Edit ArticleHow to Shrink a Leather Jacket Three Methods:Shrinking Your Jacket in a BathtubShrinking Your Jacket in the Washing MachineGetting your Jacket Professionally TailoredCommunity Q&A Leather jackets are a fashion statement and can be paired with a variety of clothing.[1] They're also ideal for practical purposes, such as protecting your skin while riding a motorcycle or keeping you cool during the warm weather.[2] Unfortunately, this piece of trendy attire doesn't always fit and can look goofy and oversized. Luckily, there are ways that you can shrink your jacket by washing it by hand, in the washing machine, or taking it to a tailor. Instead of throwing away your jacket or putting it deep into your closet, consider shrinking it so that it fits better. Fill a large plastic bin with warm water into your bathtub. The plastic container is necessary because the dye in many leather jackets will bleed when soaked in water and could ruin the finish on your tub. For the same reasons, you should wear rubber gloves to prevent dye from getting on your hands.

You can purchase the plastic bins online or at most major department and hardware stores.motorcycle shops bendigo Purchase a tub that's at least 33 gallons (125 liters) or big enough so you can submerge your entire jacket.motorcycle shops joplin mo You should fill the container up half way, or enough so that you can fully submerge your jacket under water.lams bikes for sale vic Submerge your jacket in the water and rub out the dye. motorbike for sale boksburgKeep the jacket submerged under water for five to ten minutes. honda motorcycle parts swindon

Some of the dye should naturally leak out of your jacket. Rub a sleeve over the entire surface of your jacket and allow more of the dye to bleed out.motorcycle dealers chatham This process will make your leather absorb more water and will promote shrinkage. Wring the water out of the jacket. Let your jacket dry on a towel for two days. Lay out a fresh towel and drape your leather jacket over it. As the towels become soaked by the jacket, make sure to replace them and turn your jacket over so that the entire thing can dry. Keep your jacket in a dry area. If you put it in sunlight or another heat source, it will shrink your jacket faster but will also make it much smaller. You can also use a hairdryer to achieve faster results. Be aware that this may cause the jacket to shrink more. Wash your jacket in a washing machine. Wring the water out of your jacket once the machine is done.

When your jacket is done in the washing machine, it will still be very wet. Remove the excess water so it can dry faster and so that you can prevent potential damage, like watermarks, on your jacket. Wringing out your jacket will also create fashionable wrinkles on your jacket. Put your jacket in the dryer and run the cycle on medium heat. Putting your leather jacket in the dryer while it's wet will allow it to shrink.[7] Once the dryer is finished, take your jacket out and try it on. If it's still too big, repeat the process until the jacket is a better fit. Search for leather tailors online. Look for tailors that specialize in leather alterations in your area. Leather jackets are hard to alter so they require an experienced leather tailor. Many regular tailors will not be able to make alterations to a leather jacket. Read reviews on tailors and choose one with positive reviews. If you're having trouble finding a tailor that specializes in leather, call the store that you bought your leather jacket from and ask them if they have any recommendations.

Visit the tailor and have them take your measurements. Once you've located a reputable leather tailor, you can visit their shop and request to have your measurements taken. Even if you already know your sizes, because they may have changed since the last time you were measured. If you are in a rush, call them beforehand and schedule an appointment. The tailor will measure your neck, chest, waist, shoulders, arms, and wrists. Communicate to the tailor on how you want your jacket fitted. Think of how you want your jacket altered before traveling to the tailor. For instance, you could get shoulder adjustments, shorten the sleeves, or taper the waist.[10] A leather tailor will try to work within your specifications to change your leather jacket so that you feel comfortable with it. If you're on a budget, ask the tailor for an estimated cost of the alterations. If you're unsure about what kind of adjustments you want, ask the tailor for their advice. Pick up the finished jacket.

Because it's harder to tailor leather, you'll most likely have to wait longer than if your jacket was made from another material. Your tailor will usually give you a call and let you know that your jacket is ready to be picked up. Once you get to the store, remember to try your leather jacket on to make sure that it fits you. Depending on the amount of modifications the tailor had to make, this could take up to three weeks. Make sure that you have alternate protective gear if you're wearing your leather jacket because you ride a motorcycle. Alterations on leather vary in cost but will typically cost between $100 to $300. Tipping your tailor is customary. Soaking a leather jacket or washing it in a machine could cause fading and water marks. There is no way to accurately tell how much your leather jacket will shrink when washing or soaking your jacket. If wear your jacket while it's still wet then the dye could leak out onto your clothing.LÉONThe thought of washing a leather jacket might sound crazy to most people.

But a lot of you might be surprised to know that a lot of the designers who are known for their leather pieces (including Rick Owens, Neil Barret and Robert Geller) wash their leather pieces. I remember the very first day I started working at Robert Geller was the day the Spring 2008 collection arrived, the first thing we did was hop over to the nearest Laundromat and wash the pieces. What a way to start a new job!The process is fairly simple. What you need: Time: 10-15 minutes + 2-3 days drying time 1 Leather jacketBathtub or large plastic bin3-4 towelsHeavy duty wooden hanger Fill your tub with enough lukewarm water to submerge the jacket.As you can see, a lot of the dye will start to come out. If you are worried about staining your tub, you can do this in a plastic bin or any other container you have.In my experience, you don’t want to use water that’s too hot as it might bleed too much of the dye out or cause extreme shrinkage.Work the jacket with your hands, rubbing the leather against itself, squeezing some of the dye out and making sure all parts of the jacket are soaked.

Let the jacket sit for 5 to 10 mins.Ring out as much of the water from the jacket as you canNow you have two opens for drying. If you’d like more drape, you can hang dry it and let gravity help create a nice drape. You can also choose to let it dry flat, in which case you will have to make sure you rotate your towels so you don’t stain your floor. Full drying takes at least 2 days. Test wear it with some old clothes as some of the dye might still come off if it’s not fully dry.More notes (Thanks to Deacon Yu for the info) “Like wool, leather loses a lot of its strength when wet. So be careful with the hanger’s length - it has to match the length of the shoulder. Otherwise, you will get 2 not-so-nice little nipples poking out on your deltoids (the upper muscle of your arm). Also, you do want to be careful with different leather. Leather is not meant to be wet. That’s why they all have a finishing on it. but washing it, you are taking away the protection (but creating some nice effect in some cases).