Koch-Chemie × COLOURLOCK COLOURLOCK "Leather Fresh Set XL"

Leather Dye for Cars in 1-Liter Professional Container with the COLOURLOCK Leather Fresh Set XL

What is the COLOURLOCK Leather Fresh Set XL? It's a 1-liter container of water-based polyurethane dye in OEM Black F034 from Koch-Chemie × COLOURLOCK. The set includes: 1,000 ml of dye, cleaning and application sponges, nitrile gloves. It's enough for six to ten complete car interiors of the same color. The pH value is precisely matched to leather, the dye is water-based, and free of harsh solvents. Not for aniline leather, nubuck, Alcantara, patent leather, or open-pored suede, and does not fill deep cracks.

COLOURLOCK Leather Fresh Set XL is the 1-liter professional container of car leather dye in OEM Black F034 from Koch-Chemie × COLOURLOCK, formerly from Lederzentrum Lübeck, produced at the Koch-Chemie plant in Unna since Q3 2024. It contains 1,000 ml of dye, cleaning and application sponges, and nitrile gloves. This material kit is sufficient for six to ten complete car interiors of the same color. The core is a water-based polyurethane dispersion: colorfast pigments and abrasion-resistant binders cross-link upon drying with hot air to form a semi-gloss polymer film on the factory surface of the leather. This means for you: the color isn't just a layer of paint on top; it becomes part of the leather surface.

• One liter of F034 Black covers six to ten complete car interiors. A standard 150-ml bottle from the Set XS is enough for exactly one vehicle. Professional detailers will use up the bulk container within two to three jobs because there are no reorders and no mixing tolerances between batches.
• Water-based polyurethane dye with pH 4.5 to 5.5. The pH value precisely matches the natural acidity of the leather, at which the fiber does not swell. This means for you: the dye bonds to the surface without chemically disturbing the interior of the leather. Free of harsh solvents, no respiratory protection required, no storage in a locked cabinet, no B2B sales restrictions.
• OEM color accuracy through COLOURLOCK's 46-standard color system. The factory black F034 covers the typical black tones of German premium brands without mixing. Other OEM colors can be individually mixed from the neutral base as needed, also by VIN code or submitted color sample. This means for you: seamless touch-ups in the middle of the seat surface, without a visible transition.

Practical tip from Detailing1: We see the same underestimated mistake in at least every third inquiry about Leather Fresh. Degreasing is completed by eye, and weeks later, the dye on the steering wheel peels off in thin films. The professional rule is the tape test: after cleaning with cleaning benzine or degreaser, press a short piece of masking tape onto the spot and slowly pull it off. If the tape comes off easily, there is still skin oil or old care product on the surface, and the next layer of dye would not adhere. If the tape sticks firmly, the surface is ready. No data sheet prescribes this test. In our experience, it is the insurance against the most common complaint in the industry.

Five-Step Workflow for Large-Area Restoration

Leather Fresh is step four in a fixed five-step plan. Breaking the sequence or skipping a step risks peeling within weeks. These steps have been the standard for detailing for decades.

Step 1: Deep Cleaning. The leather interior is cleaned with COLOURLOCK Leather Cleaner Mild or, for heavily soiled or greasy smooth leather, with Leather Cleaner Strong. Work the foam in with a soft leather brush for 30 to 60 seconds, wipe off with a damp viscose cloth, and let dry. Never use abrasive microfiber cloths designed for paint care. They scratch the factory protective layer that the Leather Fresh must later adhere to.

Step 2: Degreasing. Wipe with COLOURLOCK Leather Cleaning Benzine or the solvent-free Degreaser on a lint-free cloth until the surface becomes visibly dull. Hand grease on the steering wheel, old leather care products on the seat bolsters, or surfactant residues from the cleaner will otherwise prevent adhesion. Use the tape test for verification. Step 3: Mechanical Smoothing. Gently level raised microfibers on worn seat bolsters with the COLOURLOCK Leather Sanding Pad, using light circular motions without pressure. Remove sanding dust with a cloth lightly dampened with cleaning benzine. Fill deep cracks now with Fluid Leather as a filler. Leather Fresh itself does not fill.

