Leather Renew products are technologically superior to most other products of their kind available today. These "advanced" products enable even non-professional individuals to preform minor repairs and full re-finishing of leather or vinyl furniture, auto upholstery, or any other item, to a "factory fresh" appearance. Here are a few " tricks of the trade" which are used by pros to successfully complete projects, and you can use them to make your own project turn out beautifully.

1. Read our detailed project instructions contained in your kit, and on our container labels, thoroughly before you start your project. Develop a mental picture of the steps you will complete as you work through your job.
2. Don't allow yourself to get in a "hurry" to do the project. Allow yourself time to complete the job deliberately, and without "pressing" yourself to finish too quickly. When our customers encounter a problem on a project, that problem is almost always caused by a "rush" to finish too quickly. Please remember that this kind of work is totally new to most people, and we must give ourselves time to "think" our way through the project.
3. Make sure that your leather or vinyl is COMPLETELY clean and free of any body oils, conditioners, cleaners, or any other substance which could affect the adhesion of the new finish to the old finish.
4. When applying Leather Renew re-colorants to your leather be sure to do so in a series of very light coats. Each coat must be fully dry before the next coat is applied. Drying time can be minimized by using warm air from a hair dryer but don´t get the leather too hot!
5. When spraying our re-colorant with a spray tool, don´t worry about small areas that are difficult to reach. Those areas can be touched up by hand later using one of the small foam brushes contained in all of our kits.
6. Allow your completed project to "cure" for a few hours before subjecting the leather to extensive use. Usually two or three hours is enough time.

7. Use Leather Renew's Leather Lotion, or our Leather Protection Cream on your leather and vinyl to keep it hydrated and soft while protecting it from stains, spills, etc.

Color selections can be described as three main types:

Colors for automobile interior projects. Color choices for automobiles are very exact, and they are made by using the different manufacturer's interior color names as listed on our Automotive Color Charts. If you are not sure as to what the name of your interior color is, there are a couple of ways that you can find out. First, the vehicle's original window sticker will list the interior color name. Please do not worry about the manufacturer's internal interior color code as all our dye products are referenced by color name only. Secondly, should you not have access to the original window sticker, it is possible to contact a factory authorized dealer for your brand of vehicle. Ask for someone in either the parts or body shop department. Give them your vehicle's serial number and explain that you are doing some interior work on your vehicle and you need to know what the interior color is named. Sometimes these dealers will attempt to give you the code but not the name. These people mean well, but they don't understand that the name of the color, not the code, is what you need. Once you have the name you can simply go to the Leather Renew Automotive Color Charts below for your brand of vehicle and find your color. If you don't find the color name of your interior, please e-mail us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.and we will work with you to obtain the dye color you need.

Color choices for all other projects. These color choices should be made from our Leather Renew Standard Color Chart or Leather Renew Furniture Color Chart. Color selections for items such as furniture are not an exact science like those found in an automotive color chart for automobile interiors. Because hundreds of furniture manufacturers use literally thousands of different dye colors, it is impossible to have exact match dyes for every application. Sometimes an exact match can be found on our chart, however, in some cases a "close as possible" color is the best you can find. Suprisingly, a close color can in most cases achieve an acceptable color match up for making repairs to furniture. Also, the entire piece of furniture can be recolored using our products at low cost, and the furniture piece will look "brand new" again. The new finish you apply to your furniture will last just as long, and usually longer, than the original finish color. If you have concerns about the color on the website looking different than in person, please e-mail us and we will be happy to send a sample of the color on a piece of leather for your inspection.

Aniline Leather Projects. Aniline Leather dyes are a very different chemical make up as compared to our "top coated" leather re-finishing products. If your leather forms a dark spot when a drop of water is placed on it's surface, you must use Aniline leather dye from our Aniline color chart to maintain the natural Aniline leather look and feel. Top coated re-colorant can be applied to Aniline, however, it will not have the natural look and feel of Aniline leather afterward. When "top coat" leather dye is applied to Aniline the leather is converted to a top coat type finish, or what is sometimes called a "painted" leather finish like that found in automobiles. Once top coat type re-colorant dye is applied to Aniline leather it cannot be changed back to the original Aniline type finish.

Automotive Color Charts

All Automotive finishes are satin. If you do not see the specific color for your vehicle in the automotive color chart, we recommend that you call your local dealer to verify the color for your model.  The parts department can tell you your color name if you give them your VIN # (vehicle identification number). Below is a list of the auto manufacturers, click the one for your automobile to view that automotive color chart. Please locate the correct manufacture and review that automotive color chart for the color code and name for your automotive. ***These samples are an approximation of the actual color. Colors may vary due to monitor resolution and personal settings.

Acura - Audi - BMW - Buick - Cadillac - Chevy - Chrysler - Dodge - Ford - GM - Honda

Hummer - Hyundai - Infiniti - Isuzu - Jaguar - Jeep - Kia - LandRover - Lexus - Lincoln

Maserati - Mazda - Mercury - Mercedes - Mitsubishi - Nissan - Pontiac - Porsche

Rolls Royce/Ferrari - Saab - Saturn - Subaru - Toyota - Volvo - Volkswagon

Here are a few more ways to find the color of your automobile interior:

DecodeThis.com
You can go to the website, enter your VIN # (vehicle identification) and click on the "search" button. This will give you the color options for your specific model.

