Four dry cleaners who handle leather goods offered the same advice: do not put leather goods in a vacuum bag, ever. You will either deform the leather or risk mold and mildew.

It is practically impossible to get the wrinkles out of leather. Leather often becomes permanently stretched, wrinkled or otherwise damaged in a vacuum bag.

Vacuum bags fail frequently, allowing in the moisture that they are supposed to prevent. Mold and mildew may sometimes be removed from cloth with ammonia, but it rots leather and cannot be effectively removed.

As an alternative to vacuum bags or even plastic garment bags, dry-cleaning professionals recommend cloth garment bags and hanging the garments in a cool, dry place off-season.

One dry-cleaning expert says that fur coats are always hung to retain their shape or sometimes loosely boxed. He advises treating leather garments the same way.

Vacuum bags may be useful for stiffer items like purses and shoes on a short trip, but should not be used for longer storage.