Step 4: Dyeing with Leather Fresh. Shake extremely well before use to ensure pigments and binders are homogeneous. Always transfer from the 1-liter container into a smaller 100-ml dispensing bottle or a paint dish. Dabbing directly from the heavy canister with a sponge is difficult to control in a real interior and spills in two out of ten cases. Dab or apply in circular motions in very thin layers from seam to seam, immediately cross-linking each layer with a heat gun. This evaporates the water and cross-links the polymer. High opacity is achieved by repeated application, not by a thick single layer. For large areas like entire seat benches in professional operations, Leather Fresh is alternatively applied with an airbrush gun. The atomized application prevents the micro-streaks that a sponge inevitably leaves with flat application. Step 5: Sealing. The dyed surface must rest and outgas for 24 hours before applying Leather Shield sealant or Leather Protector without strong pressure or rubbing.

Aniline Leather, Deep Cracks, and Wrong Solvents as Hard Limits

Leather Fresh is chemically highly calibrated for semi-gloss, surface-dyed smooth leather with a functional protective layer. Anyone who applies the product to incompatible substrates or uses the wrong chemical during pre-treatment risks ruining a leather interior that would cost five figures to replace. Three limits that must be checked before each application.

First limit: Aniline leather, nubuck, and open-pored suede. These types of leather do not have a factory protective layer. The aqueous polymer dispersion penetrates uncontrollably into the open pores and coats the surface unevenly and greasy. Before each application, perform the water drop test: place a drop on an inconspicuous area. If it is absorbed within 30 seconds, the leather is open-pored, and the set is taboo. However, if you have pigmented smooth leather with a clear protective layer or PU artificial leather in the interior, this product is suitable. An exception: aniline leather may be dyed with Leather Fresh if the entire component is completely recolored. Local repairs will still fail.

Second limit: Deep cracks and broken seat bolsters. Leather Fresh conceals superficial scratches and excellently dyes worn areas, but it does not bridge gaps. Testers in vehicle care forums rate this very point as the hardest limitation. For cracks or already broken seat bolsters, Fluid Leather as a filler is a mandatory predecessor, supplemented in extreme cases by COLOURLOCK Neutral Binder to stabilize the fiber. Third limit: Aggressive brake cleaner for degreasing. Anyone who uses brake cleaner instead of cleaning benzine or degreaser out of a reflex to save money will immediately destroy the factory protective layer with acetone and naphtha components, making the leather brittle and cracked. This error is regularly documented in mechanic forums. It is irreparable; the leather is scrap after this treatment.

And the fourth honest limit, which marketing doesn't like to formulate: F034 Black covers in the first pass. Light shades like beige, white, or cream colors require five to six layers, based on practical experience from detailers, until dark scuff marks on the steering wheel or seat edges are completely concealed. If you are restoring a beige interior, double the working time per vehicle. On shiny bicast leathers that become sticky due to skin oil decomposition, Leather Fresh also does not save the structure. Here, only the color loss can be temporarily covered; the polymer film physically disintegrates.

Car Leather Dye in Professional Volume for Upholsterers and Fleet Detailers

The Set XL is not a hobby product for Sunday repairs of a single seat bolster. Anyone who wants to restore a single steering wheel or a small damaged area on a private car should more sensibly choose the 150-ml format from the leather care collection with Set XS. The large 1-liter container defines a different target group and a different scale of application.

Commercial vehicle detailers and smart repair shops are the primary target group. Leased vehicles returning with worn steering wheels and scuffed seat bolsters are re-dyed black with standard F034 dye in the detailing hub, because factory black is the most common OEM color in the German premium fleet. A 1-liter set covers six to ten of these detailing jobs. The business can work without delivery interruptions.

