I don’t know about you, but I enjoy wearing my faux leather jacket everywhere. It is very politically correct to wear faux leather because no animals are hurt in the making, but it also looks chic. However, I recently noticed that my favorite jacket had started to peel around the collar. I went online to try to find help, but couldn’t find much, so I thought I’d create a tutorial to help others like me. If your faux leather jacket has started peeing anywhere, it might be helpful to read through this and try some of the ways to fix the issue. How to repair peeling faux leather jacket? Keep reading to find out.

Faux leather is made from a base fabric and polyurethane coating, so it is going to peel and flake over time. It is hard to repair, but I chose to be adventurous and give it a try because I really love this faux leather jacket. Experts usually agree that it’s best to throw it away and buy a new one. However, I think that if it is something you enjoy wearing, it can’t hurt to try and fix it first. When dealing with a peeling faux leather jacket, it's essential to understand the unique characteristics of faux leather and how it differs from real leather. Unlike genuine leather, which can be restored and conditioned over time, faux leather products—including jackets, faux leather furniture, and accessories—are made from synthetic materials like bonded leather or fake leather, which can start to peel and crack with wear. This peeling is a common issue, but the good news is that you can fix faux leather peeling effectively with the right approach. Using a soft cloth and some specialized products, you can address the damage, fix faux leather peel, and even prevent future peeling. The process isn't just about repair; it's about extending the life of your vegan leather jacket and keeping it looking stylish while avoiding further peeling. Whether you're repairing a jacket or caring for other faux leather items, knowing how to treat these synthetic materials is key to maintaining their appearance and durability.

The first step is to sand away some of the faux leather that is flaking with 180-grit sandpaper, making sure to remove all the flaked and peeling leather. Make sure to sand using tight circles and apply enough pressure to the fabric.

The next step is to find a marker that perfectly matches the coat’s faux leather color. Luckily, mine was black, so it wasn’t very hard. However, you can find permanent marker colors in many shades. Make sure to trace over the faded and discolored areas left behind by the peeled faux leather to improve appearance.

While it seems strange, you should also rub some shoe polish onto the faux leather jacket. You can dip a clean rag into the tin and smear it all over the sanded and colored jacket. You should work in a long and even stroke and apply the product evenly, ensuring the color is uniform. You can choose to use both the shoe polish and the marker or just one option.

Leather Paint is another way to fix a faux leather jacket. As with the first option, you should remove all the loose bits of faux leather peeling so that you can clean the surface. Just use your fingers to remove the faux leather bits, but try not to pull off more than necessary.

Using an appropriate color of leather paint, dip a paintbrush into the can and paint evenly across the section you have just peeled. You should use horizontal, long strokes to make sure the area is covered completely.

Make sure you let the paint dry for 30 minutes. After the first coat and first drying, you can apply more to prevent it from looking recessed or to touch it up if needed. If you’re unsure if it is dry (many times, leather paint looks shiny and wet all the time), you can tap it with a finger to see if it feels sticky or not.

After appropriate coats of regular leather paint, you can finish off using a high-gloss finish leather paint. The painting process is the same for the matte paint. This finishing paint has no color and seals the painted area so that it doesn’t start peeling again. If you desire, you can use the finishing paint on the entire jacket to prevent any other bits from flaking off.

It’s important to note that you may need up to four layers of your high-gloss leather paint. Do not be scared if the color seems white or opaque; it does fade away as it dries.

This process is a little more involved, and I haven’t personally tried it. However, it has had good results on faux leather furniture like a faux leather couch. Therefore, use caution when trying this method.

Remove the faux leather peeling using a razor blade and your fingers. Just make sure you don’t remove more than what’s needed.

Next, apply the soft filler to the area you just cleaned using a putty knife. You should scoop about 1-inch worth of soft filler and use the putty knife to smear it across the peeled faux leather section. Smooth it out so that the thickness is even and try not to get the filler on any unpeeled sections.

Over time, the soft filler bonds with the faux leather and creates a vinyl-style surface. You can find it at many craft stores or at leather stores.

If you did add the soft filler to the seam of the furniture peeled space, you can use stiff paper, such as a business card or index card, to rub it away. You can also use the card’s edge to smooth the filler layer.

The filler layer must cure for 20 minutes, so make sure that you don’t touch it or move the jacket while it’s curing. If it’s a nice day, you may want to put the jacket outside and let it sit in indirect sunlight to speed up the process.

Once it is cured, you should apply another soft filler layer, still using the putty knife and ensuring that the filler doesn’t get onto the healthy parts of the faux leather jacket.

While not necessary, you can add texture by using plastic wrap. Loosely wrap your hand in plastic wrap and press the palm to the soft filler lightly. You should try to match the pattern of the jacket if possible, or you can skip this step if the jacket is smooth.

