Showing posts with label Clothing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Clothing. Show all posts

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Inspire Clothing Shine Short Sleeve T-Shirt Bubble Gum, 6-12 Months

Inspire Clothing Shine Short Sleeve T-Shirt Bubble Gum, 6-12 Months Inspire Clothing Shine Short Sleeve T-Shirt Bubble Gum, 6-12 Months



Brand: Inspire Clothing


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Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Mimi and Maggie Kid's Clothing Designers

The options are endless in the world of fashion for little girls. While style and price can be a factor, quality is also very important. One clothing designer that takes all of these things into account is Mimi & Maggie.

The company is based in California; however a quick search on the Internet and you can find retailers throughout the country selling their clothing. They are known for producing very vibrant and playful, yet chic clothing for little girls. While the clothing is very artistic and fun, it also is inspired by cultures of the world.

12 Month Boy Clothes

Who said your little girl couldn't be as rough as the boys and still look good? Although the word "boutique" usually makes one think of stuffy, that is not the case with these clothes. The clothing from Mimi & Maggie is up-to-date and stylish, even for the most hip young girl. The clothing line includes jeans, shirts, sweaters, dresses, and coats. From around the time your baby girl begins to walk she can also strut her stuff in style, with sizes that accommodate girls from 12 months to about 12 years old.

Mimi and Maggie Kid's Clothing Designers

The clothes designed by the company are done so while keeping two little girls, Mimi & Maggie, in mind. The clothes are often described as fun and colorful, yet casual enough for everyday wear. It is not uncommon to find detailed, handmade touches on any of the clothes from Mimi & Maggie. Individual pieces of clothing are commonly adorned with beading, embroidery, or lace.

All to often, the clothing that appeals to young girls doesn't appeal to their mothers. You won't have this problem with Mimi and Maggie designs. The clothing may be trendy, but it also takes into account that a little girl should look like a little girl. Mothers everywhere love Mimi and Maggie fashions as much as their daughters.

The company prides itself in searching the world to find facilities that appreciate and specialize in quality and handwork, rather than farm their designs out to mass production factories.

Mimi & Maggie also strive to incorporate different cultures and talents of the world into their clothing. They do so by searching out handicrafts and working them into their designs. It's also very common to see the inspiration of world cultures past and present in their designs.

A wonderful example of that can be found in last year's Spring collection. The company used an array of designs and colors inspired by ancient Mexican villages, while borrowing handicrafts from Bali.

While culture and tradition play an integral role in the design of Mimi & Maggie clothing, according to the company website, they pull their main inspiration from, "The little girl with the little girl with laughter in her eyes, fire in her spirit, love in her heart, and dance in her feet."

The company prides itself in delivering the best quality clothing for little girls that is stylish, colorful, and worldly, all while also making mothers' glad they shopped at Mimi & Maggie's.

Mimi and Maggie Kid's Clothing DesignersOuran HSHC - 3 - Beware the Physical Exam! Tube. Duration : 23.47 Mins.


Tomorrows the physical exams and at Ouran Academy, the hormones are raging. Of course, this almost certainly spells trouble for anyone who spends her days in disguise.

Keywords: Funimation, anime, animation, Ouran, High, School, Host, Club

Looking for clothing by Mimi & Maggie? Kate Marie Wilber is the owner of Barefoot Bella an authorized retailer of Mimi & Maggie kid's clothing, and your premium source for exclusive items for girls from infant up to size 14. Visit http://www.BarefootBella.net for the perfect items for the precious girl in your life.

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Friday, November 26, 2010

Tips to Find Inexpensive Brand Name Children's Clothing For Kids of All Ages

Buying clothes for infants and toddlers as well as older children isn't always easy. Children grow so fast and you have to make sure the clothing you purchase will be able to withstand all the spills and rough play of little ones. Luckily you can find inexpensive brand name children's clothing easily on the Web. There are many websites offering top brands at fair prices. Some offer the most trusted brands at wholesale or below wholesale pricing. Here are some tips to find the bargains you're looking for.

