Leather

A finish that gives a decorative touch.  It is often created using uniform designs from a machine or using special tools.   The design is heat-pressed onto the surface of leather.  The result is the creation of a series of depressions (as opposed to raised marks in embossing) that add up to form the design.  

A finish that gives a decorative touch.  It is often created using uniform designs from a machine or using special tools.   The design is heat-pressed onto the surface of leather.  The result is the creation of a series of raised marks (as opposed to depression marks used in debossing) that make up the form of the design. 

A term referring to the types of leathers from reptiles such as snakes, lizards, and crocodiles.  Exotics can be purchased in smaller quantities than hides made into leather made available through the meat industry. 

There are numerous kinds of ways in which the surface of leather can be finished after tanning.  Finishing lends an original appearance to a piece of hide, hides blemishes, changes the surface color and protects the hide from wear.  The lower the quality of a hide, the more finishing is needed to create a decent leather. 

The grain is a term relating to the degree of quality of a piece of leather.  Several factors determine the quality grade, including the level and condition of any marking exposure after the removal of any hair folllicles, and any damage on the leather's surface.  A leather contains a better grain if it was taken from a younger animal. 

A term referring to the hair follicles not removed from a piece of leather in order to create a 'wild' effect.  Every hide contains an original pattern and color. 

A type of synthetic leather frequently made from vinyl.  Imitation leather does not contain as many of the usual characteristics and natural blemishes from real leather. 

A process done by a machine that cuts complex platterns into a piece of leather. 

A broad term referring to all skins and hides that have been tanned.  Leather is a natural product; most leather is made available as a by-product of the meat industry.  Leather from cows, sheep, pigs and goats are the typical sources of leather.  Other types of leather from sources such as crocodiles and snakes are not as readily available, but they can be purchased in small quantities. 

A very fine sueded finish.

A type of special effect that improves the natural grain of leather. 

Because most hides are too thick for the majority of applications, hides are "split" to create a uniform thickness.  The process is done by a series of machine-cut layers which are then shaved to create uniform skins. 

A soft, velvety appearance of a leather surface usually created by buffing a split of good quality. 

The process of preparing and preserving the structure of a hide.  Hides are prepared through sanitation, a cleaning process and then worked on in order to create a quality consistent product.