scuff Repair Kit
A complete kit for the renovation and restoration of all leather steering wheels including scuffs and grazes on leather car seats, furniture, jackets and handbags.
LRCK16 Pet Scratch Repair Kit
The Pet scratch repair kit comes with a main base colour, just use the tints in the kit to match your colour perfectly. The kit comes complete with glue and fillers to repair pet scratches and fill any small holes caused by pet claws.
LRCK3-5 Colour Dye Repair Kits This leather repair kit is perfect for repairing colour loss and scratches on leather or changing the colour to a new colour.It's fantastic on both modern and classic cars as well as leather sofas, leather jackets, handbags and shoes.Restores the colour or even changes the colour fully to something new.
LRCK14 Handbag Edge Dye Repair Kit
The handbag edge repair kit, is designed to fill in and repair the coloured edging on handbags and handbag handles where the filler has cracked and broken down. OUR PRODUCTS View the finest leather care & repair products in the world:
LRCK18 Grain Copying Kit
The grain copying kit, comes complete with all the tool required, heat iron, grain pads, Teflon paper, grain base and grain copier. Used to repairs holes in plastics and vinyl areas and burns and holes in leather. Also perfect for repairing vinyl flooring.
LRCGM - Set Of 7 Grain Mats For Leather, Vinyl & Plastics
Grain mats for producing grain on leather, vinyl and plastics, car seats, furniture, handbags, jackets, including vinyl flooring in homes and leisure items. Place over the grain heat cure filler and heat with a heat iron to produce a grain pattern on the surface.
The Brucle Brush
The Brucle Leather Brush is a fantastic soft brush, which has the power to deep clean. Producing amazing results creating a foaming effect as it cleans allowing the cleaning solutions to last longer on the surface for even better cleaning.
Mouth Atomiser
The Mouth Atomiser is perfect for working in tight areas or small jobs. e.g: A colour loss job on a small area of a car seat. It’s very easy and simple to use. It’s a fantastic tool to create a two tone effect paint. Put the diffuser into your colourant and blow through the mouthpiece. This causes suction within the tube to draw up the colourant dye and spraying out onto the surface. OUR PRODUCTS View the finest leather care & repair products in the world:
HVLP Spray Gun
The Spray Gun is for spraying paints and aniline dyes onto leather. It’s fully adjustable, air output, fan width and paint output can all be controlled.
Horse Hair Leather Brush
The Horse Hair Leather Brush is soft, gentle, and natural. It’s fantastic to clean in those hard to reach areas and for cleaning stitching up.
Luxury Horse Hair Leather Cleaning Brush
This is hand crafted in the UK and then laser engraved with the Restorers LRC logo, the brush has super cleaning powers with its natural horsehair fibres. Soft bristles yet deep cleans in to the grain structure.
LRCCS - Colour Scanner
The colour scanner is a game changer in the leather technician industry. Simply download the apps and scan your leather and it gives you a formula to make the colour that you have scanned, taking away all the guess work with colour mixing. OUR PRODUCTS View the finest leather care & repair products in the world:
Red Scotch Pads
The Very Fine Red Scotch Pads are used to remove surface colour from leather.
Paasche Airbrush
The Paasche Airbrush is used to apply leather colourants and lacquers to leather.
Red Applicator Pads
The Red Applicator Pads are used to apply protection cream and dye stopper
Terry Towels
Our terry towels are perfect for applying softening cream or protection cream. Also great for wiping away dirt when you’re cleaning your leather, vinyl, handbags, or furniture. OUR PRODUCTS
Saddle Care Products
It’s not just cars, sofas, furniture, and clothing we have products for.
We have a range of products dedicated to Saddle & Tack care. These will help you maintain your tack, and keep it at the highest possible standard.
Our SaddleCare range includes: • Saddle Care Cleaner • Saddle Care Protection Cream • Saddle Care Mould Remover • Saddle Care Anti-bacterial Spray • Saddle Care Colouring Restorer / Enhancer
Our products are water-based, non-toxic. These are perfectly safe to use on and around your tack. Keep it looking great, whilst also being safe for your horse. CLEANING LEATHER
How to clean leather, the professional way.
