Louisiana Fur and Alligator Advisory Council                          

Alligator has always had a well-deserved reputation as a durable leather, but a little extra care can insure the product lasts a lifetime. To better retain the natural beauty, flexibility and pleasing leather scent of an alligator product, the extremes of excessive dryness or too much moisture must be avoided.

Excessive dryness can cause leather to crack and too much moisture can cause it to swell, mildew and eventually stiffen as it dries out. Water spotting can be a particular problem with the high gloss bombe finish and many manufacturers supply a protective bag to protect a purse or similar product from rain.

If an alligator product does get wet, wipe it dry with a soft cloth. Always allow wet or damp leather to air-dry naturally away from any source of heat. If in doubt, consult an exotic leather expert, and alligator will wear a lifetime.

Purists believe that you should never use a product to clean and protect alligator leather, because even the best products will darken the leather a little. If you or your customers choose to use a product, look for one with a low level of lanolin and use only a dot (pinky finger-nail size dot) and rub it in evenly with the softest cloth you can find. (Don't use a papertowel! The grains can scratch the leather.) Leave it on for one minute and rub off. There are several leather care products like Apple and Woly on the market for exotics that clean, polish, protect and preserve leather.