Professional Leather Training Courses
Standard and bespoke courses
- Comprehensive training, covering all aspects of leather repair and restoration.
- Programs delivered for both experienced and aspiring professionals alike.
- Learn with confidence - we are the UK's leading supplier of products and services to the leather care industry.
Christmas Shipping
For mainland UK delivery before Christmas, please place your order by 2pm on the 21st December. Please note that is only a guide based on information from our couriers. We cannot guarantee delivery dates as shipments may be delayed by courier issues. We recommend you order as early as possible if you require your products before Christmas.
For more information please click here.
15% Discount in our Cyber Monday sale! Use code: CM15 at the checkout.
FREE NEXT DAY DELIVERY ON EVERYTHING! NO MINIMUM SPEND, 1 WEEK ONLY! UK Mainland Only
Shipping
We offer free next working day UK mainland delivery on all website orders. This applies to orders placed and paid for by 2pm. Orders placed after 2pm will be dispatched the next working day. Deliveries to UK highlands and islands may take longer, surcharges may apply to orders containing hazardous products shipping outside mainland UK.
International shipping is available, options and prices will be displayed during checkout.
Please note that whilst your order will be dispatched with a service that claims specific shipping times, due to it being a busy period a small amount of orders may be delayed. Unfortunately we have no control over courier delays.
More information is available on our Shipping and Returns page.
Shipping
We offer gold trade customers free UK mainland next working day delivery on all website orders. This applies to orders placed and paid for by 2pm. Orders placed after 2pm will be dispatched the next working day. Deliveries to UK highlands and islands may take longer, surcharges may apply to orders containing hazardous products shipping outside mainland UK.
International shipping is available, options and prices will be displayed during checkout.
More information is available on our Shipping and Returns page.
Shipping
We offer silver trade customers free UK mainland next working day delivery on all website orders over £50. This applies to orders placed and paid for by 2pm. Orders placed after 2pm will be dispatched the next working day. Mainland UK orders under £50 will be charged at £2.95 for standard 1-2 working day shipping or £4.95 for next working day shipping. Deliveries to UK highlands and islands may take longer, surcharges may apply to orders containing hazardous products shipping outside mainland UK.
International shipping is available, options and prices will be displayed during checkout.
More information is available on our Shipping and Returns page.
Shipping
We offer bronze trade customers free UK mainland next working day delivery on all website orders over £50. This applies to orders placed and paid for by 2pm. Orders placed after 2pm will be dispatched the next working day. Mainland UK orders under £50 will be charged at £2.95 for standard 1-2 working day shipping or £4.95 for next working day shipping. Deliveries to UK highlands and islands may take longer, surcharges may apply to orders containing hazardous products shipping outside mainland UK.
International shipping is available, options and prices will be displayed during checkout.
More information is available on our Shipping and Returns page.
Christmas Shipping
For mainland UK delivery before Christmas, please place your order by 2pm on the 22nd December. Please note that is only a guide based on information from our couriers. We cannot guarantee delivery dates as shipments may be delayed by courier issues. We recommend you order as early as possible if you require your products before Christmas.
During the Christmas and New Year period, there will be some dates that we are unable to dispatch orders, these dates are:
- December: 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th.
- January: 1st, 2nd and 3rd.
On the 24th December and 31st December, couriers are collecting in the morning.
For more information please click here.
The ideal training solution for professionals offering leather care, repair or restoration services. We deliver hands on, exciting and informative courses to suit existing companies or those with aspirations of starting a business in leather repair.
This complete five-day course delivers the most comprehensive training in the industry. If your view is to start your own business; the progression of the week will provide you with all the skills, knowledge, confidence and ongoing support after the training course.
This five-day course is broken down into 4 individual modules. So, if all you need is to brush up on some aspects or use it as a refresher, the modules can be booked individually to suit your needs perfectly.
Our Durham courses will be held in Consett, County Durham (DH8 6SZ).
The available dates are listed in the Date(s) dropdown above.
Shorter courses are available if you only wish to complete part of the training, please contact us if you would like to book one of these.
| Course Name |
Duration
|
Price (Per Person)
|
|---|---|---|
| Understanding Leather | 1 Day | £180 |
| Leather Repair | 1 Day | £180 |
| Colour Matching | 1 Day | £180 |
| Leather Restoration | 2 Days | £420 |
| Full Course | 5 Days | £840 |
Contact Us To Book Your Place
Call us on 01207 279 960
Or
Email us at [email protected] and register your interest; providing your name, address, telephone number and your choice of available dates.