To clean leather, you need to use the leather cleaner.
The Leather cleaner is a very effective cleaner that deep cleans into the grain removing all dirt and grime.
Predominantly, leather that has a sheen to it is generally dirty. The sheen is created due to grease and grime on the leather that has become shiny. In a great deal of cases, leather has a semi matt finish to it. But when it’s gone shiny, it’s the dirt and grime creating the shine, which can cause further damage to your leather surface.
Depending on your type of leather to be cleaned. If it’s a car interior or standard leather furniture, then it’s most likely to be pigmented leather.
If your leather is extremely dirty, then you can use a Brucle Brush to agitate the dirt and grime, lifting it from deep down into the grain, creating a beautiful luxurious finish.
We have given below a guide to cleaning pigmented leather.
The first stage of cleaning is to lightly vacuum off your leather item with a soft brush attachment to remove all dirt and debris from the leather, this will avoid scratching the leather when the cleaning process starts.
The next stage is to use a microscope if you have one to assess any damage that may be on the leather where you have to proceed with caution.
To the naked eye, a great deal of damage on the leather surface cannot be seen unless you use a microscope to view this correctly.
Once you have passed this stage, you can proceed to use the leather cleaner. This can be sprayed directly on to the leather and agitate this with a Brucle Brush to get deep down within the grain structure to lift all the dirt and grime away.
Once you have cleaned the area you are working on, lift all dirt away with a soft terry towel. Turning the terry towel to a clean side as you go.
You can check the area again with a microscope if you wish.
Once you have fully cleaned the full item, you should be left with a beautiful clean surface. If you happen to have any shading left on the surface, this could be wear and tear. This will need attention quickly before it breaks down and requires a full restoration.
After cleaning you will need to apply 2 good coatings of leather protection cream. PROFESSIONAL PROTECTION
You should always have your leather protected. The leather protection cream is suitable for use on all types of leather except suede and nubuck. It is great for Aniline leathers because it helps repel stains. With Aniline being an absorbent leather, the leather protection cream will help prolong the life of your leather, keeping it looking newer for much longer. If your Aniline leather is brand new, it’s advised to protect this straight away to help avoid staining in the future. When it’s new, it has no stain protection barrier, so it’s advised to give your Aniline leather a good few coats. It can be used on different types of leather items and is exceptional when used on car interiors, and furniture around the home, office, or in a bar. The leather protection cream, conditions, protects, adds protection barriers that help against water, sun, spills, heat, and stains. Apply a small amount of protection cream to a clean soft towel and gently massage into the leather in a circular motion, allow this to dry naturally and once dry buff the products to lock in the barriers of protection and UV protectors. It is best to apply 2 or 3 coats to Aniline leathers. The leather protection cream helps reduce wear taking place as the barrier of protection helps keep your leather safe and protected from abrasions from clothing rubbing against it. Which can cause damage over a period of time. The protection cream also adds an invisible barrier of protection to help prevent stains taking place with it’s special technology, it provides water-proofing properties to the leather to help stop spot stains from water, drinks, and food. Keeping the leather protected at all times will preserve all old and new leathers. With older leather it’s more important that they are kept protected. With the leather protection cream, once this has been applied, it’s adding a barrier of protection that will help stop stains from taking place. With it’s built-in natural oils and waxes, the protection cream conditions the leather to stop drying out taking place. With regular conditioning this will help keep the leather soft and supple. Further details on cleaning and protecting your leather can be found on our website, or Leather Repair Company YouTube channel, search for “LeatherRepairUK” WHY PROTECT?
Protecting your leather will only help it last longer. PRESERVING Keeping the leather protected at all times will preserve all old and new leathers. With older leather it’s more important that they are kept protected to avoid them drying out. With modern leather you can only protect them as they are sealed compared to older leathers.
REPELS STAINS With the Leather Protection Cream, once this has been applied, it’s adding a barrier of protection that will help stop stains from taking place on your leathers surfaces. Built-in intelligent protection, the coating has a sophisticated protection layer that stops all types of stains from taking place.
