A high-quality leather jacket will offer you countless years of use when properly maintained, making it a smart investment for all budget-conscious consumers. But like all products made of genuine leather, leather jackets are susceptible to damage when they dry out. As a leather jacket loses its moisture content -- yes, there's moisture in leather -- it will become stiff. If the dryness persists, it may crack or experience other structural damage. There are ways to keep your leather jacket from drying out and protect against such damage, however. To ensure your jacket lasts a lifetime, follow the tips listed here.

Why Leather Dries Out

The first step to keeping your leather jacket from drying out is understanding why this phenomenon happens. You see, leather is a porous material, like wood, with an array of small holes throughout the surface. Although you can't seem them without a magnifying glass, these pores constantly absorb and release moisture. Normally, there's enough moisture within leather to prevent damage like cracking. When enough moisture escapes, however, it can lead to damage.

Store Your Leather Jacket in a Climate-Controlled Area

To keep your leather jacket from drying out, store it in a climate-controlled area. Leaving it in your car is never a good idea simply because there's no way to control the climate (not without your car running, at least). The fluctuations in temperature and, most importantly, humidity, can cause your jacket to dry out. Storing it inside your home, on the hand, gives you greater control over the climate. You can set your home's thermostat to a moderate, comfortable temperature, and you can use a humidity gauge to monitor the humidity. Ideally, you should strive to maintain a relative humidity of 40% to 50% in your home. At 50%, the air holds half the amount of moisture vapor relative to the total amount that it is capable of holding at the given temperature. Technical jargon aside, 40% to 50% relative humidity means the air isn't dry but also not too moist. It's a happy medium that will protect your leather jacket as well as other leather items from dryness.

Let it Breathe

Some people assume that it's best to store leather jackets in a sealed plastic bag. In fact, some people have even gone so far as to place their leather jacket in a garbage bag, believing this will protect it from drying out. This isn't necessarily wrong; storing your leather jacket in a sealed plastic bag will prevent it from drying out. However, it can also damage your jacket by restricting it from breathing. All leather products need to breathe, and jackets are no exception. When you store a leather jacket in a sealed plastic bag, moisture becomes trapped and unable to escape. As this moisture lingers inside the bag, it encourages mildew to form on the leather jacket. Thankfully, this is easily avoided by allowing your leather jacket to breath. You still store it in a plastic bag, but make sure the bag has holes so that the air can flow in and out. If it's completely sealed, air won't be able to flow freely.

Don't Clean With Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol is typically great at removing stains. Even when used on a leather jacket, it can pull out otherwise stubborn, hard-to-remove stains. But the problem with rubbing alcohol is that also dries out leather. When applied, it will eliminate the moisture content within your leather jacket, leaving it dry and stiff. Therefore, it's recommended that you avoid using rubbing alcohol on your leather jacket. If you have a minor stain on your jacket, use a damp washcloth to clean it. As long as it's damp with water and not alcohol, this won't dry out your leather jacket. On the contrary, it will also moisten your jacket.

Condition It

We've discussed leather conditioning previously here on the LeatherCult blog. In case you missed it, this involves applying a leather conditioning product to preserve and protect leather from drying out. Saddle soap and mink oil are commonly used conditioning products. By gently rubbing the product into your leather jacket, you'll supply it with moisture while creating a protective barrier over the surface in the process. With that said,  you don't want to overdo it. Each time you apply a conditioning product, your leather jacket gains moisture -- and too much moisture can damage the leather. A good rule of thumb is to condition your leather jacket no more than once every three to six months. Assuming you have a smartphone, you can set a reminder on the calendar app. You can still clean it more frequently, but you shouldn't condition it more than once every three to six months.

Keep Wearing It

Wearing your leather jacket on a regular basis, as opposed to leaving it in your closet, can also protect it from drying out. When you wear it, you'll bend the leather material, causing it to flex. This helps to break in while protecting protecting it from cracking and other forms of damage. In comparison, leaving your jacket stored in clothes increases the rate at which moisture is released, allowing it to dry out more quickly. So, don't let your leather jacket gather dust in the closet. Whether you are going out to eat, headed to the movies, going on a date or simply running errands, put on your leather jacket.

Follow Manufacturer's Recommendations

Perhaps the most important tip to protect your leather jacket from dryness and other related damage is to follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Different manufacturers make their jackets using different materials and processes. Therefore, the way in which you'll care for a leather jacket varies. To find out what the manufacturer of your leather jacket recommends, check the care label. You can usually find this tag inside the jacket collar. Normally, the care label reveals the specific steps to cleaning and maintaining the jacket.