BEFORE                                 and                                AFTER

Type of leather: Analine

Problem: The 3 piece analine suite had over the years faded from burgundy/plum colour to a washed out pink (this is quite normal with analine). We liased with the customer for them to choose which shade of colourant they would like. The results above speak for themselves. (Apr 2010)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BEFORE                                                                      AFTER

Type of leather: Wax Pull Up

Problem: The 30 or so pieces of furniture had received no attention for years and had sat in a large officers mess getting cooked by the sun. This had resulted in the skin drying out, cracking and losing their colour. Pictures above show close up of dried arm and two identical chairs, one still to be treated and the other being the finished article. This type of leather should last decades if receiving regular attention, but will only last a few years if left untreated. (Oct 2010)                                                        

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                            BEFORE                                                                      AFTER

Type of leather: Pigmented / Protected

Problem: The 2 seater sofa above is situated in a hairdressers and was a pale grey/green in colour with the problem of hair dyes that were leaving permanent dark stains on it. It was decided that the best option was to re-colour this sofa and the 3 seater to a charcoal grey/black, so giving not only the correct image, but offering a solution to the ongoing hair dye problems. Customers have since commented that they thought these were 'new' sofas! (Apr 2010)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                            BEFORE                                                                      AFTER

Type of leather: 'Two tone' 

Problem: The top coating had been stripped off when a breakfast bowl had been left on it. We had to firstly replace the base coat with a red/brown and apply a top coat of black/brown to mimick the style of the rest of the suite. (May 2010)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                            BEFORE                                                                      AFTER

Type of leather: 'Split' 

Problem: The manufacturers of this sofa had used the wrong type of leather on the arm piece, split leather can be used but only on non stress areas such as back and sides. You can see on the before photo (front of arm) where the manufacturers had previously sent someone out to carry out a repair but again the leather had broken open. We fitted a backing sheet, filled the gap and recoloured. The result was never going to be perfect but it has given the sofa a longer life span. (June 2010)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

The leather jacket above (left) had been hand made in Turkey. The customer had left it over winter in a location where dampness had resulted in mold spores growing on the back of it. We took the jacket away, Killed off the mold, cleaned the complete item then applied a protection coating to it. (May 2010)

The middle picture shows an antique snakeskin handbag which through generations of the same family over the years had become damaged with the segments lifting, various crackings and the stitching breaking up. This item to date remains our most challenging project due to age and value to the owners. (Nov 2010)

The seat panel (above right) shows something we see almost on a weekly basis! Peeling leather is a result of numerous faults either through manufacture, body heat - fricton, bad cleaning methods, wrong products such as baby wipes, head grease - hair products. (every month!)  

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This Fendi handbag (value in excess of £1,000) was sent to us for refurbishment after much of the bottom area had become scuffed. The handbag received a full detailed inspection, clean, recolouring and protective coating that should make it more durable than the origional. (July 2010)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Leather appears in many products like the pictures above and below, all of which can be repaired  and/or revitalised, but to get many years of service out of these items, they do require a regular maintainance programme to keep the leather at it's best.