Leather Guide
The skin of each Lamb, Sheep or Cow is different and may have imperfections and blemishes.Tanning the leather masks some of these blemishes and other processes may also alter the original texture.After Completing the tanning process, leather can be finished in a variety of ways (it can be buffed, antiqued, dyed, embossed, waterproofed etc...).
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Transforming hides and skins into leather is done in three basic phases: pre-tanning, tanning, and finishing. Whatever is done to a piece of leather after it is tanned is part of the finishing process. This may include: dyeing, rolling, pressing, spraying, plasticizing, lacquering, antiquing, waxing, buffing, snuffing, embossing, glazing, waterproofing, stain-proofing, flame-proofing, or any other post-tanning treatment. Full grain leathers are color-treated only by transparent aniline vegetable dyes which shade or color the skins without concealing or obscuring natural markings or grain character. Most furniture leathers have been treated with a coating of pigmentation to help even out the color.The most confusing term used within the leather industry is the term “top grain”. Ironically, ”top grain” is the definition generally used when the grain is not genuine; when, in fact, the real grain has been taken away and an imitation grain embossed into the leather. When the genuine grain remains, the leather is called “FULL Grain”.
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Leather Bible
ANILINE LEATHER: Leather that has been dyed through with aniline dyes. Pure aniline leathers represent approximately 5 percent of all upholstery leathers produced worldwide. Sometimes topped with a protein, resin, or lacquer protective coating; can also be waxed.
BASEBALL LEATHER: Leather used for the covers of baseballs. Prior to 1974 baseballs are covered in cowhide; today quality baseballs are covered in alum-tanned horsehide.
BELTING LEATHER: The vegetable-tanned leather used in the construction of furniture and other strength-related requirements.
BUFFED: Leather which has been abrased or sueded. This can also be referred to as snuffed, nubuck leather, or grain-sueded leather.
CHROME TANNAGE: Leather tanned in chromium salts, primarily basic chromium sulfate resulting in soft, mellow hides receptive to excellent color variety. Currently the most widely used tanning in the USA.
CORRECTED GRAIN: The outside skin is sanded or abraded to minimize faults. It is then pigmented to cover the sanding and printed with an artificial grain. A spray sealer topcoat is then applied. Corrected grain material is usually called top grain leather.
DEGRAINED LEATHER: Leather from which the grain has been removed after tanning, by splitting, abrading or other process.
DRUM DYING: The application of dye stuffs to leather by the immersion of the leather in a drum that is tumbled. This process allows full dye penetration into the fiber.
EMBOSSED LEATHER: Usually corrected grain, in which a pattern is applied by extreme pressure in a press to give a unique design or imitation of full grain characteristics. Sometimes leathers are embossed to make them appear to be another leather, such as embossing an alligator pattern into cowhide.
FINISH: A surface application on the leather to color, protect, or mask imperfections. More specifically, all processes administered to leather after it has been tanned.
FULL GRAIN: The term used for the outside original skin or hide which has had the hair removed, but otherwise has not been corrected or altered. Full-grain leather possesses the genuine original grain of the animal.
FULL HAND: Leather which is full-bodied, such as some combination tanned leathers and fine vegetable-tanned upholstery leather. Also called round hand.
GLAZED FINISH: Similar to an aniline finish except that the leather surface is polished to a high luster by the action of glass on steel rollers under tremendous pressure.
GLOVE LEATHER: A term used to describe soft leather used for gloves, which is normally lambskin. The term is also used by some to define soft leather.
GRAINED LEATHER: Any leather on which the original natural grain has been changed or altered by any method, process or manipulation; also top grain.
GRAIN SUEDED: A process of sueding the grain side of the skin to achieve a buffed or sueded condition. See "Snuffed".
HAND: A term used in the leather industry to describe the feel, i.e., softness or fullness of upholstery leather.
HEAVY LEATHER: A somewhat indefinite term, generally understood to include vegetable-tanned sole, belting, strap and mechanical leathers made from unsplit cattlehides.
MATTE FINISH: A flat or dull finish.
MINERAL TANNED: Leather which has been tanned by any of several mineral substances, notably the salts of chromium, aluminum, and zirconium.
NAKED LEATHER: A leather with no surface, impregnated treatment of finish other than dye matter which might mask or alter the natural state of the leather.
NATURAL GRAIN: A leather which retains the full original grain.
NUBUCK: A brushed, grain-sueded leather.
OAK TANNAGE: Originally, the tannage leather occurred almost entirely with oak bark, later the term applied to tannage with a blend containing oak tannin. Now it is loosely applied to any tannage of leather with vegetable extracts.
