Repairing the skai in your car: professional solutions for tears and cracks

Key tears, pet scratches, wear cracks, fissures... the skai and leatherette of your car seats accumulate damage over time.

Unlike genuine leather, skai is a thin plastic coating (polyurethane) on a fabric backing, which requires specific repair techniques.

Since 1989, Sofolk has been developing professional solutions for renovating your car seats without removing or re-upholstering them.

Select an action to renovate your skai seat

Which product should you choose to repair your car skai?

Your need	Your product	Action	Benefit
Small scratches, superficial cracks, tears	Skai tear repairer	Fills and restores the coating	Smooth, even surface
Reproduce the imprint of the original grain	Reprograin	Creates a faithful grain matrix	Authentic texture preserved
Rebuild the grain after repair	Résigrain 2K	Applies the imprint to the repaired area	Invisible, uniform result

Repairer for tears and scratches on leatherette

The Sofolk skai tear repairer is a specialist repair paste for filling cracks, scratches, tears and cuts on car skai.

Available in anthracite or white (25 g tube), it replaces damaged coating layers while remaining flexible after drying.

Apply with a flexible spatula or the edge of a piece of card, in successive thin layers, then sand off the excess once dry.

Reprograin, the grain imprint reproduction paste

Reprograin is a two-component resin that faithfully copies the imprint of the original grain of your skai.

Mix the white resin and the green resin in a ratio of 1:1, and apply to a sound area at a minimum thickness of 2 mm.

Dries in 30 minutes (or less than 5 minutes with a hairdryer). The 10 ml bottle makes it possible to create a matrix disc 8 cm in diameter.

Résigrain 2K, grain reproduction resin

Résigrain 2K is an ultra-precise water-based resin that rebuilds the grain of skai in less than 10 minutes.

The complete kit includes two 20 ml syringes, 4 spatulas and 4 containers for perfect dosing. Mix components A and B in a ratio of 1:1, wait 3-4 minutes for the viscosity to become paste-like, apply, then press the Reprograin matrix into place.

Remove after at least 8 minutes. Yield : approximately 4 discs of 10 cm in diameter.

The Sofolk tip

Repair alone is not enough for an invisible result. Once the surface has been restored, it is essential to recolour the treated area to conceal the work and recover the original shade.

Discover our car skai recolouring solutions!

Assessing the condition of your car skai

Car skai is more fragile than genuine leather because it is a plastic coating only a few tenths of a millimetre thick. Before doing anything, examine how deep the damage goes. Cracks and superficial fissures can be repaired if the underlying fabric backing remains intact.

On the other hand, if the backing itself is deeply torn, only replacing the panel will be effective.

Discover our complete all-in-one skai renovation kits!

Mistakes to avoid when repairing

Sanding too aggressively: risk of piercing the fabric backing under the coating
Applying too thick a layer: the paste cracks as it dries, giving a fragile result
Neglecting the preliminary degreasing: poor adhesion, repair that peels off
Forgetting to recolour: the repairer dries a neutral grey, never in the colour of your skai

Tutorial : repairing a tear in car skai

Clean and degrease the area with the Sofolk cleaner / stain remover to remove dirt and residue (Clean your skai before any repair for optimum adhesion!)
Sand lightly with 400-grit sandpaper to create a key, without piercing the fabric backing
Apply the tear repairer in successive thin layers with a flexible spatula or the edge of a piece of card
Allow to dry completely between each layer (15-20 minutes depending on the temperature)
Sand off the excess with fine paper to level the surface with the surrounding skai
Reproduce the grain (optional): create a matrix with Reprograin on a sound area, then apply the grain with Résigrain 2K
Recolour the treated area with the skai car seat paint matched to your colour
Protect with the clear skai lacquer to ensure resistance to everyday friction (Protect your repair for the long term with our professional lacquers!)

Why choose Sofolk for car skai repair

More than 35 years of expertise. Since 1989, Sofolk has been developing leather and skai renovation solutions for automotive professionals. Our formulations are tested in the workshop on all types of vehicle, from city cars to classic cars.

Made in France, in Bordeaux. Our products are developed in our Bordeaux laboratory using fine chemistry processes. This proximity allows us to continually adapt our formulas to developments in car skai.

Free photo service. Send us a photo of your seats by e-mail, and our experts will confirm whether the repair is feasible and guide you towards the right products for your vehicle.

Discover the full Sofolk range for car skai repair!

Frequently asked questions: car leatherette repair

Can skai be repaired like genuine leather?

No, skai requires specific products because its structure is different. It is a plastic coating on a fabric backing, whereas leather is a homogeneous fibrous material.

The Sofolk skai tear repairer is formulated to adhere to polyurethane and recover its original flexibility.

My skai is cracked all over the seat. What can I do?

If the cracks cover more than 50% of the surface, a spot repair will be visible. In this case, it is better to apply a complete recolouring after repairing the most damaged areas.

This solution costs 10 times less than new upholstery.

How do I choose between anthracite and white for the repairer?

Choose anthracite for dark skai (black, grey, brown) and white for light shades (beige, cream, light grey). The aim is to get as close as possible to the final colour after recolouring, even though recolouring remains compulsory.

Is Résigrain 2K compulsory?

No, it is only necessary if your skai has a very pronounced grain (grained leather texture, crocodile look). On smooth or fine-grain skai in recent vehicles, the tear repairer followed by recolouring is enough.

Will the repair last over time?

Yes, if it is carried out correctly and protected by the final lacquer. Durability depends on exposure to the sun and on regular care with suitable products.

Can I repair perforated or torn skai?

Only if the underlying fabric backing is intact. If you can see the seat foam through the tear, you must first fit a reinforcing fabric before applying the repairer. For large perforations (more than 2 cm), we recommend using a car upholsterer.