Toddler Jackets

As winter approaches you'll want a jacket for your toddler that's not only of good quality, but one that will keep your child warm and comfortable throughout the cold months. Brand name children's clothing shops offer top brand jackets for toddler sizes 2T and up. These are affordable for any budget when compared to the usual retail shop prices, but the quality is the same.

Imagine buying a precious Fubu denim jacket with red embroidery and white and black logos with a decorative patch for just $12! And for infants, you can buy Starter official team jackets for sizes 12M through 24M for only $15 each, or less for quantities greater than six. These are available in various colors with team logos, Velcro tabs (to hide away the zipper), and a fleece-lined hood. Another great brand for little toddler sports fans is Genuine Stuff. Online discount stores may offer these high quality jackets for as low as $26 each!

Brand Names for Older Children

Girl's clothing brand names can include anything from girl's jeans to skirts to cheerleading outfits. Brand name girl's capris pants such as Arizona and Personal Identity offer a great alternative to shorts and pants in summer. There are even camouflage capris pants for the outdoorsy type! Skirt sets by Just Kids and Magic Kids are popular as well. For girl's jeans, try to find bargains on brands such as Squeeze, Jeans Girls, Mecca and H&M. And don't forget to shop for girl's jackets, sleepwear and sweaters online. Buying brand name children's clothing online can provide the fashion your daughter desires at only a fraction of the usual costs.

For boys you can find fabulous deals on jeans by US Polo, Southpole, Levis, Maccoy Vintage, Avirex and many other quality brands. Online shops that provide boy's brand name clothing usually carry shorts, sportswear, outerwear and formal items such as suits and tuxedos for various boy sizes. You'll pay about the same for brand name boy's items as you would for cheaper store brands, but the difference is quality. Boys play roughly and tend to tear and soil clothes easily. Brand name items are usually easy to wash and will endure months of rough boy play. So you're basically paying the same by shopping online, but getting much longer use from many of the brand name garments.

Earn a Profit

You can even buy six or more brand name children's items, and enjoy even greater wholesale discounts. This allows you to sell items at a yard sale or to your friends and make a profit while getting your own brand name children's clothing at a fraction of the usual price. If you enjoy selling children's brand name items, start a small yard sale or flea market business selling children's clothing in your local area. Offer girls clothing, boys clothing and clothes for newborns and toddlers at fantastic prices that mothers can't resist. You'll be surprised at how "in demand" these items are!

Complement your child's outfit with brand name children's shoes - many stores offer these too. As you shop online for quality clothing at a discount, make sure the site offers several items you need so you can save on shipping costs and make your purchase at one store. This will save you time and money. You'll be able to shop without worry because you can build trust through that one store. This is a great way to save hundreds of dollars as your children grow and change styles and sizes in clothing!




Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web.
Learn more about Children's Clothing.

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Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Inspire Clothing Shoot For The Stars Long Sleeve T-Shirt Coconut, 6-12 Months

Inspire Clothing Shoot For The Stars Long Sleeve T-Shirt Coconut, 6-12 Months Inspire Clothing Shoot For The Stars Long Sleeve T-Shirt Coconut, 6-12 Months







Brand: Inspire Clothing





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Sunday, November 14, 2010

Inspire Clothing Organic Shine Short Sleeve T-Shirt Coconut, 12 Months

Inspire Clothing Organic Shine Short Sleeve T-Shirt Coconut, 12 Months Inspire Clothing Organic Shine Short Sleeve T-Shirt Coconut, 12 Months







Brand: Inspire Clothing





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Thursday, November 4, 2010

How to Measure For Size in Children's Clothing

Finding the right size for your child can save everyone time and money when ordering on line. The measurements given in a size chart are usually the measurements of the piece of clothing, not the child. The best way to get accurate measurements is to measure a piece of clothing that fits the child well. Use a measuring tape, not a ruler!. If you measure the child (and not a piece of clothing), you will need to add extra inches for the child to fit into the piece of clothing. For example, a child with a 25 inch chest will not be able to fit into a dress with a 25 inch chest.