OIL TANNED: Leather tanned with certain fish oils. Produces a very soft, pliable leather such as chamois.
PATENT LEATHER: Leather with a glossy impermeable finish produced by successive coats of drying oils, varnish, or synthetic resins.
PERFORATED: In leather, the process of die cutting small holes to form a pattern. The holes can vary in size, density and pattern.
PIGMENTED: A process of coloring and coating in the leather surface with colored pigments dispersed in film-forming chemicals called binders which can be tailor-made to produce surfaces that are highly resistant to wear, fading, etc. Leather that has been sprayed with a pigmented, opaque finish. This is usually done to cover imperfections in leather
SADDLE LEATHER: Vegetable-tanned cattlehide leather for harnesses and saddles, usually of a natural tan shade and rather flexible.
SNUFFED: The grain surface is abraded with brushes, emery wheel or sandpaper. Leather is snuffed for the purpose of removing defective grain, or for sueding the surface of the leather.
SPLIT LEATHER (SPLIT): Skin sliced in layers to give uniform thickness to the piece (grainside). Split leather (inside) is trimmed and finished as suede. Cheap leathers are sometimes pigmented splits with embossed imitation grain.
STRETCH LEATHER: The original process bonds leather and Lycra fiber, a stretch fabric that confers on the product an incredible elasticity. Of course, Lycra is placed on the B face of the hide (the inside of a pair of pants or skirt for example). Well known brand names have been using stretch leather in their garments, usually and primarily for pants and skirts. Stretch leather is shape-retaining, comfortable and resistant. Some call it a second skin. It offers excellent suppleness and richness. Some of the famous designers who use stretch leather are: Giorgio Armani, Roberto Cavalli, Christian Dior, Givenchy, Gucci, Martin Margiela, Jean-Claude Jitrois and Prada to name a few. Stretch leather is sometimes also used in shoes, one example is Robert Clergerie for his boots collection.
SUEDE: Leathers that are finished by buffing the flesh side (opposite the grain side) to produce a nap. Term refers to the napping process, and is unrelated to the type of skin used. See "Split Leather".
TANNIN: Any various solvents; astringent substances of plant origin used in tanning leather.
TOP GRAIN: The term intended to define genuine grain leather, as opposed to split leather which has been pigmented and embossed with a new grain. In reality, top-grain leather usually has had the original grain removed and an imitation grain embossed into the surface.
UPHOLSTERY LEATHER: A general term for leather processed for use in furniture, automobiles, and airplanes.
WEIGHT: The weight of leather is measured in ounces per square foot.
BASEBALL LEATHER: Leather used for the covers of baseballs. Prior to 1974 baseballs are covered in cowhide; today quality baseballs are covered in alum-tanned horsehide.
BELTING LEATHER: The vegetable-tanned leather used in the construction of furniture and other strength-related requirements.
BUFFED: Leather which has been abrased or sueded. This can also be referred to as snuffed, nubuck leather, or grain-sueded leather.
CHROME TANNAGE: Leather tanned in chromium salts, primarily basic chromium sulfate resulting in soft, mellow hides receptive to excellent color variety. Currently the most widely used tanning in the USA.
CORRECTED GRAIN: The outside skin is sanded or abraded to minimize faults. It is then pigmented to cover the sanding and printed with an artificial grain. A spray sealer topcoat is then applied. Corrected grain material is usually called top grain leather.
DEGRAINED LEATHER: Leather from which the grain has been removed after tanning, by splitting, abrading or other process.
DRUM DYING: The application of dye stuffs to leather by the immersion of the leather in a drum that is tumbled. This process allows full dye penetration into the fiber.
EMBOSSED LEATHER: Usually corrected grain, in which a pattern is applied by extreme pressure in a press to give a unique design or imitation of full grain characteristics. Sometimes leathers are embossed to make them appear to be another leather, such as embossing an alligator pattern into cowhide.
FINISH: A surface application on the leather to color, protect, or mask imperfections. More specifically, all processes administered to leather after it has been tanned.
FULL GRAIN: The term used for the outside original skin or hide which has had the hair removed, but otherwise has not been corrected or altered. Full-grain leather possesses the genuine original grain of the animal.
FULL HAND: Leather which is full-bodied, such as some combination tanned leathers and fine vegetable-tanned upholstery leather. Also called round hand.
GLAZED FINISH: Similar to an aniline finish except that the leather surface is polished to a high luster by the action of glass on steel rollers under tremendous pressure.
