The author describes an approach to the conservation of 19th-century parkas made from strips of dried seal gut sewn together. In museums they have often been stored badly, folded into small packages, and crushed, dirty and embrittled. The object of the treatment is to unroll and reshape, clean, repair weakened and damaged areas, and to soften the material if possible. The author has experimented with 11 lubricant/softening solutions. Although she has selected PEG 400 for use, others appeared to give good results. She has also tested a range of adhesives with interesting results, selecting Mowilith DMC2 to repair tears using sausage casing. -- AATA