CONDITIONS With it’s built-in natural oils and waxes, the protection cream conditions the leather to stop drying out taking place. With regular conditioning this will keep the leather soft and supple. This helps prevent cracking and other types of damage taking place.
For further details on aniline leather, please visit our wiki website: www.prorestorers.co.uk
On the left side of the diagram, this has no protection. Dirt, grime, liquids, foods, can all get deep into the leather grain. As well as natural elements such as UV rays from the sun. Over time, this can cause fading to the colour of leather. On the right hand side, the green areas shows the protection cream. This protects the leather by forming an intelligent barrier that helps repel dirt, liquids, food spills, and even UV rays. By protecting your leather, you are extending the life of it, making it look fresher and newer for longer. LEATHER GUARD PROTECTION
Our next level protection system Leather Guard has been carefully crafted to offer protection for up to 3 years! This protection system is more durable and longer lasting. Designed to the highest specification, to work on even the highest quality leathers. Guaranteed protection against grease, stains, dry-transfer, drinks, and food spills. The specially designed molecules makes protective bonding more effective. This smart technology is what makes Leather Guard stand out. Leather Guard is suitable for automotive, marine, aviation, clothing, and furniture. COLOUR MIXING
Use our app to help you mix colours We’re serious at what we do. We’re serious about helping you. Another totally free resource from the Leather Repair Company. Our mobile app helps you mix colours on the go. Get instant colour formulas using our Android app, or browser version for other devices. Our database of colours within the app is expanding daily. All you need to know is the colour code (or match it with one from a colour card), enter the code into the app, and you’ll receive the formula to mix that colour up. To download our app for an android: https://playgoogle.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.leathertrainingcourse.restorer To use our app for an iphone visit: web.leathertrainingcourse.co.uk LEATHER PREPARATION
Getting your leather ready for repair. The most important part of any repair or restoration job is the preparation of the leather. If this is not done correctly,then your repair job will not last. Preparing leather for restoration is best done with a red fine abrasive pad, inside the pad that is folded in half, place a small amount of a terry towel cloth. This is used to hold the leather prep while you rub the pad over the surface of the leather. Doing any repair job requires the top surface to be fully removed. When you rub the abrasive pad over the surface, this will help soften the leather and remove all the scratches and cracks in the leathers surface. Those stress cracks that have gone into the leather can then have heavy filler applied to them, lightly sanding down afterwards once dry. Where some furniture has a different type of leather like finished splits, proceed with caution as the leather prep could remove all the top grain structure. Only lightly prepare this area, you can even use the terry towel instead of the abrasive pad for this. You have to leather prep everything to ensure all grease, grime, waxes, and silicones have been removed from the surface before applying any colourant dyes. If these are not fully removed then the leather colourant is not going to adhere to the freshly prepared leather surface to give a strong bond and will not last. Preparation is key to a perfect repair & restoration job. You will achieve much better finished results. LEATHER RECYCLING
We are experts in recycling leather items. Our aim is to recycle rather than replace, helping our planet in the process. COLOURING LEATHER
Getting your leather ready for repair. First of all, you will need to make sure your bottle is well mixed and shaken up. Once this is done you can start applying your colourant to the freshly prepared leather surface. It’s also advised that you should filter all colours prior to application. First of all just wipe the colourant onto the leather surface in a circular motion to give you an even coverage. Do not worry at this stage how it looks, as the next two coatings will ensure you arrive at the perfect finish. With the first coating you have applied, check all corners, piping areas, and creases to make sure you have a good quality coverage applied. Dry off with a hair dryer. This normally takes only a few minutes. The initial coating is only to act as an undercoat. It’s the base layer for the next stages of colour application. During the next colouring stage, you should ‘dab’ the colour onto the surface almost like a stippling motion. This will then give a nice even finish to the surface. Make sure each coat is completely dry before applying the next. Between coats you can check for any small particles of dirt that may have got in the colour as you’ve applied it. These can easily be sanded out with a 1200 grit sandpaper. Depending on what this is like you can also use 320 grit paper and then go over it with 1200 to give an even smoother finish.
