About Leather

Search for Product

Shopping Cart

Show Cart

Your Cart is currently empty.

Buy now using Paypal - click here for more information about Paypal

About Leather

The properties of leather vary considerably depending upon the type and quality of both the skins and the tanning process. Every piece of leather has individual markings which relate to its origins and add character to each skin.

Like a fine wine, a good quality leather garment should improve with age. The natural elasticity of each hide means it is flexible and will stretch and return to its original shape. Leather also has a natural tendency to repel liquids and resist staining. It's also fire resistant, and emits no toxic fumes, even when exposed to intense heat.

Relative to virtually all man-made textiles, leather is very strong and has a high resistance level to tears and punctures. The comfort provided by most leather goods is due in part to leather's ability to combine breathing and insulating properties. You may have heard... "Leather is hot in summer and cold in winter." In reality, leather adjusts constantly to its environment. Because it is a natural product, leather "breathes" freely, maintaining a comfort level in all seasons.

Leather master works in collaboration with many upholstery manufacturers in classifying their leather into the following three basic categories:

ANILINE (Cleaning code A)

PROTECTED (Cleaning code P)

NUBUCK (Cleaning code N)

Click each link above for more information on each type of leather.

More about Nubuck Leather ( 2 items )

Also called distressed, bomber or brushed - Cleaning Code N
This leather starts out as an aniline leather which the surface has been brushed or sanded, and have created a texture similar to velvet on leather. Many people confuse these with suede leather. Suede is the flesh side of a piece of leather and nubuck is an effect that is done to the grain side, making it incredibly soft.
Creating a nap on the leather makes it even more absorbent than aniline leathers
More about Protected Leather ( 2 items )

Also called Finished, semi-anilne, everyday, pigmented or painted - Cleaning Code P
These leathers have combined the best aspects of a natural product (leather) and have utilized tannery technology to create a product that is more uniform in appearance and colour (due to the application of pigments to the surface). It then has a finish applied to the surface that makes the leather more resistant to the effects of heavy use. The pigments and finish applied to the leather do affect the softness somewhat. The more finish that is applied the less soft is the leather.

What determines the amount of pigment and finish needed is:
- The colour of the leather (all light colours require more pigment to cover the surface).
- The selection of the leather (lower grade selection requires more mechanical correction)
- The desired level of resistance the finish needs (automotive requires the highest)
- Protected leathers are the most common leathers and for most consumers the most practical.
More about Aniline Leathers ( 2 items )

Also called Natural, Pure, Naked or Unprotected - Cleaning Code A
These leathers are coloured with transparent dye stuff. This means that you are able to see the actual surface grain and markings. It is as if you are looking through a coloured lens. These leather have very little or no protective treatments applied to them. The most common thing to do is to spray a wax finish on the surface that gives short term water repellance. The actual way that the leather is made varies from tannery to tannery.