How to Store Leather So It Does Not Go Mouldy

In a climate like ours, storage is where most leather actually dies — not in use. A piece worn every day almost never goes mouldy. A piece put away in a cupboard for the monsoon frequently does.

Never in plastic

This is the one that matters most. A sealed plastic bag traps humidity against the hide, and in Sri Lankan air that is a guaranteed way to grow mould on leather within weeks. It also leaves the surface tacky.

Use a breathable cotton dust bag or an old pillowcase. Anything the air can move through.

Not the cupboard you were thinking of

• Avoid damp rooms and any cupboard against an outside wall that sweats
• Avoid direct sunlight — it fades colour and dries the surface
• Avoid attics and anywhere with big temperature swings, which drive moisture in and out of the fibres

A shelf in a room you actually live in is better than any dedicated storage space that never gets aired.

Keep the shape

Stuff bags loosely with acid-free tissue or a soft cloth. Not tightly — you are holding the structure, not stretching it. A bag stored collapsed develops creases that set permanently.

Hardware

Buckles, studs and zips tarnish or seize if left untouched for months. Wipe metal with a dry cloth before putting anything away, and work a zip a few times when you take it out.

Take it out occasionally

Leather is better off being used. The oils from your hands keep it supple, and a piece that sits untouched for a year is stiffer than one carried the whole time. If something is going into storage for a season, take it out every few weeks, flex it gently and let it air.

Before storing anything long term, clean and condition it first — see leather care.