Children are often in between sizes. In this case, it is always best to go with the larger size. It is much easier to have clothing altered if it is too big rather than too small. When ordering special occasion wear, it is very common to need to have a dress or suit altered. Casual or every day wear will work if it is a little large and you definitely want your child to be able to grow into their clothes.

MEASURING INSTRUCTIONS

Find a piece of clothing that fits your child well. Lay it flat and always use the seams.

CHEST: Measure armpit to armpit from the seams. Double the measurement.

SLEEVE LENGTH: Measure from the seam on top of the shoulder to the end of the sleeve.

SHOULDER WIDTH: Measure from seam to seam at the tops of the shoulders.

WAIST: Measure from end to end and double. The pants should be flat with the fly facing towards you with the button closed.

INSEAM: Measure from the seam at the crotch to the end of the pant leg.

DRESS LENGTH: Measure from the top of the shoulder to the bottom of the dress.

Once you have taken these measurements from the piece of clothing, check them against the manufacturer's size chart. If the measurements correspond to more than one size, you will most likely need to select the larger size. When in doubt, it is a good idea to contact the store you are ordering from for clarification.




Kristie Patel is an author for PuddlesCollection.com, a leading special occasion wear for girls party dresses and boys suits.

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Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Nike Basketball Baby 2-piece Clothing Set in Grey, Black (12 Mos.)

Nike Basketball Baby 2-piece Clothing Set in Grey, Black (12 Mos.) Nike Basketball Baby 2-piece Clothing Set in Grey, Black (12 Mos.)







Brand: Nike





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Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Baby Clothing Sizing - Does One Size Really Fit All?

My first experience buying Wholesale Baby Clothing online was pretty confusing, especially when buying clothing from other countries and trying to understand their sizing. When I stumbled upon this sizing issue I thought it was pretty important to share as it can be confusing if you're buying for your first child or giving baby clothing as a gift.

Fact Number 1... One size doesn't fit all. Ok, this is pretty obvious, but what you may not be aware of is there are different sizing methods dependant on what part of the world you live in, or in my case, what part of the world you're buying Baby Clothing from.

Children's sizing is separated by region/ country and is the standard measurement for that region. This is similar to shoe sizing, women's clothing or different methods of sign language dependant on what part of the world you live in (yes there are different types of sign languages around the world and yes, this is your useless fact for the day).

Baby Clothing Sizes never used to be an issue

This was rarely an issue prior to the Internet as most people were none the wiser and simply purchased based on their countries own standard, but with this transition comes a whole new level of depth to the existing confusion of buying baby clothing for your little loved one.

One of the easiest ways to overcome the confusion is through the use of a Baby and Toddler Sizing Charts that clearly layout the important information based on:

- Age

- Height

- Weight

- Country

- Sizing Method

I remember when my beautiful baby girl came in on the scene were given a number of different outfits including a range of one and 2 piece outfits that had all these different numbers on them.

At that stage we had no idea what the measuring system was and we had to take each one and place them against her to understand what would fit. This actually went on for a while and we had tears from me and my bub, till I stumbled upon a baby sizing chart.

Many tears and a little knowledge later

After the tears I came to understand using a sizing chart in advance is a great tip when considering buying wholesale baby clothing for your own darling daughter or to give as gifts.

So, how do the different sizing standards stack-up?

Here's my take on the different measurements based on country -

Euro Sizing - In my opinion Europe uses one of the best standards, with their standard measuring close to the actual length of your baby (from the top of the head to the heal). Presuming you know the actual height of your child this can be fairly easy to use as a guide, although challenging if your buying clothes as a gift.

Australian Sizing - This would be my second pick of the bunch and would have been my favorite if it wasn't for the sizing prior to 12 months (with sizing 0000, 000, 00 and 0 can be a bit confusing). From 12 months onwards the sizing of your child matches the age (if your daughter were 2, you would buy size 2 clothing and so on). This of course doesn't always match, but as a general guide is a lot easier if you're looking at buying clothing as a gift.

UK and USA sizing - These are fairly similar till your child reaches 24 months at which time they change over to a strange measurement slightly out of alignment with your child's age and with the introduction of additional letters. If you don't have kids and you're buying as a gift or this is your first time you may find your self a little confused.