Saddle makers and furniture restorers use the large container for components where a new cover would destroy the originality certificate, or for furniture upholstery with large restoration areas. The 46-color logic allows invisible touch-ups right on a seat surface. If the dye is precisely matched to the OEM color, a smart repair on the seat upholstery looks like factory condition. Fleet managers and car dealerships with standard black or carbon black leather interiors benefit from continuous inventory maintenance. A 1-liter stock is computationally more sensible than 30 to 50 individual bottles.

Compared to competing systems, the Set XL is the volume-oriented answer. Geist. Easy Colour Restorer markets a 50-ml format with self-crosslinking for DIY users but cannot deliver a 1-liter professional container. Ledermax Repair #6.0, as a 2K system with a hybrid hardener, is chemically more complex and, due to its pot life of one to two hours, less flexible for quick smart repair jobs. Swissvax Leather Healer positions itself in luxury detailing at significantly higher costs per milliliter. COLOURLOCK wins at the professional level through scalability and a complete workflow ecosystem consisting of Leather Cleaner Mild and Strong, Cleaning Benzine or Degreaser, Leather Sanding Pad, Fluid Leather, Leather Fresh, and sealing with Leather Shield or Protector. Every link in the chain is coordinated with the next. Those who also maintain the exterior during interior restoration can sensibly supplement the set with the interior cleaner assortment for the cockpit, headliner, and door panels. This transforms a mere leather refresh into a complete interior refit in one working day.

Application of COLOURLOCK Leather Fresh Set XL

Five-step workflow for the restoration of complete leather interiors

Leather Fresh is step four in a defined five-step plan that has been the standard for reconditioning for decades. Step 1: clean the leather interior with Leather Cleaner Mild or, for heavily soiled or greasy smooth leather, with Leather Cleaner Strong. Work the foam in with the soft leather brush for 30 to 60 seconds, wipe off with a damp viscose cloth, and let dry.

Step 2: Degrease with COLOURLOCK Leather Cleaning Spirit or the solvent-free Degreaser on a lint-free cloth until the surface visibly dulls. Hand grease on the steering wheel, old leather care products on the seat bolsters, or surfactant residues from the cleaner will otherwise prevent the adhesion of the water-based dye. Step 3: gently level raised microfibers on worn areas with the Leather Sanding Pad in soft circular motions without pressure, remove sanding dust with a slightly spirit-dampened cloth. Fill deep cracks or breaks now with Fluid Leather as a filler compound — Leather Fresh itself does not fill.

Step 4: the dyeing. Shake extremely well before use so that pigments and binders are homogeneous. Transfer from the 1-liter container into a smaller 100-ml dosing bottle or a color dish — never dab directly from the canister, as this will spill inside. Dab or apply in circular motions in very thin layers from seam to seam, immediately cross-linking each layer with a hot air dryer. High opacity is achieved by repeated application, not by a thick layer. For large areas such as entire seat benches, alternatively apply with an airbrush gun — the atomized application prevents micro-streaks on large areas.

Step 5: the sealing. After exactly 24 hours of drying and outgassing, the dyed surface is sealed with Leather Shield (for new leather under 3 years old, protects against abrasion and jean dye transfer) or Leather Protector (for older leather, with UV protection and antioxidants). Apply without strong pressure, do not rub but gently wipe — otherwise, fresh polymer layers will detach again.

Notes: The Leather Fresh Set XL is exclusively designed for surface-dyed, semi-matte smooth leather with a functioning protective layer, as well as for PU artificial leather and hard interior plastics. Aniline leather, nubuck, Alcantara, open-pore suede, patent leather, and glass are excluded — the dye penetrates into open pores and stains the surface unevenly. For deep cracks, Fluid Leather as a filler compound is a mandatory pre-treatment. Processing temperature 15 to 25 °C, otherwise the dye will not cross-link correctly. Never use brake cleaner for degreasing — acetone and naphtha components irreparably destroy the protective layer. Light colors require 5 to 6 layers, F034 Black typically 1 to 2. Store frost-free.