APPLYING COLOUR WITH A SPRAY GUN Only apply colourant when the leather is totally dry. It’s advised that you spray at approx 12 inches away from the surface and at about 15psi. Spraying in a nice even, overlapping motion to make sure all the leather is covered. Drying between coats. SEALING THE LEATHER
Applying lacquer to seal your colour in. Don’t apply too many coats of colour or you will end up with a plastic appearance. Make sure you dry your colour between layers properly. This helps avoid colour build-up, and also helps avoid runs in the colour. If runs do occur, gently dab over these with a sponge to even out the colourant. Applying the sealing finish is done in exactly the same way as when applying the colourant. You can either sponge this on, being careful not to create a foam when applying this. If this does happen, you can use a hair dryer on a low speed to carefully remove the foaming. If you have decided to apply the sealing finish with a spray gun. You should first apply 2 coats in your desired finish. If you wish to have a satin finish as most leather items are, just mix the gloss and the matt together in a 50/50 mix ratio to achieve a satin finish. Apply 2 coats, drying properly between each coating and once the second coating has been dried correctly,lightly sand this down with a 1200 grit paper. This will ensure that you are left with a smooth, silky finish. You can enhance this further by using a 7000 grit paper. Once the lacquer has fully dried and been sanded. You should make sure that they are no dusty areas. Wiping the whole leather area down. At this stage, your repair job is now complete. We would advise that you apply a leather protection cream that will help prevent future damage, stains, and protect your leather from natural causes.
Have a look at our online leather encyclopedia. We’ve spent a long time putting together the perfect resource to help you understand and learn more about leather, the different types, the history of leather, the future of leather. We have hundreds, and hundreds of pages all dedicated to leather on our online encyclopedia. You can use this on any device computer, laptop, or even mobile phone. Simply visit: www.prorestorers.co.uk LEATHER IN CLASSIC CARS
Classic Cars leather interiors is what we specialise in and have been restoring classic car interiors for over 30 years. We have secure facilities in the heart of Hull, Yorkshire, City of Culture 2017. All fully heated with full CCTV access. We handle all types of classic car leather renovations. We have specialist solutions to soften classic car seats, revive the colour like a new colonisation process to your classic car seats. We can replace leather or re-trim your classic car interiors to all original specs., the Leather Repair Company have award winning upholsterers to undertake all your leather upholstery needs.
OPEN DAYS At the Leather Repair Company, we hold many open days. We invite car groups down, we give talks on leather, and how best to care for it. We give live demonstrations, with hands-on interaction from the club members. During the day,we also provide a selection of food for lunch. We will also look at members cars and offer advice, tips and guidance to each one should they require it. Our club meets are not just exclusive to our headquarters in Hull. We’ve arranged meets around the country. We have European distribution, repair and training centres located in France, Germany, Belgium, Holland and Finland. A bit further afield than the UK and Europe? How about our distribution including the USA, the Middle East and Brunei, with many other locations coming on board regularly. If you would like to arrange a meet for your club, please get in touch with us to discuss how we can create a great day! LEATHER FURNITURE
Cat scratches, stains from food and drinks, general wear and tare and colour loss on the arms, base and headrest are the most common types of restoration work we carry out on leather furniture. Depending on the task in hand, we can either repair the items within one of our many factories or potentially carry out a mobile, localised repair. Using our many years of experience, we are experts in 2-tone colouring. More commonly found on older Chesterfield style leather suites. Sometimes, simply cleaning and protecting your leather sofa is enough to keep any stubborn dirt, grease, stains and natural damage away. Our fully mobile cleaning service will not only clean your leather suites, but we’ll also offer advice on best practices that will help extend the life of your sofa. If you would rather repair your leather sofa yourself, we have a range of professional grade products that make light work of any DIY leather repair work. Here are some common ones for repairing leather furniture. Our products all come with detailed instructions that will make the task at hand easier to complete. Along with these, we have a fantastic YouTube channel with lots of great, informational advice on. With them, you’ll find videos on “How To..” do various types of repair jobs. RESTORING LEATHER JACKETS
Any leather jacket can be repaired, restored, cleaned and cared for. We provide a full leather jacket repair service as well as specialist cleaning and nourishment of all leather jackets. The products we use are exclusive to the Leather Repair Company and are used extensively by specialists worldwide, for all leather jacket repairs. We do not charge for estimates. Just fill out the form or give us a call. We will then send you a repair sheet and address labels. Leather preservation of jackets is a large part of our business. We can preserve your leather jackets, or historic leather goods, and antique leather jackets. Keeping your leather jacked cleaned and protected will extend its life span considerably. Dry cleaning leather causes the leather to dry out ending up with a costly repair service to be carried out for a full restoration and softening process.