GLOVE LEATHER: A term used to describe soft leather used for gloves, which is normally lambskin. The term is also used by some to define soft leather.
GRAINED LEATHER: Any leather on which the original natural grain has been changed or altered by any method, process or manipulation; also top grain.
GRAIN SUEDED: A process of sueding the grain side of the skin to achieve a buffed or sueded condition. See "Snuffed".
HAND: A term used in the leather industry to describe the feel, i.e., softness or fullness of upholstery leather.
HEAVY LEATHER: A somewhat indefinite term, generally understood to include vegetable-tanned sole, belting, strap and mechanical leathers made from unsplit cattlehides.
MATTE FINISH: A flat or dull finish.
MINERAL TANNED: Leather which has been tanned by any of several mineral substances, notably the salts of chromium, aluminum, and zirconium.
NAKED LEATHER: A leather with no surface, impregnated treatment of finish other than dye matter which might mask or alter the natural state of the leather.
NATURAL GRAIN: A leather which retains the full original grain.
NUBUCK: A brushed, grain-sueded leather.
OAK TANNAGE: Originally, the tannage leather occurred almost entirely with oak bark, later the term applied to tannage with a blend containing oak tannin. Now it is loosely applied to any tannage of leather with vegetable extracts.
OIL TANNED: Leather tanned with certain fish oils. Produces a very soft, pliable leather such as chamois.
PATENT LEATHER: Leather with a glossy impermeable finish produced by successive coats of drying oils, varnish, or synthetic resins.
PERFORATED: In leather, the process of die cutting small holes to form a pattern. The holes can vary in size, density and pattern.
PIGMENTED: A process of coloring and coating in the leather surface with colored pigments dispersed in film-forming chemicals called binders which can be tailor-made to produce surfaces that are highly resistant to wear, fading, etc. Leather that has been sprayed with a pigmented, opaque finish. This is usually done to cover imperfections in leather
SADDLE LEATHER: Vegetable-tanned cattlehide leather for harnesses and saddles, usually of a natural tan shade and rather flexible.
SNUFFED: The grain surface is abraded with brushes, emery wheel or sandpaper. Leather is snuffed for the purpose of removing defective grain, or for sueding the surface of the leather.
SPLIT LEATHER (SPLIT): Skin sliced in layers to give uniform thickness to the piece (grainside). Split leather (inside) is trimmed and finished as suede. Cheap leathers are sometimes pigmented splits with embossed imitation grain.
STRETCH LEATHER: The original process bonds leather and Lycra fiber, a stretch fabric that confers on the product an incredible elasticity. Of course, Lycra is placed on the B face of the hide (the inside of a pair of pants or skirt for example). Well known brand names have been using stretch leather in their garments, usually and primarily for pants and skirts. Stretch leather is shape-retaining, comfortable and resistant. Some call it a second skin. It offers excellent suppleness and richness. Some of the famous designers who use stretch leather are: Giorgio Armani, Roberto Cavalli, Christian Dior, Givenchy, Gucci, Martin Margiela, Jean-Claude Jitrois and Prada to name a few. Stretch leather is sometimes also used in shoes, one example is Robert Clergerie for his boots collection.
SUEDE: Leathers that are finished by buffing the flesh side (opposite the grain side) to produce a nap. Term refers to the napping process, and is unrelated to the type of skin used. See "Split Leather".
TANNIN: Any various solvents; astringent substances of plant origin used in tanning leather.
TOP GRAIN: The term intended to define genuine grain leather, as opposed to split leather which has been pigmented and embossed with a new grain. In reality, top-grain leather usually has had the original grain removed and an imitation grain embossed into the surface.
UPHOLSTERY LEATHER: A general term for leather processed for use in furniture, automobiles, and airplanes.
WEIGHT: The weight of leather is measured in ounces per square foot.
Kinds Of Leather
ALLIGATOR: Alligator, crocodile, and related types.
BOVINE: A cow, ox, or closely related animal.
BUCKSKIN: Deer and elk skins, having the outer grain removed.
BULLHIDE: Hide from a male bovine, capable of reproduction.
CABRETTA: A hair-type sheepskin; specifically those from Brazil.
CALFSKIN: Skin from a young bovine, male or female.
CAPESKIN: Skin from a sheep raised in South America.
CARPINCHO: A water rodent native to South America; like pigskin.
CATTLEHIDE: General term for hides before tanning from a bovine of any breed or sex, but usually mature; includes bullhide, steerhide, cowhide and sometimes kipskins.
CORDOVAN: From a section of a hide called the shell.