Bespoke Courses
In addition to the standard course schedules, we also offer bespoke training courses tailored to your needs, which can either be carried out at our training centre or at your location. Each organisation is different, with individual requirements for skills and training. Our flexible approach to course structure allows us to focus specifically on what your business needs, saving you time and money. Location is not an issue, our expert technical training team are available to deliver courses both in the UK and internationally; if you have a training requirement, wherever you are in the world, we can tailor a course to meet your needs
Previous Bespoke Courses
Past training packages crafted to specific needs include:
Harrods – On site training of leather types specific to product range including correct cleaning and protection procedures.
DFS – Product training delivered to dedicated in house service upholsterers.
Jimmy Choo – Sales associate training of leather types; specific to new range leathers ahead of latest collection releases.
Open Days
Not sure about committing to a full week of training? Then why not join us for one of our FREE Open Days in Durham.
Professional Leather Training Course
Training courses will be held at our factory in Consett (County Durham).
09:00 – 17:00 each day
This comprehensive course is very practical and uses a range of different training techniques.
Day 1: UNDERSTANDING LEATHER
- Video
- A short video will take you through the tanning process, showing you how a skin or hide is turned into leather.
- Leather Types
- We go through the various leather types one by one showing you examples of what the leathers look like, feel like and how they react to being used.
- Leather Identification
- We teach you how to identify and differentiate between each type. You’ll learn a number of different ways to identify leather and will come away afterwards with an appreciation of how unique leather is.
- Common Problems
- Different types of leather will suffer different types of problems. We take a look at these common problems and discuss the relevant treatments.
- It’s not just cow hide!
- We take a look at exotic skins and unusual leathers, after all it doesn’t all come from a cow!
- Natural Markings
- We look at various leathers that have suffered damage whilst the animal was still alive. All these markings appear on the skin from when the animal was alive, right through until the skin is tanned and becomes leather.
- Grain Types
- When it comes to selling leather, especially furniture, you often hear terms such as top grain, full grain, split or corrected grain. During the course we will discuss this terminology so you have a better understanding of what they mean.
- Leather Finishes
- Leather can be coloured in different ways, finished with lacquers, oils, waxes or nothing at all. These different finishes are created for aesthetics and so there are many variants. We’ll show you the most popular finishes you’ll come across in the furniture and automotive industry.
- Cleaning Leather
- After learning about the various types of leather, you are introduced to the different cleaning products and procedures for each type and learn how to maintain leather.
Day 2: LEATHER REPAIR
- Stain Removal
- You are shown how to remove stains such as biro, permanent marker and dye transfer from leather; this will introduce you to the products and procedures to tackle a multitude of other types of stains.
- Preparation
- If you fail to prepare, prepare to fail! Preparation is the key to a successful, long lasting repair. We show you the correct procedures to prepare different types of leather before any remedial work is carried out.
- Basic Cosmetic Repairs
- Under expert guidance you’re shown, and will practice repairing: cuts, burns, holes, scratches, and tears. You’ll work on genuine leather to master the technique and gain hands-on experience in carrying out cosmetic repairs using a range of our repair products.
- Matching Grain
- We’ll show you methods of replicating grain patterns to basic repairs, enhancing the cosmetic quality of your repairs.
- Spraying
- We show you how to spray the Leather Colourant and Leather Finish onto leather using an airbrush to blend repairs in.
Day 3: COLOUR MATCHING
Possibly the most important skill you’ll learn! Becoming a competent colour matcher will allow you to quickly repair leather onsite, saving time and money.
- Colour Theory
- The first thing we do is look at the theory behind colour matching. If we can get you thinking in the correct way, when it comes to physically mixing colours, then the art of colour matching will be easier. We explain hue, shade (or value) and saturation (or chroma) along with complimentary colours and what they do and how to use them. Colour matching can become logical when you know what to look for!
- Colour Mixing
- We start to colour match samples of leather aiming to achieve the perfect match using colour theory to help.