We’re able to offer various types of repair services for jackets. These include: Zip Replacements Stain Removal Rips & Tear Repairs Colour Restorations Full Jacket Recolours. YOUR LEATHER SHOES CLEANED, REPAIRED AND PROTECTED FROM AS LITTLE AS £15
Here at Restorers we believe in traditional British Craftsmanship when it comes to shoe repairs and restorations, we take care of your shoes as if they were our own, we only work with traditional methods to replicate how your shoes were made originally. The products we use are exclusive to the Leather Repair Company & are used extensively by specialists worldwide, for all leather shoe repairs. We do not charge for estimates. Just fill out the form online or give us a call. We will then send you a repair sheet and address labels.
THE EASIEST WAY TO CLEAN, REPAIR AND RESTORE YOUR LEATHER SHOES
We all love our leather shoes. But over the years they can become a bit ragged round the edges if they're not properly cleaned or cared for. Grass stains, food stains and scuffs and scratches can quickly spoil the overall look. The good news? All types of leather shoes can be repaired, restored and cleaned. Leather preservation of shoes is a large part of our business, we can preserve your leather shoes, or historic leather goods, and antique leather shoes. Keeping your leather shoes cleaned and protected will extend the life span considerably. If your thinking of having your shoes dry cleaned to help remove odour, think carefully, Dry cleaning leather causes the leather to dry out ending up with a costly repair service to be carried out for a full restoration and softening process. LEATHER PHONE CASES
Designer phone cases can be a costly item to purchase. Keeping them in great shape is essential. We repair and restore all types of leather phone case. Any type of leather phone protective case can be repaired, restored, cleaned and cared for. We provide a full leather phone case repair service as well as specialist cleaning and nourishment of all leather cases. Restoring the colour in your leather case is a very simple process. Whether this is a touch-up, colour restoration, or a full colouring job, restoring leather phone cases is something we love to do. If you love your phone case but hate the colour, don’t worry, we can change your phone case to almost any colour, white to black, brown to blue, or black to pink. We can even paint your phone case in different colours making it very unique in design. Out highly trained, in-house technicians will look after your designer phone care like it’s their own. With combined experience spanning to nearly a century, they know how to care, clean, and protect your leather phone case. We can remove even the most stubborn stains that are left behind. Our experienced in-house tea, can revive, repair and rejuvenate your protective leather case, bringing them back to life again. MARBLE & STONE
Marble and stone repairs can be a delicate task. Marble is expensive, but looks marvellous. With our Stone and Marble repair service, you do not need to consider buying replacements work-tops or tiles. We can repair, restore, fill, fix and clean your marbled items to so they look new again. Over time, marble does lose its shine and original ‘wow’ factor due to natural wear. We’re able to remove scratched, buff and restore your marbles former glory.