COWHIDE: Hide from a mature female bovine that has produced a calf.
DEERSKIN: Deer and elk skins having the grain intact.
DOESKIN: From sheep or lambskins, usually with the grain removed.
FLESHER: The underneath (flesh side) layer of a sheepskin which has been split off. Used to make chamois.
GOATSKIN: Skin from a mature goat.
HAIR SHEEP: Sheep from several species whose "wool" is hair-like.
HEIFER: A female bovine, under three years of age, that has not produced a calf.
HIDE: The whole pelt from large animals (cattle, horses, etc.).
HORSEHIDE: Hide from a horse or colt.
KANGAROO: From the Australian kangaroo or wallaby.
KIDSKIN: Skin from a lamb, or young sheep.
KIPSKIN: Skin from a bovine, male or female, intermediate in size between a calf and mature.
LAMBSKIN: Skin from a lamb or young sheep.
LIZARD: Any of a great number of the lizard family.
MOCHA: Middle-East hair sheep, usually with the grain removed.
OSTRICH: From the two-legged animal native to North Africa.
PECCARY: From a wild boar native to Central and South America; like pigskin.
PELT: An untanned hide or skin with the hair on.
PIGSKIN: Skin from pigs and hogs.
RAWHIDE: Untanned skins or hide.
RAWSTOCK: General term for hides or skins that a tanner has received in a preserved state, prepatory to tanning; a tanner's inventory of raw material.
SHARKSKIN: From certain of the shark species.
SHEARLING: Wooled sheep and lambskins, tanned with the wool intact.
SHEEPSKIN: Skin from a mature sheep.
SKIVER: The thin grain layer split from a sheepskin.
SNAKE: Any of a number of the snake species.
STEERHIDE: Hide from a mature male bovine, incapable of reproduction, having been raised for beef.
WALRUS: Skin from a walrus; also, sometimes sealskin.
WATERBUFFALO: Flathorned buffalo, primarily from the tropics.
BOVINE: A cow, ox, or closely related animal.
BUCKSKIN: Deer and elk skins, having the outer grain removed.
BULLHIDE: Hide from a male bovine, capable of reproduction.
CABRETTA: A hair-type sheepskin; specifically those from Brazil.
CALFSKIN: Skin from a young bovine, male or female.
CAPESKIN: Skin from a sheep raised in South America.
CARPINCHO: A water rodent native to South America; like pigskin.
CATTLEHIDE: General term for hides before tanning from a bovine of any breed or sex, but usually mature; includes bullhide, steerhide, cowhide and sometimes kipskins.
CORDOVAN: From a section of a hide called the shell.
COWHIDE: Hide from a mature female bovine that has produced a calf.
DEERSKIN: Deer and elk skins having the grain intact.
DOESKIN: From sheep or lambskins, usually with the grain removed.
FLESHER: The underneath (flesh side) layer of a sheepskin which has been split off. Used to make chamois.
GOATSKIN: Skin from a mature goat.
HAIR SHEEP: Sheep from several species whose "wool" is hair-like.
HEIFER: A female bovine, under three years of age, that has not produced a calf.
HIDE: The whole pelt from large animals (cattle, horses, etc.).
HORSEHIDE: Hide from a horse or colt.
KANGAROO: From the Australian kangaroo or wallaby.
KIDSKIN: Skin from a lamb, or young sheep.
KIPSKIN: Skin from a bovine, male or female, intermediate in size between a calf and mature.
LAMBSKIN: Skin from a lamb or young sheep.
LIZARD: Any of a great number of the lizard family.
MOCHA: Middle-East hair sheep, usually with the grain removed.
OSTRICH: From the two-legged animal native to North Africa.
PECCARY: From a wild boar native to Central and South America; like pigskin.
PELT: An untanned hide or skin with the hair on.
PIGSKIN: Skin from pigs and hogs.
RAWHIDE: Untanned skins or hide.
RAWSTOCK: General term for hides or skins that a tanner has received in a preserved state, prepatory to tanning; a tanner's inventory of raw material.
SHARKSKIN: From certain of the shark species.
SHEARLING: Wooled sheep and lambskins, tanned with the wool intact.
SHEEPSKIN: Skin from a mature sheep.
SKIVER: The thin grain layer split from a sheepskin.
SNAKE: Any of a number of the snake species.
STEERHIDE: Hide from a mature male bovine, incapable of reproduction, having been raised for beef.
WALRUS: Skin from a walrus; also, sometimes sealskin.
WATERBUFFALO: Flathorned buffalo, primarily from the tropics.
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