LEATHER
Leather
is one of nature's most luxurious yet practical materials.
One of the first things people do after looking at a leather
jacket is touch it. The way leather feels to the touch is
called the "hand-feel" or simply "the hand".
As a general rule, the softer the hand, the better the leather
quality.
There
are many influencing factors that effect the quality of
leather. Every hide has textural variations related to the
animal's genetic makeup, environment and food supply. The
resulting markings and wrinkles on a given hide should be
considered part of the hides natural beauty and uniqueness.
There are numerous types of leathers and leather treatment
processes for tanning and finishing leather. The leather
used in the garment industry is a by-product of farming
and food production. In the production of leather, each
tannery has its own techniques and recipes for creating
texture and color variations.
After
the hides are tanned, dyed and finished as desired, skilled
craftsmen carefully select hides that match in color and
texture. Each hide is cut by hand from patterns that represent
the sleeves, collar, body and other portions of the garment.
These pieces are then sewn into a garment.
Professional
leather cleaning is recommended when needed for leather
garments. Unlike fabric, leather has natural oils that protect
and preserve the appearance and life of a garment. Removing
these oils reduces the hide's suppleness. The chemicals
used to clean leather frequently remove the natural oils
as well as the undesired dirt. These oils must be restored
by a
professional
leather cleaner.
The
better the quality of a hide of skin, the less it has to
be treated. In a premium quality hide or skin, the full
natural grain is retained and exposed. One should see the
"fat wrinkles," the natural markings, and the
feel or hand should be supple and natural to the touch.
Transforming hides and skins into leather is done in three
basic phases: pretanning, 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.
Genuine,
natural, unpigmented and unplasticized leather will breathe
and ventilate, thus wicking away body heat. If the surface
of the leather has been plasticized, as is the case for
most automobile upholstery, the leather cannot breathe and
may become stiff and boardy.
Types
of Leathers:
BUCKSKIN -
Deer and elk skins, having the outer grain removed.
CALFSKIN - Skin from a young bovine, male or female.
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.
COWHIDE - Hide from a mature female bovine, thick, very grainy,
but durable.
DEERSKIN/ELKSKIN - Deer and elk skins having the grain intact.
GOATSKIN - Skin from a mature goat.
HORSEHIDE - Hide from a horse or colt.
LAMBSKIN - Skin from a lamb or young sheep. One of the softest
leathers and therefore more expensive. Smooth, lightweight,
and uniform, tight grain.
NEW ZEALAND LAMBSKIN - Very soft lambskin, from a lamb or
sheep grown in New Zealand. See "Lambskin".
PELT - An untanned hide or skin with the hair on.
PIGSKIN - Skin from pigs and hogs.
SHEARLING - Woolen sheep and lambskin's tanned with the wool
intact. Very warm and durable.
SHEEPSKIN - Skin from a mature sheep. See Shearling.
SHRUNKEN LAMB - A tanning process that actually shrinks the
hide, creating a more pebbly or puckered, grainy appearance.
Leather
Glossary:
ANILINE - The type of dye used to give the initial color
to a skin. Aniline dying is the process of putting skins
into a drum and allowing the dye to soak completely through.
BUFFED - Leather which has been abrased or sueded. This can
also be referred to as snuffed, nubuck leather, or grain-sueded
leather.
BUFFING - Process used to minimize surface imperfections,
creates a more uniform skin appearance.
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.
FAT WRINKLE - Wrinkles in the grain of leather caused by
fat deposits in the animal that creates beauty in the leather.
Fat wrinkles are not visible in imitation grain leather.
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.
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.
IMITATION - A variety of materials which have been made to
resemble genuine leather. The great bulk of these are rubber
or plastic-coated fabrics. It is unlawful to use terms connoting
leather to describe imitations.
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. Usually reserved for the
finest quality skins.
NATURAL GRAIN - A leather which retains the full original
grain.
NUBUCK - Leather that has been abrased to create a slight
sueded type nap, resulting in a soft feel that appears smoother
than suede.
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.
SADDLE LEATHER - Vegetable-tanned cattlehide leather for
harnesses and saddles, usually of a natural tan shade and
rather flexible.
SHRUNKEN GRAIN LEATHER - A full, natural-grain leather which
is shrunken to enlarge and enhance the grain of the leather.
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.
Professional
leather cleaning is recommended for all leathers, and
fabric garments trimmed with leather. Normal dry cleaning methods will not
yield proper results. Since leather cleaning is a specialty, not found
in every city, most neighborhood dry cleaners send their customers' garments
to professional leather cleaners who work on behalf of hundreds
of dry cleaners across several states. Call one or more leather cleaners
to determine which of your neighborhood dry cleaners they work with. Tell the
leather cleaner you were referred by the Leather Apparel Association. The
garment may then be dropped off at a local dry cleaner who will send it to
a reputable leather cleaner.
Specialized
care is recommended to retain the supple beauty and
luster of leather. |
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