Manchee Leather - Glossary

about leather

Leather has provided mankind with fundamental needs since the beginning of time . Leather has played a significant role in providing clothing,shelter,footwear and seating throughout history.

Although it has evolved into a luxury material it is the inherent nature of its properties that has drawn people to it through the ages – “Leather Breathes”. It is soft and flexible and at the same time it is one of the strongest natural flat sheet materials that exist in the world.

The breathing characteristics of leather fibres create the most comfortable and softest natural material available. The hand and texture of leather differentiates it from any other material.

Comfort-Longevity-Luxury – these are the unique characteristics of top quality upholstery leather.

glossary

We have provided a brief glossary of the most important terms used within the leather industry to help you evaluate leather qualities.

Altered leather:

Leather that has had the original surface of the skin removed (usually due to imperfections in the original surface) and a new grain embossed into the leather. This is also called corrected grain. Most top grain leathers have altered or corrected grain surfaces.

Aniline:

a colorless oily, slightly water-soluble liquid used in the synthesis of dyes and resins.

Aniline dye:

any of a large number of synthetic dyes derived from aniline, usually obtained from coal tar.

Aniline dyed or aniline leather:

leather that has been dyed in a dye bath with dye penetration.

Bovine:

animal of the ox or cow family.

Breathability:

due to full grain leathers grain and pore structure it is able to adjust to temperature and wicks away moisture and body heat, thus allowing full grain leather the ability to breathe.

Buffed leather:

grain is removed from the leather by an abrasive or bladed cylinder. A process used to correct grain leather.

Chrome tannage:

a tanning process using chromium salts resulting in soft, mellow hides.

Combination tannage:

a tanning process using both chrome and vegetable tannage.

Corrected grain:

(top grain) heavily pigmented, lacking an intact full grain surface.

Cowhide:

leather tanned from hides of animals of the bovine species.

Crock:

transfer of color from the leather surface.

Drum dyeing:

the immersion of leather in a drum of dye that is tumbled allowing full dye penetration.

Embossed leather:

corrected grain which a pattern is applied by extreme pressure to give a unique design.

Enhanced full grain:

a leather that has received minor surface alteration to improve the full grain appearance.

Fat wrinkle:

fat deposits in the animal will cause wrinkles in the leather.

Finish:

all processes applied to leather after the tanning process.

Full grain:

the dermis layer of the leather is in natural state and has not been altered, allowing each full grain hide its own distinctive appearance.

Full hand:

(round hand) full bodied and robust leather.

Grain:

outside of a hide consisting of pores, cells, wrinkles and other characteristics constituting natural texture.

Grain character:

natural markings on leather.

Grain embossed:

The removal of the original grain and an artificial grain has been pressed into the surface of top grain leather.

Grain sueded:

(“nubuck leather”) a buffing process to raise the fibers on the grain side of a hide producing a velvet-like finish.

Hand:

term used in describing the feel of leather.

Kip:

hide from a grass fed, immature bovine.

Leather:

the skin of an animal prepared for use by tanning.

Leatherette:

a manufactured imitation leather.

Liming:

a process preparing the hides for tanning including the removal of hair.

Matte finish:

dull flat finish.

Milling:

a process producing suppleness in hides.

Naked leather:

a dyed leather receiving no topical application masking or altering the natural state of the leather.

Natural grain:

a full original grain leather.

Nubuck:

a polished, grain sueded leather

Oak tannage:

tannage of heavy leather with vegetable extracts.

Patent leather:

a glossy impermeable finish using drying oils, varnish or synthetic resins.

Patina:

a natural characteristic of full grain leather that develops over time.

Perforated:

a process of die cutting small holes into a hide forming a pattern.

Pigmented:

leather that is sprayed with a opaque finish.