Replacing Marble and Stone is very expensive. It causes huge disruption, inconvenience and unnecessary expense. Generally, we can repair the damaged items within a few hours. This not only saves you money, we can do this mobile, without ripping out your work-tops. We do this on-site, in a clean environment. You won’t even be able to tell we are there. Not only this, but most repairs will almost be invisible. Types of Repairs: • Old, worn, dull marble • Chips and nicks • Bathroom tiles • Kitchen work-tops • Memorials • Cracks in stone and marble • Discolouring in marble RESTORING WOOD
Restorers specialise in furniture restoration, repairs and refinishing using traditional handcrafting to modern finishes. We’re able to work mobile, on a wide range of different wooden surfaces found in offices, living spaces, kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms. Wood cleaning, protection and waxing Stain removal on wood Scratches and scuffs on wood Dents in wood
Distressed Look We fix lots of wooden items, but sometimes people want to break them. Giving wooden items a vintage, classic, distressed appearance. We’ll use the proper and correct methods to create this for you. Woodworm Treatments If you find patches of dust, it may be woodworm. Woodworm can be very damaging. Get a no obligation repair quote from us today.The earlier woodworm is treated, the less damage is caused. Scratch and Dent Repairs A fully mobile service to repair and remove all scratched, dings and dents in furniture, including bedroom furniture, cabinets and other wooden items. Kitchen Furniture Repairs Kitchens are far from cheap and accidents do happen. We can repair stains, burns, dings and dents in all kitchen surfaces, from a window sill to a free-standing dresser, to a beautiful oak work-top, to solid wood doors. TRAINING COURSES
We have a well-balanced range of leather repair courses, all of which will give you As well as in-house training in the UK, we some excellent skills and new knowledge so have training facilities around Europe, the you can carry out your own leather repair USA, the Middle East and Brunei. jobs. For those who can’t make the distance, or are a bit tight for time, we have on-line, e- Our training courses range from a single learning courses available. These can be day,up to a 4-day training course. completed at a time that is suited to you, in the comfort of your own home. These e- From beginners to professionals, we have a learning courses do have a practical training course that’s right for you. assignment included to. We have different levels of training We have several courses, from a single day courses. to a 5-day upholstery course, to a 4-day training course for Leather Repairs, to These range from 1 day, to 5 days, or 4 Wood, UPVc, Marble and Granite repair weeks training with a franchise. courses. Our courses will teach you a full We don’t just provide leather repair range of skills and confidence to carry out training courses. We have wood, UPVc, your own repair jobs, either in your business fabric and marble repair training courses. or at home. All our trainees are provided with enough information to enable them to start repair jobs as soon as they walk out of the door. We do have set dates available throughout the year. Get in touch with us to see if we have any dates available for you. We can sometimes cater for specific dates if we’re aware well in advance. Why Choose Us?
Want to speak with someone about a course call 01482 606864.
We have over 30 years experience within the leather industry. Our Head Office is based in Hull, East Yorkshire. We have several franchises throughout England.
Using our 5,000 sq/f facilities, we can cater for all individual training requirements. Our training centre is large enough to work on large vehicles whilst not being limited for space. We have an in-house sewing technician and custom built spraying booth. We have all the things you need to make your stay enjoyable; full disabled access, canteen, ample parking, reception area and our new digital area to help enhance training.
We are also conveniently located within walking distance from the Hull Transport Hub (Bus & Train station) which have excellent links to Leeds, Manchester, The North and London. With various hotels and guesthouses located nearby, you will always find a suitable place to stay along with an array of different cultured restaurants, eat outs and evening entertainment.
We’re not afraid of being in the public eye. Having previously won the Theo Paphitis #SBSAward, featuring in Pay Per View training course videos for Bauer Media, product reviews in Auto Express magazine and various official car magazines and appearances on Regional TV & Radio Not to mention YouTube stars personally recommending our products. We’re proud of what we’ve achieved and the future we envision is exciting.
We strive to be ahead of the market at all times and never stop the development of our existing products and our innovative future ones. For more information, contact call us on: 01482 606864
After you’ve attended one of our training courses, you will also receive on-going support!
We are able to provide live training courses via Zoom. FRANCHISE
A franchise that fits everywhere. Since 1995 we have seen the demand for this service increase year on year considerably. As leather becomes more affordable, so does the demand to carry out repairs to leather items, this demand is increasing significantly and we have seen a huge growth rate for repairs and restorations since the recession hit many years ago, back in the early 90’s and now again for the last 5 years the business has grown and grown. The Leather Repair Company is a genuine business that should not fail, as long as you follow the business model and system to the book and are prepared to be self-motivated to succeed. The Leather Repair Company is a fantastic opportunity that should make money for you month on month, year on year for as long as you continue to trade. With the projected growth over the next 25 years the Leather Repair Company is on track to be a huge global brand in home care and repairs. When you consider that just in the UK we have 35 million cars on the road and this number is increasing and does not cover commercial vehicles or classics, the potential is staggering, then when you look at homes we have 25 million houses in the UK at present again this has to increase significantly over the next 25 years to cope with the growing population. Can you imagine if the average repair was £150 each what that’s worth and how quickly you could return your initial full investment. Most homes in the UK have some form of Leather, Wood, Fabric, UPVc windows, convertible roofs all of these items will need repair at some point, accidents do happen, leather fades, wood fades, UPVc windows get mouldy, no matter what the issue the Leather Repair Company have the solution with the best value for money Franchise package in the UK .