The last step is to use leather paint and a damp sponge. Dampen the sponge, and squeeze a two-inch diameter of leather paint onto the sponge. Smear the paint over the full section that you repaired and work in smooth, long strokes. It should be a thin layer and make sure that you overlap the paint onto the undamaged faux leather a little to blend everything in well.

You can easily purchase an inexpensive clear nail polish and apply that over the peeled area. You should still remove any bits of faux leather and apply the nail polish. If you don’t use a marker or any other product, you may find that it looks much different in the peeled area. However, that can also give it character, and this is an inexpensive fix.

If you desire, you can buy some pleather or similar faux leather and attach it to the peeled area using a sewing machine or hand-sewing it. This method works well for people who enjoy sewing and have the appropriate tools.

I get asked this question a lot, and the answer isn’t one-sized. The ultimate decision is yours, but if it’s a favorite piece or it has sentimental value, I think it’s a good idea to try to fix the faux leather jacket. You aren’t likely to wear something that is noticeably damaged, which means you are more likely to throw it away or donate it. Some people might keep their jackets for sentimental value, but it just takes up space in your closet if you can’t wear it and enjoy it.

You may also want to consider the costs. For example, a new faux leather jacket is likely to set you back a couple hundred dollars while any and all of these products used to fix the current one can be purchased for much less. Spending less and having a familiar garment to wear and enjoy a few more years makes much more sense to me and I hope it does to you, as well.

Yes, it can be as easy as using clear nail polish. I didn’t list that option first because it doesn’t necessarily fix the problem. It keeps the faux leather from continuing to flake or peel, but it doesn’t color in the faded/peeled part, and it isn’t likely to look right unless the peeling is in an inconspicuous spot. For example, if the peeled area is on your pocket on one side, the other side isn’t going to match, and there won’t be symmetry. While you can choose to purposefully damage the other side, it makes more sense to try and color it in with a marker or use the soft filler option. That way, the finished result is much nicer, and you’re more likely to be happy with the results.

As with any DIY project, you may find that you damage the coat completely with a failed attempt at fixing it. However, when I chose to take on the project myself, I realized that if I couldn’t fix the faux leather jacket, I wouldn’t wear it ever again. The thought of never getting to wear my favorite jacket again got me motivated to try to fix it. If you don’t care one way or the other, you may not want to waste the time.

That is an excellent question, which is why I’m including it in the question section. Yes, you can and should use nail polish along with other fixes. For example, you can color in the faded spot using a permanent marker and then seal the jacket and your work using nail polish. Alternatively, you can purchase a nail polish in the same color of your jacket and skip the marker aspect. However, this can be challenging if you have a faux leather jacket that is a strange color. Therefore, it might be easier to find a permanent marker in the same color as your jacket.

• Work in a brightly lit area so that it is easy to see what you are doing.
• Make sure you have all the tools necessary before starting. Some steps require quickness and accuracy, so you want to ensure you have everything ready to go.
• Work quickly but slowly enough to do a good job. Remember, if you mess up the fix, you might have damaged the jacket beyond repair.
• Be careful if using razors, putty knives, and other tools. Clean the surface carefully. You can cause damage to yourself and can also damage your property. For example, if the paint spills on the carpet, you aren’t likely to get it removed.

Pros

• Inexpensive
• Quick
• Not very messy

Cons

• May not work for long without a sealant (nail polish works well)

• Might be hard to find the same color product as jacket

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Pros

• Professional-looking results
• Lasts longer and seals itself with the finishing paint

Cons

• Takes a long time
• Paint can be hard to find
• Can get highly messy

Pros

• Professional finish

Cons

• Can be dangerous to use a razor blade
• Unknown if it works on jackets
• Requires precision/accuracy

• Requires a sealant

While repairing peeling faux leather can be a time consuming process, it's well worth the effort to restore your jacket's appearance and prevent further damage. Whether it's a jacket or leather furniture, knowing how to handle peeling sections will save you from the need to replace the item entirely. Start by cleaning the peeling area with mild soap and water to remove any dirt or oils that could interfere with the repair. After cleaning, you can use a specialized vinyl or fake leather repair kit, which you can often find in department stores, to coat and seal the damaged material. Once the peeling sections are smoothed out and repaired, apply high gloss finish to the surface to match the original shine and to protect it from future wear. It's important to note that fake leather may not have the same durability as real leather, but with the right care, you can extend the life of your favorite jacket. If you encounter the same problem in the future, these steps will guide you through the repair process and help maintain the quality of your faux leather items.

Did you like this tutorial? If so, you may want to consider signing up for our newsletter or sharing this post on social media with your friends. That way, everyone can learn how to fix a peeling faux leather jacket. I know that it can seem easier to just throw things away and buy something new, but it can be just as exhilarating and cheaper to try to fix the problem yourself first. Many people feel that the time it takes to fix something they enjoy makes the time spent worthwhile.

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