Warning: the before and after on my denim jackets over 3 years is rough

Ngl I found an old photo of a jacket I made back in 2021 with this clean hand painted design on the back. Fast forward to last week and that same jacket looks faded and cracked like it's been through a war. I used cheap acrylic paint mixed with fabric medium and it just didn't hold up through washes and sun. Has anyone figured out a paint brand that actually stays bright after a year?

3 comments

3 Comments

sarah_hart6d ago

Totally agree, Jacquard's the only one that's lasted for me too.

rileyb616d ago

Respectfully push back on that Angelus recommendation, @grantmartinez. I've tried it on a few jackets and while it sticks well to leather, denim is a whole different animal - that paint gets brittle and peels off in chunks after a few hot washes. Instead, give Jacquard's textile paint a try; it soaks into the fibers instead of sitting on top and stays flexible. Also switch to cold water washes with the jacket inside out, and avoid the dryer at all costs if you want the colors to survive the year.

grantmartinez6d ago

Oh man, I feel your pain on that cracked paint look. I swear I saw someone on a different forum say Angelus leather paint holds up way better on denim than regular acrylic ever will. Might be worth a shot if you want the design to actually last more than a season.