When looking at any sizing charts always use a combination or height, weight and age to determine the best size and if in doubt buy the next size up, especially when your darling daughter is fairly young. If you buy a little larger they'll grow into their little outfit. In the first 6 months there's nothing worse than getting a gift only to discover it's too small or will only get one wearing, especially if they are going through a growth spurt.




The Wholesale Baby Clothing blog is an excellent resource where you can discover how to overcome common issues with buying baby clothing online.  Within this resource is an excellent, up to date Baby Sizing Chart that shares the different sizing measurements from around the world.

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Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Baby Care - Clothing and Accessories

A mother-to-be derives great enjoyment out of getting the layette ready. But, pleasant as it is, the monetary cost, the laundering time, and the effort of actually putting clothes on the baby must also be kept in mind.

Diapers are the only form of clothing that need to be bought in quantity. Babies grow quickly in the first months, and their needs constantly change. When shopping for the layette, keep the following in mind: (1) clothing should have growing space; (2) garments should be easy to launder; (3) all items should be safe and comfortable for the baby to wear or use; and (4) garments should be simple enough to take a minimum of time to dress and undress the infant.

Trendy clothes for tots may look cute on dolls, but are often impractical for real, live babies, who loathe being dressed and undressed and express their exasperation by crying loudly and angrily. A crying baby is rigid and uncooperative, as the parent fumbling with buttons and ribbons soon discovers. It is well worth searching for clothing that is secured with snap fasteners rather than that which must be pulled and tugged over the baby's head. Infant clothes should be loose and easy to slip on and off. In addition, older babies will try to chew on buttons, so snaps are much safer.

The newborn baby's tender skin is easily irritated by the starchy substance in new materials. It is wise to launder all clothing, diapers, wrapping blankets, or similar articles that will touch the baby's skin before they are used. Use mild soapsuds in warm water for washing clothes the first time and make sure that all the soap is thoroughly rinsed.

It is also wise to remove all labels from inside the garments. Labels can irritate a baby's sensitive skin.

The most important article in the baby's layette is the diaper. The choice is wide. A new parent should consider the following:

(1) If a diaper service is available, does it also provide the diapers? Is the price reasonable?

(2) Disposables are of course convenient for traveling, but are not as absorbent as cloth diapers. Is there enough storage for the large quantities needed?

(3) Is there time enough for a parent to launder and sterilize diapers?

Remember, the diaper service has to be arranged before the baby's birth.

When laundering diapers, do not use harsh detergents; many parents prefer to use mild soapsuds. Even more important, it is essential to rinse diapers thoroughly after laundering to prevent irritation of the baby's skin.




I am the owner and author of Hoodia Gordonii Side Effects. You can find the original article here: Baby Clothing and Accessories. If you'd like to read more of my articles, please visit my site!

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Sunday, August 1, 2010

Inspire Clothing Organic Share The Love Bodysuit Coconut, 12 Months

Inspire Clothing Organic Share The Love Bodysuit Coconut, 12 Months Inspire Clothing Organic Share The Love Bodysuit Coconut, 12 Months







Brand: Inspire Clothing





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Thursday, July 29, 2010

What Are Our Basic Human Needs? Redefining Food, Clothing and Shelter

Recently, in one of my EKP body psychotherapy groups, a very interesting thread of conversation emerged about food, clothing and shelter. As the conversation unfolded, I came to realize that in our culture today, how we have come to understand food, clothing and shelter is very different than when I was growing up. This difference was underscored poignantly as I recently spent some time with Native Americans in the Southwest.

When I think of the words, "food, clothing and shelter," I think of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. "Food, clothing and shelter" are at the bottom of the pyramid of needs for life, providing the foundation, our most essential needs. "Self-actualization" is at the very top--the icing on the cake when all other basic needs are satisfied.

When I was growing up, food was something you bought at the grocery store and then prepared and cooked at home. When I had a chance to go to a farm, as I learned how to milk a cow or tend to vegetable plants, I got to see where food "really came from."