Edmunds.com
Search for your year and model then look for the "View All Features & Specs" link.  You can then find the interior colors used on you particular year and model.

King Ranch Color Chart

Choose from 3 different colors. King Ranch Color Chart. ***These samples are an approximation of the actual color. Colors may vary due to monitor resolution and personal settings.

Furniture Color Chart

Choose from 63 different colors. Click here to view Furniture Color Chart. ***These samples are an approximation of the actual color. Colors may vary due to monitor resolution and personal settings.

Standard Color Chart

Choose from 47 different colors. Our colorants are naturally Semi-gloss, offering a somewhat shiny appearance. A flattening agent is added to orders specifying Matte/flat which is dull in appearance. Click here to view Standard Color Chart. ***These samples are an approximation of the actual color. Colors may vary due to monitor resolution and personal settings.

The leather used to cover furniture, auto interiors, and personal items such as clothing, shoes, handbags, belts, etc., is usually always one of three basic categories:

Aniline Leather

Aniline Leather is top quality natural leather which shows the surface grain markings of the hide from which it is made. Aniline leather does not have protective treatment applied to it's surface. These types of leathers are often referred to as "natural" or "pure" leather products, and they are given different colors with the use of transparent penetrating dyes. Their use in automobiles is somewhat limited to very high end vehicles, and, as rather expensive options in vehicles such as the Ford "King Ranch" series trucks. Aniline types of leathers is typically prone to sun fading. Water will darken the leather's color but it will dry to it's original color in most cases. In some instances a dark ring around the wet area will remain after drying.

Top coated Leather

Top Coated Leather is the most commonly used leather in furniture and automobile interiors, (90% of those items are top coated leather). These types of leathers are also referred to as "smooth" "pigmented" and "protected" leather because it has intense color and grain. No natural leather markings can be seen through the coated surface because a pigmented "non-penetrating" dye is used to "paint" the leather's surface. Top coated leather is very durable and will provide excellent wear characteristics if maintained properly. Water will not stain this leather nor does it scratch easily.

Suede and NuBuck Leather 

For Suede and NuBuck, the natural leather has been brushed or buffed to produce a texture similar to velvet. This process substantially increases the surface area of the leather and makes it very receptive to stains and spotting. It is difficult to clean properly and should only be cleaned with products that are specifically designed to use on Suede and NuBuck. These types of leathers, while very soft to the touch, will scratch and scuff quite easily. Water will darken this leather but it normally dries back to it's original color.

Sometimes it's difficult to choose the color that will match your leather from a color chart. If you're not sure which color is best suited, Leather Renew can create a custom dye color for you.

In order to create this, we will require one of the following:

• A swatch of the leather (we would prefer a 2x2 inch piece if possible)
• A paint chip from your local hardware store
• A headrest or another item from your car is also acceptable and we will return this with your order ​

Mail the item to:
Leather Renew
5315-B Cypress Creek Pkwy
#179
Houston, Texas 77069-4410

Make sure to include the following: Name, Address, Phone, Email and any other information needed to assist us.

Please feel free to email us as well and let us know the item is on the way (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

We will contact you after we receive your item.

Please note that we do not accept returns for custom colors.

Automotive Color Charts

All Automotive finishes are satin. If you do not see the specific color for your vehicle in the automotive color chart, we recommend that you call your local dealer to verify the color for your model.  The parts department can tell you your color name if you give them your VIN # (vehicle identification number). Below is a list of the auto manufacturers, click the one for your automobile to view that automotive color chart. Please locate the correct manufacture and review that automotive color chart for the color code and name for your automotive. ***These samples are an approximation of the actual color. Colors may vary due to monitor resolution and personal settings.

Acura - Audi - BMW - Buick - Cadillac - Chevy - Chrysler - Dodge - Ford - GM - Honda - Hummer - Hyundai - Infiniti - Isuzu - Jaguar - Jeep - Kia - LandRover - Lexus - Lincoln - Maserati - Mazda - Mercury - Mercedes - Mitsubishi - Nissan - Pontiac - Porsche - Rolls Royce/Ferrari - Saab - Saturn - Subaru - Toyota - Volvo - Volkswagon

Other ways to find the color of your automobile interior:

DecodeThis.com
You can go to the website, enter your VIN # (vehicle identification) and click on the "search" button. This will give you the color options for your specific model.

Edmunds.com
Search for your year and model then look for the "View All Features & Specs" link.  You can then find the interior colors used on you particular year and model.

King Ranch Color Chart

Choose from 3 different colors. King Ranch Color Chart. ***These samples are an approximation of the actual color. Colors may vary due to monitor resolution and personal settings.

Furniture Color Chart

Choose from 63 different colors. Click here to view Furniture Color Chart. ***These samples are an approximation of the actual color. Colors may vary due to monitor resolution and personal settings.

Standard Color Chart

Choose from 30 different colors. Our colorants are naturally Semi-gloss, offering a somewhat shiny appearance. A flattening agent is added to orders specifying Matte/flat which is dull in appearance. Click here to view Standard Color Chart. ***These samples are an approximation of the actual color. Colors may vary due to monitor resolution and personal settings.