Protect Leather Against Dry Winter And Humid Summer

Posted by Animal Care Team on February 07, 2017

Just like our skin, leather dries out quickly in ultra-dry winter air. It breaks down and cracks in critical areas like stirrup leathers, cinch straps and connecting pieces. Then, in humid spring and summer air, mold attacks leather, literally eating away at it. Both of these factors can weaken leather creating unsafe conditions for riders, who expect their leather tack to not break while attempting athletic moves with their horses. Leather Therapy Restorer & Conditioner has been proven in tests to strengthen and protect leather against dry winter and humid summer conditions!

Independent tests conducted by the Leather Industries Research Laboratory / University of Cincinnati for a major leather tannery showed that dry skirting leather soaked in Leather Therapy Restorer & Conditioner proved 36% stronger than the same leather as it came from the tannery. The tests were conducted as an extension of the tannery’s quality control measures.

Leather samples were also inoculated with spores and incubated to test their resistance to mold and mildew. This test clearly suggested that Leather Therapy Restorer & Conditioner inhibited mold growth – even beyond the treatment already present in the leather from the tannery. “Since Leather Therapy creates resistance to microbiological growth, it’s a great added advantage,” says Research Associate Randy Rowles. While the L.LA. does not endorse individual products, “these are products that I would personally recommend without hesitation.” There is a common industry expectation, says Rowles, that leather care products, particularly cleaners, oftentimes deteriorate leather. “A lot has to do with the pH,” Rowles explains. “Leather is acidic. Conditioners and cleaners, especially soapy materials, are often too alkaline. They alter the leather’s chemistry and deterioration starts.”

Protect Leather Against Dry Winter And Humid Summer
Samples of vegetable-tanned skirting leather supplied by the tannery were treated with Leather Therapy Conditioner and Leather Therapy Wash, then broken on an Instron to test tensile strength. According to the lab’s final report showing that the Leather Therapy products actually helped strengthen the treated leather, the Leather Therapy sample broke at 4900 pounds per square inch compared to 3600 pounds per square inch on skirting leather from the same hide. Keeping leather strong is an important safety issue for equestrians, one of Leather Therapy’s primary markets. Leather Therapy is capable of keeping your tack strong and supple – it is not a simple cosmetic product. When leather starts to dry out or face the effects of mold, Leather Therapy offers a real value support system for owners of cherished leather tack.

Tags: Leather Care Research

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