As a child, I spent a lot of hours gardening and growing vegetables in my backyard. Clothing was something I learned how to sew from McCall's or Simplicity patterns in Home Economics class or something one could purchases at stores like Sears or Filene's Basement. The goal was to take care of whatever clothes I made or purchased, so they would last a long time. And plenty of kids provided or received "hand me downs."

Shelter was a simple, yet sufficient home. In the 1950's and 1960's, ranch and Cape Cod style houses were built, and served as the warm vessel for home and hearth.

I have found, over the years, that in some ways I have become a dinosaur, an anachronysm, as the practices associated with food, clothing ahd shelter have changed drastically, in our "crazybusy" commerical culture. I still prepare home-cooked meals every day and grow vegetables in my garden. I have come to see how rare this is. When my son was in pre-school, he had a friend over for dinner. I had made a home-cooked dinner, and my son's friend didn't recognize any of what was on the table. Steamed vegetables. Cut fruit. A carefully prepared entree.

The boy exclaimed, "What is this food? What we have at home is Chinese take-out, KFC or McDonald's." I explained what I had prepared, and the boy said, "My mom never makes home-cooked meals." I guess that was one of my first initiations.

Recently, I heard someone comment, "Dinner means I give someone a twenty dollar bill, and they give something back to me." With the burgeoning of prepared foods and restaurants of every possible cuisine imagineable, "food" for many of us is something someone else prepares, and we purchase to eat--either in or out of the home. The cost of prepared food can be much greater than the cost of a home-cooked meal. But time has become even more precious than money in many circumstances. And when both time and money are scarce, the quality of food one can have diminuishes.

And then, there is clothing... About eight years ago, a friend of mine who was going through a divorce asked if she could stay with me for a few months while she transitioned and figured out her next steps. I said, "Yes." So, in moved my friend, along with her extensive wardrobe.

At first, I was taken aback. One day when I went to her house to help her move, I saw that she had filled an entire room with clothes. I soon discovered, that was only the first course on her menu. She had filled two walk-in closets, a bathroom, and the bedroom she shared with her soon to be ex-husband. How could she fit all of those clothes in the spacious, but nonetheless, solo bedroom she would be staying in at my house?

My friend decided to put half her clothes in storage, delegate her second tier choices to my basement, bought a special armoire to supplement the brimmingly full closet, and considered herself "roughing it." As someone with an eye for fashion, my friend thought she had just what she needed to be "current."

Then, came the woman who had a great corporate job and a six figure income, but never enough money. A major woe for her was that she spent a fortune on clothing, because once she had worn an outfit a couple of times, it was time to throw it out and buy a new one. I was, once again, surprised, feeling at the very least naive, and perhaps even Polyannaish. I asked her why she didn't wash her clothes or take them to the dry cleaners. She replied that would be too much work. In her busy life, it was just easier to buy new clothes. And besides, they'd always look fresh.

I recently learned from a man working in the corporate world, that even though his best intention is to dry clean some of his expensive professional suits, some sort of coating is put on the fabric that breaks down at the dry cleaners. So, in essence, he has little choice but to wear the suit til it is dirty, and then throw it out and buy a new one.

In each of these cases, the definition of "clothing" is so different than what I ever imagined it might be, and what is "necessary" to have "enough" feels wasteful at many levels--be it through people's definition of what "being okay" or "professional" or "current" means...or even through the planned obsolescence that comes with clothes that aren't made to last--but rather to break down.

And finally, there is shelter. Chances are you know what's going to come next. In my town, even in my neighborhood, so many of those cozy, homey ranches and capes have been torn down in favor of today's MacMansion.

On my own street, just a handfull of years after I moved into my house, a lot of land was sold to a real estate baron. Suddenly a gigantic two-family unit was constructed, that didn't fit in with the character of this Victorian-lined "historic district" location. Several years later, the same folks who sold the parcel of land, most likely in a time of financial difficulty, sold a tiny strip of land in back of their house, moved their carriage house onto the adjacent street to become a garage and allowed a tall, thin luxury two- condominium structure to reach into the sky. A copper beach tree that was hundreds of years old was lost in the process. But a lot of money was to be made and spent by real estate developers and consumers of luxury condos. I was very sad.

