How to smooth artificial leather and artificial leather products?

Currently, there are a large number of artificial leather substitutes used for sewing clothing and accessories. Almost all of them are made of synthetic materials that look good when purchased, but lose their appearance during storage due to the formation of folds and creases. The situation can be corrected with various smoothing methods, even at home. It often depends on the type of material.

There are several options for skin substitutes, which are actively used in sewing clothes:

• vinyl;
• leatherette;
• tarpaulin;
• stretch leather;
• eco-leather;
• recycled leather.

Vinyl, or rather, polyvinyl chloride, is the toughest material on which creases are not easy to smooth out. It is used for sewing bags, raincoats and unusual costumes, as it keeps its shape quite well.

Dermatine is the most famous and widespread skin substitute. The material has a fabric base, which makes its cost low, and the operation process is short. It is used not only in sewing clothes, but also when upholstering sofas, sewing purses, book covers.

Kirza is the most durable material in this series. It is difficult to wrinkle, but if this happens, then it will be problematic to align the bends. In addition, it has another significant drawback - high weight. It is mainly used in footwear to create military boots.

One of the most modern and popular materials for sewing jackets, skirts and bags is eco-leather. This is due to the characteristics and appearance of the material. Flexibility and excellent appearance are inherent in it.

Recycled leather can be called a semi-artificial material, as it is made from ground scraps of hides. It is distinguished by increased elasticity and high similarity with natural material. But there is one significant drawback - low strength. Therefore, products made from it (most often Chinese) are not in demand.

Each of these materials has its own ironing and leveling method. The following substances and devices are most often used:

• iron;
• steamer;
• steam bath;
• water;
• shoe cream.

To achieve the maximum effect, you need to know the rules for using each of these funds.

Before starting the processing of the product, it is necessary to test the selected method on a small area of ​​the leatherette. It is worth starting further work only if the method did not cause damage to the material.

Most leatherette products have a tag indicating the permissibility of one or another thermal or chemical treatment. If the use of an iron is not prohibited, you can try to iron the folds with it. To do this, set the minimum temperature on the device for delicate ironing and turn off the steaming function. You will also need four terry towels.

First, the towels are laid on the seamy part of the product, and then smoothed with leatherette until the folds completely disappear.

Leatherette products can be steamed with a special device. It is great for leveling items with a large number of seams, as they are difficult to iron. The best way to do this is by hanging your clothing — a jacket, coat, or skirt — on a mannequin. So, when they dry, they will immediately take the desired shape.

First you need to turn the product inside out. Then set the steamer to medium temperature. If it is outerwear, then work begins with the sleeves. In this case, the device should be at a distance of about 10 cm. Processing of each part of the product is carried out within 3-5 minutes. After its completion, the clothes are turned onto the front side and again hung on the mannequin (hanger).

In the absence of a steamer, such a procedure can be carried out with improvised means. A steam bath can be a good alternative. To do this, you will need a hanger and newspapers if the product is a bag.

The hottest water is taken into the bath and the item is hung on a hook right above the steam. If the bag is leveled, then it is previously tightly packed with newspapers to shape. The door to the bathroom should be tightly closed from the beginning to the end of the procedure. This processing lasts for 3 hours. Then the product is hung in a dry room with good ventilation until it is completely dry. It is worth making a reservation that a loggia or balcony is not suitable for this, since prolonged exposure to direct sunlight on wet leatherette can lead to excessive drying out and the appearance of cracks.

Small folds can be smoothed out simply with water. To do this, fill a conventional spray bottle with liquid and spray the product abundantly. If the item is made of soft material, then it is enough to spray water once on the wrong side and hang to dry. When the folds are deep, old or the material is more rigid, this procedure should be carried out from the front of the product. In this case, spraying is repeated several times within an hour, as if the product (backpack or dress) is wet under the rain. Then the thing is completely dried.

Shoe cream is also considered to be an effective way to smooth out wrinkles, as it makes the skin soft and supple.It is best to use a colorless transparent product. Clothes are hung on a hanger or mannequin and the cream is applied with a sponge. After complete absorption (up to 3 hours), the remaining excess cream is simply washed off with a napkin.

In the case when the usual steaming and ironing does not bring the desired result, you can use a chemical composition prepared at home. To do this, you need ordinary table vinegar 9% in the amount of 1 tbsp. l. and a washing conditioner - 1 tsp. The composition must be mixed well and poured into a spray bottle. Then spray the product on the front side of the product and hang up to dry. Do not worry about the pungent smell, it quickly disappears in the air.

In addition to the widely used above methods, there are several other tools that are used only under certain conditions. One of these is glycerin. It is used for frequent processing of leatherette.

To remove folds, it is applied with a colorless cotton cloth to the dented area several times (up to three). After complete absorption and leveling, the entire surface of the product is treated with it and dried separately from other things.

A hairdryer also shows good results, but only when straightening small bruises. To do this, place the device at least 30 cm from the product and turn on the warm air supply. The processing should not be too delayed.

We should also mention washing separately. This method is more suitable for skirts or vests. Clothes are washed in a special mode for leather. Then they immediately take it out, level it by hand as much as possible and hang it out for drying. If you leave the item in the washing machine even for a short time, the creases will become even larger.

For bags, a thin cotton cloth can be used to straighten. The product is tightly packed with newspapers and hermetically sealed. The fabric is moistened with warm water and wrapped around the bag in one layer. The entire structure must be hung by the handles until completely dry.

In conclusion, I would like to note that it is much easier to prevent the appearance of folds on the leatherette than to smooth them out later. Therefore, it is better to store such things on a hanger. In addition, do not store products in warm places, as they can wrinkle or crack from drying out. And leatherette clothes should be purchased in size to size, since stretched or excess material will wrinkle.

You will learn how to properly smooth leatherette in the following video.