Leather Patina: How Leather Changes With Age
All fabrics begin to show their age with time. Some fade or begin pilling, but leather only improves. As long as you take good care of the item, anything made of leather will age with beauty and show more character. Dive deeper into leather patina and discover how leather changes with age.
What Is Leather Patina?
Leather is a fabric, so it’s bound to show signs of age as time goes on. Leather patina is the natural wear that shows on a leather object or garment. However, unlike the wear that shows on other materials, patina can be truly beautiful. This feature develops due to exposure to:
- Heat
- The sun
- Natural oils
- Moisture
Essentially, everyday use leads to the formation of patina on all sorts of leather items, such as saddles, wallets, baseball gloves, and bags, to name a few. Patinas are especially common among full grain leather objects because they absorb natural body oils and sunlight more easily. Many people love the aesthetic of patina because it looks slightly marbled.
How Long Does a Patina Take To Develop?
Patina shows how leather changes with age, but how long does it take to form? The length of time required for a patina to begin developing varies. Development can occur within a week, but it could also take over a year. If you want a patina to start forming quickly, then aim to use the item as often as possible.
However, if you plan to take your leather goods out into the sun or other forms of weather, ensure that you still prepare it by oiling it or adding a waterproof protectant. You don’t want to ruin the leather in the hopes of forming a patina.
Quality Leather
Every type of leather is not the same, and some types will not form patinas. However, full grain leather leads to the best development of patinas, and since it already shows natural imperfections, it has even more character. Most lovers of the material stive to buy this high-quality type of leather, since it will develop a patina more easily.
A patina symbolizes history and quality while adding to the leather’s unique appearance. In addition, a patina serves as a layer of protection between your leather and the natural elements.
At Western Leather Goods, we only sell the best-quality leather attire. Our leather belts are completely full grain leather, so the more you wear yours, the faster it’ll show those amazing signs of age. A patina doesn’t mean that your leather garment is wearing out but rather that it holds more character. As long as you maintain your leather by oiling and conditioning it, you won’t have to worry about replacing it anytime soon.
