How to dye leather

It may sound like a very complicated project, but dying leather actually isn’t that hard once you understand how to work with leather.
It’s important to understand the type of leather you are working with and the effect that you are hoping before.
Read on to find out some very helpful leather dying tips:

1: Find out what kind of leather you are working with. This doesn’t refer to the animal in came from but rather the treatments that the leather went through in the past. Ie has it been dyed? With or without a protective layer? Is it pigmented?

2: Choose your type of dye carefully and get advice from the shop where you buy it. Alcohol based dyes produce a stiffer leather finish whereas water based dyes are softer.

3. Choose a color dye but be aware that once it dries it is never the exact same color as the box. If you have a small sample ( a swatch) available, try it out first.

4. Take off the old dye before you apply any new dye. You can buy a leather deglazing product which takes off old dye.

5. Make sure your leather is wet before you start to dye it. Don’t soak it, just use a cloth to make it damp.

6. Now you can apply your leather dye follow the instructions on the packet.

7. Make sure you let the dye dry for several others. It may need manipulating a few times so that it doesn’t become stiff.