Leather pants offer a stylish, comfortable and fun alternative to traditional jeans and trousers. Featuring the same high-quality leather materials that's used to make coats, jackets, belts and shoes, leather pants are a true fashion statement. They provide a unique, timeless appearance that looks great on men and women alike. Furthermore, leather pants are highly versatile, so you can wear them with just about any shirt or top. But if you're going to invest in a pair of leather pants, you should use caution to ensure that it doesn't stretch. Like all leather garments and products, leather pants are susceptible to stretching. When pulled beyond its capacity, leather will stretch without reverting back to its original shape. So, why is this a problem? Well, if you accidentally stretch your leather pants, they might be too big for you to comfortably wear. Stretching them by just 1 or 2 inches is often enough to prevent them from fitting. Unfortunately, there's no easy way to repair a pair of overstretched leather pants, which is why it's recommended that you prevent this from happening in the first place. Here are a few tips to prevent your leather pants from stretching.

Avoid Leather 'Leggings'

There's a difference between leather pants and leather leggings. If you're worried about them stretching, it's recommended that you choose the former. Leather leggings are designed to hug the body, contouring to the shape of the wearer's body. As a result, they have a tendency to stretch over time. Leather pants, on the other hand, offer a slightly looser and more relaxed fit. Of course, different leather pants fit differently on the body, but nearly all are more relaxed than leather leggings.

Choose Genuine Leather Pants

It's also recommended that you choose pants made of genuine leather. As previously mentioned here on our blog, faux or fake leather doesn't offer the same attractive qualities and characteristics as genuine leather. It's rougher and has an artificial look to it. And in many cases, faux leather pants will stretch without reverting back to their original shape. To prevent this from happening, spend the extra money by purchasing a pair of genuine leather pants rather than faux leather pants.

Get the Right Size

Perhaps the most important tip to protect your leather pants from stretching is to get the right size. Conventional wisdom should lead you to believe that wearing a small pair of leather pants will increase the chances of them stretching. If they are too small for your body, they'll naturally stretch when worn. Therefore, it's essential that you choose leather pants in the right size. Here at LeatherCult, we offer custom sizing on all leather jackets, leather pants and other products. You tell us your body measurements, and we'll use those measurements to create a custom pair of leather pants designed specifically for you. This takes the burden of jumping from one retail store to the next off your shoulders.

Break Them In

There's nothing wrong with wearing your leather pants on a regular basis. On the contrary, this will break in the leather material while protecting them from stretching in the process. Even if you're just lounging around the house for the evening, consider wearing your leather pants for this reason. The more you wear them, the softer and more flexible the leather material will become. And with your leather pants softer and more flexible, they'll be less likely to stretch and suffer other forms of damage.

Don't Watch and Dry

Avoid washing and drying your leather pants. Although it's a strong, durable material, washing machines and clothes dryers are simply too aggressive for leather. And while they may clean your leather pants, they can also stretch them. So, what's the best way to clean your leather pants without stretching them? You should refer to the care label, but normally you can spot clean leather pants using a small amount of liquid laundry detergent and a damp washcloth. Some dry cleaners also offer leather garment cleaning services, though you should inquire about this service beforehand. Regardless, though, avoid washing and drying your leather pants to protect them from stretching.

Condition Them

Just like leather jackets should be conditioned on a regular basis, so should leather pants. Conditioning involves the use of a leather condition product like saddle soap. You rub the conditioner into the leather, at which point the product saturates the leather's pores to protect against dryness. As a side benefit, conditioning will also protect your leather pants from stretching. When leather loses its moisture content and dries out, it's more susceptible to stretching. A leather conditioning product, however, nourishes the leather with moisture so that it's protected from this phenomenon. Try to get into the habit of apply a leather conditioning product to your leather pants once every few months for maximum protection.

Don't Force Hangers

When hanging up your leather pants on a clothes hanger, use caution to avoid accidentally stretching them. Forcing the pants on a clothes hanger, for instance, may stretch them. If your pants won't go on the hanger, don't hang them up. Alternatively, you can always fold your leather pants rather than hanging on a clothes hanger. Either way, though, you shouldn't force your leather pants or other leather garments on a clothes hanger.

Use Products Sparingly

Other than laundry detergent and a leather conditioning product, you really shouldn't be using any other products on your leather pants. Whether it's a stain-removing spray or color guard liquid, avoid using unnecessary products on your leather pants. While some of these products are completely harmless, others may damage the leather material. If you're going to use a new product on your leather pants, test it in a discreet area. Assuming it doesn't damage the area, you can use it on the rest of the leather material. Don't let your leather pants stretch beyond repair. Follow these tips to retain your pants' shape and protect them from stretching.