Setting Standards in Training Hands-On The training we provide is carried out All training we provide is hands-on training. You will from our national training facility for be trained to work on the items you will be working leather repairs in the UK, from a on every day in your franchise business. dedicated training centre in Hull, East Yorkshire. From the second you walk through our doors to the minute you leave, our trade secrets begin to flow. The training we provide is very You will find out so much during your leather repair comprehensive. course. It will blow you away. We don’t take short cuts as we need The knowledge Richard has is outstanding. He has our franchisees to be technically been involved with leather in one way or another for aware and confident with repairs. 30 years, so as you can imagine, the knowledge and respect he has built up is enviable to the competition. 3 Week Training
Your three week training programme will provide you with the skills and confidence required to launch your own successful business.
Own Territory This grants you access to use our trademarks and intellectual property, including your dedicated exclusive area, to provide you the opportunity to continually expand your business to add a number of vehicles on the road.
Launch Party We don’t just send you on your way after being trained. We hold a launch party at your chosen location to gain your awareness in your local area, by inviting key business people and press along for the day.
Stock You will be provided with all the stocks you require, including compressors, spray guns, paints, glues, fillers, everything you can think of, along with a complete additional system called “BIAB” (business in a box).
Promotions
As a family business, we believe the success of your business is paramount of importance to us, so we provide you access to these, at very discounted prices. (Initial set provided) All items are personalised for you and your business.
You can get all of this from £10,000 +VAT.
Been thinking of a franchise for some time but each time you try to get to that next step, you find nasty hidden costs involved? The LRC Franchise is designed in such a way that it’s affordable and has no hidden extra costs involved. The monthly management fee is set very low. We provide everything you will ever need to start your leather repair business (except your vehicle), all your kit, training and corporate uniforms are included in your initial franchise fee, making your investment with the Leather Repair Company one of the best value for money franchises around today,which is stress free and on the road to financial freedom. DISTRIBUTION
Sell award winning products, anywhere. Our products are targeted at everybody. This isn’t a niche target audience. Everybody has leather. Whether this is a pair of leather shoes, handbags, luggage, leather sofas & furniture. Leather is also found inside cars, and motorcycle suits. Fact is, leather is everywhere. The market isn’t small. But, a lot of the market don’t know leather care & repair products exist. Our award winning products are now open to distributors. We already sell worldwide through our online wesbite. We’ve also got distributors across Europe. France, Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands. You can sell our products on any platform you wish. Amazon, Ebay, online store, retail store, or even as an add-on to a service you provide already. Our prices are very competitive. The products we sell, are the products we use. No special retail vs profession products. Just the same, high quality standard across the board. Once you’ve become a distributor, you’ll receive product information videos that will help you, and your customers understand which product they need to do the job. You’ll receive around the clock help, from us, and our network of leather repair technicians. Lastly, you’ll enjoy healthy profits. DISCOVER US ON YOUTUBE
YouTube is the worlds biggest video platform. And we’re on it! You can find us by searching for: LeatherRepairUK Our YouTube channel has hundreds of useful, insightful and informative videos on that will help you understand leather, how to better care for it, and even how to do various types of repair jobs. We also have product information videos for our own items so you can be sure you know what you are buying and what it will do. ®
Follow our Hashtag #WEKNOWLEATHER
Leather Repair Company Unit 22 Argyle Street Factory Estate Hull, England, HU3 1HD
www.leatherrepaircompany. com E:info@leatherrepaircompany .com T: +44 (0) 1482 606 864
Restorers Limited Co Reg Number 05618265