Why Does Leather Darken With Age?
When it’s about the colours, people always have their preferences sorted, some like the light colour while some prefer wearing darker shades and there is no right or wrong in any case. Leather also comes in different colours, and people make their choices according to their preferences.
However, if you own leather and have been using it for several years, you might have noticed that your leather has darkened with age. If it has, there’s nothing to worry about since leather is made from natural animal hide, and it develops changes as time passes.
While some people might like the darker shade of leather because it gives the material a more royal look, some might not enjoy it as much. It is about the preference, but it can’t be helped in this case; you might be able to slow the ageing process of your leather, but you can’t completely stop it.
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How & Why Does Leather Darken?
The leather darkening can be a good as well as a bad thing. Aged leather is more valuable because it develops a patina over time which gives it a weathered look, but it also darkens other surfaces of the material, which is not always a good thing. You must have heard the phrase old is gold, and it is true in most cases, including leather. The more leather ages, the better it looks, and its value increases. While new leather is soft and looks cool, old leather is more rigid and gives a vintage vibe which is ideal for some people.
The darkness and changes in the texture of leather are because of the patina. It is a beautiful sheen that leather gets when it ages, but one thing is that you must that patina only develop on real leather, so if your leather develops a patina over time, that is proof that you have bought real leather and your money did not go to waste.
It can develop by exposure to the sun or extreme weather conditions, dirt, oil, etc. If you don’t want your leather to develop a patina or get darkened soon, you can protect your bag from these elements, and you will be able to postpone the darkening of your leather.
How To Prevent Darkening Of Leather?
Stopping your leather from darkening can indeed be challenging since it is a natural process, and you don’t have control over it. It occurs because of natural body oil or sun exposure, etc. Use a good quality conditioner and do regular cleaning before it darkens to prevent the darkening of your leather.
But it is always recommended to test the leather cleansers before you apply them to your leather because, in some cases, they increase the chances of leather darkening because of their oily nature. Try to use it on a small part of the leather and see if it darkens; if it doesn’t, you can apply it all over your leather to keep it clean. Some leather conditioners also contain UV repelling properties, so if you think you are out in the sunlight for a long time, you can use them to protect your leather.
Conclusion
Leather is made from natural products, and it is one of the most luxurious materials worldwide. Just like the skin is bound to develop changes over time, leather also ages since it is made from animal hide.
There are some things that can’t be changed, and real leather can be your most luxurious possession; you can prevent the darkening of your leather for as long as possible, but it is bound to happen eventually. It is better to accept the way it is and appreciate your leather as it grows stronger and more rigid than before.
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