How to care for your possum skin

Your possum skin is a natural material with a leather backing. Gentle care helps protect its fur, colour and flexibility. Check the care label and instructions for your particular product before cleaning.

Download the possum skin care guide (PDF)

Keep this guide handy, share it with anyone using your skin, or print the two A5 pages double-sided to keep with your purchase.

Refresh gently

Gently shake outdoors and air in a dry, shaded place. Smooth with your hand or lightly use a soft brush in the direction of fur growth. Do not tug the leather or seams.

Keep water away from the leather

Do not soak, machine wash, steam-clean or tumble-dry. For a small spill, blot promptly with a clean, dry cloth. If needed, lightly wipe only the fur tips with a barely damp cloth, keeping the leather backing dry. Do not rub.

Protect colour and softness

Avoid prolonged sunlight, heaters and fires. Never iron or use a hairdryer. Test dyed fur in an inconspicuous area and stop if colour transfers. Use only cleaners suitable for your product and finish.

If it becomes damp

Blot gently and support it flat in a shaded, well-ventilated place at room temperature. Do not wring or stretch it, and let it dry fully before storing. If the leather is soaked or stiffens, seek specialist advice.

Store with room to breathe

Store in a cool, dry, ventilated cupboard. Lay flat or roll loosely, without sharp folds, in a clean cotton cover rather than sealed plastic. Keep the storage area secure against rats and mice, which may nest in or chew skins. During long-term storage, inspect regularly for droppings, gnaw marks, insects, moisture or damage. Cotton covers alone do not stop rodents.

For deeper cleaning or repairs

Check the product care label and listing first. For stains, damage or deeper cleaning, use a specialist experienced in fur and leather. Tell them whether the item is dyed, lined or stitched. Ordinary fabric-cleaning or dry-cleaning methods may be unsuitable.

A material with a wider story

Our possum skins come from Aotearoa New Zealand, where the Australian brushtail possum is an introduced pest. It browses native plants, competes for food and eats wildlife, including birds and eggs. Reducing possum numbers can help native forests and wildlife recover.

Using the fur and skins gives value to an animal removed from an introduced population. Commercial recovery can contribute to possum control, alongside the wider work needed to protect ecosystems. It is one part of that effort, rather than a substitute for sustained conservation work.

We recognise the leadership of Māori whānau, hapū and iwi as kaitiaki caring for their lands and taonga species. Their restoration work is central to the wider effort to restore ecological balance in Aotearoa.

Thank you for choosing to Buy First Nations. Your purchase supports our First Nations-owned business and gives this natural material a useful life. Caring for it well honours that material and helps it last.

A note on cultural respect

Possum-skin making is a living Aboriginal cultural practice. If you plan to paint, burn, engrave, mark or make culturally significant items, seek guidance and consent from the relevant local Aboriginal knowledge holders or Community Controlled Organisation. Buying a skin does not confer cultural authority.

Check your product first

Check the care label and the instructions for your particular skin, cushion or throw before cleaning. Follow product-specific instructions where they differ from this general guide. For stains, damage or deeper cleaning, use a specialist experienced in both fur and leather.

References and further reading

Reviewed October 2026. General guidance for finished possum skins and fur products; individual tanning, dyes, linings and finishes can require different treatment. Follow the instructions supplied with your item.