Days 4-5: LEATHER RESTORATION
- Two Tone and Antique Colour Restoration
- These are slightly trickier to colour match, not only do we show you how to match the various types, but you’ll also learn how to create two tone patterns using different techniques. You will then proceed to practice by restoring a chesterfield style piece of furniture.
- Preparing Leather
- You’re shown how to assess the different conditions of leather to determine what level of preparation is required to restore it. We’ll cover cleaning, identifying areas to be degreased, basic preparation and stripping the colour off.
- Degreasing
- Unless every drop of grease is properly extracted from the leather, any colour that is then applied will not adhere properly; this could be the most important step of any restoration job. We show you how to degrease leather using a few different methods and how to test to see if the grease has been removed.
- Softening Leather
- Older leathers, especially classic car seats often become hard and stiff with age. Once the leather has been stripped it can then be softened. This process isn’t just about using the right product but using the product in the right way.
- Fixing Cracking
- Fixing cracked leather is a more involved process than simply repairing a scratch or hole. Using the right process and products you’ll be shown how to repair cracking so that the repair is strong, long lasting and doesn’t alter the look or feel of the leather.
- Adhesion
- You’ll learn how to assess whether or not Adhesion Promoter is needed to grant adhesion to the leather and/or if it is just needed in certain areas.
- Colour Restoration
- Once the leather has been correctly prepared and repaired, colour can then be applied to restore the leather back to its former glory.
“Craig was very patient with us all but also very instructive in describing the ‘dos and don’ts’ of leather care and repair. We tried out different tools and techniques and, at each stage, he always fully explained why we were doing something. I discovered so much on this course and gained some useful knowledge and skills. I took my own notes, but we also came away with instructive manuals and some of the samples that we had worked on to use for future reference.”
Participant from the January 2020 course.
We have delivered training courses to individuals, small businesses and corporations throughout the UK and internationally; within many industries including automotive, furniture, fashion, marine and aviation.
Our dedicated training facility is fully equipped with a functional workshop. We provide all tools, products and samples; so, there is no need to bring your own item to work on.
We provide all tools, products and samples; so, there is no need to bring your own item to work on.
Our training courses are globally endorsed and are considered the best in the industry; by the industry.
Furniture Clinic uses state of the art technology to develop and test new products to be used in our cleaning and repair process. From the initial design stage, the products are sent to 3rd party test houses to make sure they conform to industry standards. The products are then used first by Furniture Clinic technicians throughout the UK before being brought to market. This rigorous process ensures all products are fully vetted, giving you complete peace of mind that our products are the best in the market.
With around 60 people working in our head office, we have dedicated trade account teams for the UK and our international customers, not to mention technical and training departments, research and development departments; we have the infrastructure to help your business grow.
It doesn’t stop there. Furniture Clinic can offer so much more than world class training and support.
Our website generates over 6,000 enquiries a year for repairs. These, too, are handled by our National Repair Service which is a network of our own franchises, independent companies and individuals such as yourselves. The National Repair Service is also a major UK provider to home insurance and warranty companies. We are always looking for reliable partners to carry out work on our behalf – in all areas of the UK.
Approved partners who work with us are automatically enrolled as a GOLD customer on our exclusive trade loyalty scheme where the additional benefits and discounts are compelling reasons to become a part of our National Repair Service network.
When you attend one of our leather training courses, you will be trained by our highly skilled trainers: Craig Stevenson and/or Adam Staerck.
Craig Stevenson is the Technical and Training Manager at Furniture Clinic. Craig is a fully qualified traditional upholsterer by trade with over 25 years’ experience. Craig joined Furniture Clinic as an upholsterer back in 2010, reupholstering client’s furniture. We soon realised that his knowledge and ‘on the job’ experience of leather repair and leather repair products was such that, together, we were able to improve our product range and techniques to produce what are today considered to be the best in the industry.
Adam Staerck is our Business Development Manager. He has worked at Furniture Clinic since we began back in 2004. Over the years he has been employed in various roles across all aspects of the business – at Furniture Clinic, at Handbag Clinic, and at our franchise Furniture Clinic North East. Adam has a wealth of experience that he calls upon to advise and train people on how to use Furniture Clinic products. In 2019, Adam became the main point of contact for our trade customers and many of you will already know him through his regular emails and phone calls.
