Leading luxury upholstery specialist Bradington-Young has developed an exclusive new program to help tackle one of the most vexing challenges retailers and consumers face – aftercare for luxury leather products – with a new care guide that will appear on its deck labels and hang tags. The company will also offer a starter leather care kit to consumers who register their purchase on the company’s website.
“Through our research, we’ve discovered that many consumers have a misconception that because leather is a luxury product, that means it is bulletproof. That’s simply not the case,” said Cheryl Sigmon, Director of Merchandising at Bradington-Young.
“Because leather is a natural material, it is susceptible to many elements that consumers use on an everyday basis,” she continued. “Consider hair products and hand sanitizers. The chemicals that are present in these everyday items can break down the protective surface of leather over time, which can lead to discoloration or fading. In addition, many commonly used medications can also negatively impact the surface of a favorite leather chair or sofa. Even microscopic dust particles that aren’t removed on a routine basis can damage leather over time.
“These are just a few examples of innocent mistakes that may damage leather products,” she continued. “To help minimize such results, we are taking a proactive approach on educating consumers about proper leather care and maintenance.”
Making its debut Feb. 15, the program will be promoted through new deck labels and hang tags, both of which include QR codes, and a website address where consumers can register their products after their purchase. The cleaning kit, which includes a bottle of leather cleaner and protection cream, will be shipped to the consumer’s home after registration is completed.
The leather care tips that appear on the new deck labels and hang tags include several guidelines for preserving the quality of leather furniture such as avoiding exposure to sunlight, heat, moisture, dust, body oils and other materials. It also recommends cleaning the leather quarterly, an often overlooked maintenance routine.
“Luxury leather products require a regular cleaning and maintenance routine, much like one you would follow for cleaning and protecting your precious jewelry or favorite leather shoes,” said Craig Young, President of Bradington-Young.
“We realize that consumers are making an investment when they choose a Bradington-Young product and our goal is to start them down the right path from the beginning to help them protect their investment,” he continued. “Retail sales associates can also benefit from the program by using the materials as sales and educational tools on the retail floor.”
Additional consumer education initiatives, which will be announced later this year, include an innovative program designed to help consumers more easily understand the various types of leather used on furniture to make more informed purchase decisions.
