Leather Types & Grades
Is a Leather Jacket Good for Summer? Heat, Humidity and Perforated Options
Thin or perforated leather suits cool summer evenings. See heat limits, how humidity changes comfort, and how to avoid mould when you store the jacket.
A leather jacket works in summer only if it is a light one: thin or perforated leather, little or no lining, ideally a pale color, and worn on a cooler evening rather than in midday sun. Sellers put summer-evening wear at 65–80°F (18–27°C) and advise against direct sun above 80°F (27°C). Humid heat is harder on you than dry heat, because high humidity slows the evaporation that cools you.
This page is part of our guide to leather types, grades and finishes. Almost every summer figure online comes from a jacket seller, so I mark each one as a claim.
Quick answer- Cool summer evening, 65–75°F (18–24°C): fine in a thin or perforated jacket.- Hot, direct sun above 80°F (27°C): avoid, according to one seller.- Humid climates: the issue is two-sided. You overheat sooner, and the jacket is at risk of mould when stored damp.
How hot is too hot for a leather jacket?
One jacket seller's seasonal guide lists thin or perforated lambskin for summer evenings at 65–80°F (18–27°C), but its own FAQ narrows that to 65–75°F (18–24°C). The same guide says to avoid leather in direct sun when temperatures are high, especially above 80°F (27°C). Two ranges on one page is a sign this is judgment, not measurement.
Other sources disagree on the whole range for a standard jacket. Three jacket sellers give different comfort bands for a plain leather jacket: about 54–68°F (12–20°C), 41–60°F (5–15°C), and a lightly lined jacket from 60°F (16°C) upward. For the cold side of the question see how warm leather jackets are.
Why humidity changes the answer
The National Weather Service explains that sweat cools you by evaporating, and high humidity slows that evaporation so the body feels warmer. Its example: 100°F at 55% humidity has a heat index of 124°F, while 100°F at 15% humidity feels like 96°F. Direct sunlight can add up to 15°F to the heat index.
So in muggy air, any jacket will feel warmer than the thermometer suggests, because the sweat under it evaporates more slowly.
What makes a leather jacket more summer-friendly
Leather Collection's custom jackets, for example, offer a no-lining option alongside cotton and polyester, in sheepskin, goatskin, cowhide, buffalo or kangaroo.
Does leather "breathe"?
Leather can absorb, store and transport water vapor efficiently. A lightly finished chrome leather of about 0.6 g/cm³ has a water vapor permeability of around 12 mg/cm²/h. Heavy coatings and closed waterproofing cut that sharply.
Breathing lets vapor out; it does not make a jacket cool. We explain the measurements in is leather breathable.
| Feature | What sellers say | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Thin leather | Most of Leather Collection's women's jackets use 0.8–0.9 mm (about 0.03 in) sheepskin | – |
| Perforation | Tiny holes allow airflow while keeping structure (a seller claim, no measurements) | – |
| No lining | Jackets without an inner lining are more breathable and less insulated (seller claim) | – |
| Pale color | Beige, tan, light grey reflect sunlight better than black (seller claim) | – |
| No quilting | Quilted panels add warmth and texture | – |
| Softer hide | Sheepskin and lambskin feel softer and drape more than firm cowhide | – |
Humidity, sweat and mould
Humid summers raise a second risk: what happens to the jacket after you take it off. Above 65% relative humidity, conservators warn, mould growth and hydrolytic breakdown of the fibers become more likely. Mould generally grows after 2 days at 90–100% humidity, 10 days at 80% and 100 days at 70%, and warmth and poor air circulation also help it.
Mould looks like a thin grey, green or white powdery deposit or small black dots, though salts from sweat and bloom from dressings can look similar.
A few habits follow from those figures:
- Never put a damp jacket away.
- Store it under a breathable cotton cover, not in a plastic bag, which dries leather excessively.
- Keep it out of prolonged direct sun and away from heat sources.
If you already see mould, hosob's step-by-step guide on how to remove mold from leather covers the cleaning. More on climate and storage is in our leather care and weather guide.
Pick by your climate
This page covers everyday jackets; riding jackets are a separate topic that it does not cover.
| Where and when you will wear it | What fits the sources |
|---|---|
| Mild summer evenings (65–75°F, 18–24°C) | Thin or perforated lambskin, no quilting |
| Dry heat, sun | Skip leather at midday above 80°F (27°C) per the seller; if you wear it, choose pale |
| Humid heat | Expect to overheat sooner; if worn, keep it dry and stored with airflow |
| Sudden showers | See can you wear leather in the rain |
Leather Collection jacket options
If you want to choose the hide, finish and lining yourself, Leather Collection's custom leather jackets let you pick sheepskin, goatskin, cowhide, buffalo or kangaroo, plus a finish and a lining, including no lining. For seasonal choices, see Leather Collection's summer vs winter leather styling guide.
FAQ
Can you wear a leather jacket in summer?
Yes on cool evenings in a thin, lightly lined or unlined jacket; one seller advises against direct sun above 80°F (27°C).
What temperature range is ideal for wearing a leather jacket?
Sellers disagree: about 54–68°F (12–20°C), 41–60°F (5–15°C) and from 60°F (16°C) up for a lightly lined one.
Is a leather jacket good in a humid climate?
You will feel the heat sooner because sweat evaporates slowly in humid air. Store it dry and with airflow, since humidity above 65% encourages mould.
Does a perforated leather jacket keep you cool?
Sellers say the holes let air circulate, but none of the sources I read measured it.
LeatherGuide Editorial Team
LeatherGuide articles are researched from published sources, cited in the text, and reviewed before publication.