Makers list flexible glues for leather: shoe glues, E6000 and contact adhesive. Check the kind of leather first, because some glues rule out very soft or faux leather.
Gluing
Leather
shoes, bags, belts
shoes, bags, belts
Where
What holds
Flexible solvent glue or hybrid polymer glue
11 products have both surfaces on their makers’ lists.
Loctite Vinyl, Fabric & Plastic Flexible Adhesive (flexible solvent glue). Cures in 24 hours. Not for heat over 140°F.
Loctite Shoe Glue (hybrid polymer glue). Cures in about 24 to 48 hours. Not for bonding two non-porous surfaces, such as metal to metal.
Gorilla Super Glue Gel (super glue). Sets in 10 to 45 seconds. Gorilla rates it for indoor use and not for filling gaps.
Gorilla Clear Grip (contact adhesive). Let it dry about 2 minutes before joining; full cure takes at least 24 hours. Waterproof. Gorilla labels it flammable.
Titebond Original Wood Glue (wood glue). Not for outdoor use or where moisture is likely, and not for load-bearing joints.
Shoe Goo (flexible solvent glue). Sets in 20 minutes, full cure in 24 to 72 hours. Stays flexible.
5 more products list both.
Not for this pair: J-B Weld Original: J-B Weld says most of its products won’t bond well to flexible rubber, canvas or leather; J-B Weld KwikWeld: J-B Weld says most of its products won’t bond well to flexible rubber, canvas or leather; J-B Weld ClearWeld: J-B Weld says most of its products won’t bond well to flexible rubber, canvas or leather.
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Not every leather
Soft leather: Loctite rules out very soft leathers for its Plastics Bonding System.
Faux leather: Loctite’s Vinyl, Fabric & Plastic adhesive isn’t for faux leather or leatherette.
Unfinished leather: Loctite Extreme Glue’s data sheet lists unfinished leather and doesn’t mention finished leather.
Shoes, bags and belts
Eclectic says Shoe Goo bonds leather, rubber, vinyl and canvas and is water resistant as soon as it’s on, and Loctite Shoe Glue lists leather, canvas and many rubbers. Loctite adds that its Shoe Glue isn’t for constant water immersion and needs 24 to 48 hours undisturbed. More in rubber, for soles.
A tear, not a joint
J-B Weld says most of its glues won’t bond well to leather or vinyl, and points to its LeatherWeld kit for those repairs instead: a kit to fix cracked or torn leather and vinyl.
Gorilla lists leather for its Super Glue Gel and Loctite for its Super Glue Gel Control, but Loctite says its gel isn't for jobs needing high flexibility.
What glue for leather shoes?
A shoe glue that lists leather, such as Shoe Goo or Loctite Shoe Glue. Eclectic says Shoe Goo is made for better adhesion to flexible materials.
Does wood glue work on leather?
Titebond lists leather for Titebond Original, among porous materials, but it isn't for outdoor use or where it may get wet.
The leather each glue takes and rules out comes from Loctite’s, Gorilla’s, Eclectic’s, Titebond’s and J-B Weld’s own pages, data sheets and FAQs. Checked against published data from Henkel, J-B Weld, Gorilla Glue Company, Eclectic Products and Franklin International.
See all 15 sources
Gorilla Glue Company, Gorilla Super Glue Gel: product page, FAQ and SDS (2025)