That took place a number of years ago, and seems tame compared to the 10,000 square foot home the parents of someone in my son's school now live in, having torn down a perfectly good 1950's home and built their MacMansion. Do these huge homes really provide shelter? And if so, from what? Surely not the same elements the Native American folks I spent time with were referring to.

As someone who still sees the merit in the definition of "basic needs" I came to understand as a child, I find it scary and overwhelming to see our "supersized," "crazybusy," "commodity-based" new definitions of these essentials. I think the essence of our basic needs gets lost in the "packaging" of what we feel pulled to "consume." Perhaps another kind of empty calories, translated beyond the realm of food and nutrition?

Can we find more meaningful ways to "feed," "clothe" and "shelter" ourselves, and even enrich these concepts to include true nourishment, protection and expression, and home/hearth? Perhaps that is what Maslow might have envisioned when he created his model. I suspect, he didn't have the "supersized" versions of today's culture in mind!




Linda Marks, MSM has practiced Emotional-Kinesthetic Psychotherapy (EKP) for over 20 years, working with individuals, couples and groups. She has led "The Money Class" for 25 years, helping people examine "how much is enough?" She holds degrees from Yale and MIT, and is the author of Living With Vision: Reclaiming the Power of the Heart, Knowledge Systems, 1988 and Healing the War Between the Genders: The Power of the Soul-Centered Relationship, HeartPowerPress, 2004. You can reach her at http://www.healingheartpower.com

Her blog is http://www.heartspacecafe.com/blog

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Monday, June 28, 2010

Inspire Clothing Organic Believe In Love Bodysuit Mint, 12 Months

Inspire Clothing Organic Believe In Love Bodysuit Mint, 12 Months Inspire Clothing Organic Believe In Love Bodysuit Mint, 12 Months
- The product is well made and the fabric is so soft -great for little ones. Also love the choice of imprints. Great to have positive choices.







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Friday, May 7, 2010

Inspire Clothing Shine Bodysuit Raspberry, 6-12 Months

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Inspire Clothing Shine Bodysuit Raspberry, 6-12 Months Feature


  • Why be average when you can be inspired
  • Envelope neck and 3-snap leg closure for easy dressing
  • Garment washed for superior softness and minimal shrinkage
  • 100% thick cotton for an extremely soft and comfortable fit
  • 0-3 Months (up to 6 pounds); 3-6 Months (7-16 pounds); 6-12 Months (16-22 pounds); 12-18 Months (22-27 pounds); 19-24 Months (27-30 pounds)





Brand: Inspire Clothing






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Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Inspire Clothing Shine Long Sleeve T-Shirt Coconut, 6-12 Months

Buy Cheap Inspire Clothing Shine Long Sleeve T-Shirt Coconut, 6-12 Months at Amazon.com Order New!



you can get them cheapest on Amazon through this link.



Inspire Clothing Shine Long Sleeve T-Shirt Coconut, 6-12 Months Feature


  • Why be average when you can be inspired
  • Envelope neck for easy dressing
  • Garment washed for superior softness and minimal shrinkage
  • 100% thick cotton for an extremely soft and comfortable fit
  • 0-3 Months (up to 6 pounds); 3-6 Months (7-16 pounds); 6-12 Months (16-22 pounds); 12-18 Months (22-27 pounds); 19-24 Months (27-30 pounds)





Brand: Inspire Clothing






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Saturday, March 27, 2010

Leather Apparel - A Guide to Maintaining and Caring For Your Leather Clothing

Leather is a very controversial material, some admonish the material, and some demand its removal from the marketplace completely and some simply love the material. Whatever your personal views are about leather, it has been a clothing material for thousands of years and most likely will continue to be an available material for many years to come.

If you're in the group that enjoys this material then I have several tips and tricks in keeping your leather items cared for. These suggestions will extend the viable life of your leather apparel and allow you to enjoy the items for many years to come.

Caring for leather items is as simple as this.

1. Clean the Leather
2. Condition the leather
3. Polish the leather
4. Protect the leather

And the most important aspect of protecting and extending the life of your leather garments is proper storage.

