What is Leather?
It is a strong, flexible and durable material made from the chemical treatment of animal skins and hides, a process known as tanning.
Leather is used to make a variety of items, including clothing, shoes, handbags, belts, automobile upholstery, furniture, decorations, tools and sports equipment due to its versatility and durability.
What’s the difference between Hides and Skins
Skins generally refer to skins of smaller animals like goats and sheep while hides refer to larger animals like cows.
Grades of Leather
Grades of leather does not mean actual “grades” but rather refer to the way the leather has been split and how the surface has been treated. However these variations do impact the performance and overall quality. There are various grades of leather each with it’s own unique qualities that suits different projects or styles. Grades of leather include:
Full Grain:
This cut of leather contains the outer layout of the hide called the “grain” which has not been sanded or buffed to remove any imperfections.
Top Grain:
This is similar to full-grain with the exception of the very top layer being sanded and/or buffed to remove imperfections. This makes the leather softer and ready for various dyes and finishes.
Genuine:
Genuine leather comes from any layer of the hide that is treated on the surface to get a uniform appearance. It can be sanded or buffed to remove surface imperfections, then dyed, sprayed, stamped or embossed to various tastes.
Split Grain:
This is a layered cut of leather from within the lower levels of the top grain area of the hide. It is usually a lower layer of the hide, above the flesh.
Bonded:
it is made up of leather scraps that are finely shredded and bonded together onto a fiber mesh or sheet. The amount of leather varies from 10%-90%.
Genuine:
Genuine leather comes from any layer of the hide that is treated on the surface to get a uniform appearance. It can be sanded or buffed to remove surface imperfections, then dyed, sprayed, stamped or embossed to various tastes.
Types of Leather Finishes
There are different types of leather finishes which include:
aniline, semi-aniline, brush-coloured, degrained, die-cut, embossed, embroidered, handworked, metallic, nappa, nubuck, oily, patent, pigmented, printed, split, suede and waxy. Kindly check our wide range of products.