Cleaning

1. DUST is the number one enemy against leather longevity. Remove it regularly; every time you put on or take off a leather item you should dust it with a clean soft cloth. Dust accumulation will begin to act like sandpaper, especially in the places where two surfaces of the leather come in contact. This will begin to dry out the leather, and then form micro-cracks which will in turn develop into real cracks, exposing the internal grain to natural processes that will accelerate the deterioration of the leather.

2. You must remove any loose dirt or soil with either a soft micro-fiber towel or you can use a brush designed specifically for leather.

3. Choose a soap that is made to preserve the natural oils in the leather, certain leather soaps are designed to remove the natural oils, saddle soap is one that is readily available and probably the best known leather soap and should be avoided when cleaning leather apparel. Always check for color distortion on a inconspicuous place before using a new cleaning product. Apply the soap to a lint free cloth and gently rub your leather item in small overlapping circles, never apply the soap directly to the leather. Also, any soap that leaves a greasy or oily residue need to be avoided as the residues can promote bacterial growth and degrade your leather. Use a brush designed for leather to brush into the welts and stitching. And finally using a nubuck cleaning cloth is always a good idea.

Conditioning

1. You should condition your leather items occasionally. Once every other month is a good schedule on items you use regularly. Conditioning leather restores the natural fats and oils that protect and promotes the natural suppleness of the leather. You should avoid any conditioners that are petroleum, wax or silicone based. As these kinds of conditions definitely give a nice finish to the leather immediately, they will promote long term damage as they dry out the leather or clog the natural pores and stiffen and cause the leather to become brittle.

2. As with any cleaning product, test every conditioning product on an inconspicuous spot for color distortion before applying to your leather.

3. As with the cleaning products, apply your conditioner to a lint free soft dampened cloth and gently rub the conditioner into the nap of the leather. Never apply leather conditioner directly to your leather item.

4. Several light applications, with 30 minutes in between applications, are better than one large application.

Polishing

1. Polishing is not necessary to extend the life of your leather item; however it is usually a desirable process in getting ready for a special occasion.

2. Again check for color distortion before apply polish to the entire surface of your item.

3. Be careful when choosing a polish and keep in mind some colored agents can rub off and smudge onto other surfaces they come in contact with.

4. Also be mindful that waxes and polishes can clog the pores of the leather and promote it to dry out, and dry leather will lead to cracked leather.

Protecting

1. Most commercial leather protectors are some sort of moisture barrier. Even though there are many leather items you want to have waterproof, such as hiking boots and winter boots, most fashion items would be better suited not to have commercial leather protectors applied to them.

2. Heavy protectors can clog the natural pores of the leather which can promote the drying out of the leather. Also, built up layers of leather protectants can make properly cleaning and conditioning the leather extremely difficult.

3. Be careful choosing a leather protectant, there are good products available, just remember to avoid waxes and silicones.

The most important aspect of caring for your leather apparel is proper storage. If you are storing your leather garment for long periods of time, it is essential to store the items properly.

1. Thoroughly clean and condition your leather item.

2. Never store leather inside a plastic bag. This promotes stagnation, moisture build-up, bacteria and mildew growth.

3. Store in a cool dry area and use an appropriate breathable garment bag.

4. Kepp your stored leather items out of the direct sunlight and away from any strong heat sources.

5. Use a durable padded hanger if needed, using a wooden hanger is preferred.

6. Stuff any large areas of the garment like legs and sleeves with acid free paper to retain shape during storage.

As with any product you buy that you have an expectation of some type of longevity, routine care and maintenance will not only help with the longevity of the item it will extend it. Armed with the knowledge and proper techniques to care for your leather apparel, you should not only enjoy your leather, but enjoy it into the foreseeable future.




Doug Scheck is an online retailer and IT Consultant with over 5 years retail experience and 15 years Information technologies experience. His company, Fade to Black, LLC owns and operates several online retail stores specializing in Gothic Clothing, Leather Lingerie and Biker Hide - Motorcycle Apparel. All of which have a similar color based in Black, hence the company name Fade to Black, LLC.

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