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ANILINE LEATHER<\/span><\/p>\nAbout 5 percent of any leather upholstery that’s produced falls into this category. When aniline dyes are used to on leather, this is what we call it. Often waxed, or treated with a protective lacquer, protein, or resin coating<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
ANTIQUED<\/span><\/p>\nAlso referred to as distressed leather; this is leather which has been dyed with multiple colors on after the other for the purpose of creating artificial aging and prestigious highlights.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
CHROME TANNAGE<\/span><\/p>\nThis is presently the most commonly type of tannage in use in the USA. It’s the use of chromium salts to achieve mellow, soft hides that will more easily absorb a variety of colors.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
COMBINATION TANNAGE<\/span><\/p>\nUsing more than a single tanning agent on leather to give it more softness and body.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
CONDITIONING<\/span><\/p>\nUsing products to rehydrate and revitalize leather and help it keep itself together and support good quality.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
CORRECTED GRAIN<\/span><\/p>\nLeather which is first abraded or sanded in order to remove faults, then pigmented to hide the sanding after which an artificial grain is printed on it. It is also referred to as top grain leather.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
CROCK<\/span><\/p>\nWhat we call it when color gets rubbed off leather which has been dyed poorly.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
DISTRESSED<\/span><\/p>\nOtherwise known as antiqued leather.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
DRUM DYING<\/span><\/p>\nImmersing leather in a drum with dye stuff and tumbling the drum, allowing the dye to fully penetrate the leather<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
EMBOSSED LEATHER<\/span><\/p>\nApplying a pattern to leather through use of intense pressure often used to imitate the characteristics of full grain on corrected grain. Leathers are often embossed to give one type of leather the appearance of another.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
FAT WRINKLE<\/span><\/p>\nImitation leather lacks fat wrinkles. They are the wrinkles that animals’ fat deposits cause which give leather its rustic and beautiful appearance.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
FINISH<\/span><\/p>\nA substance applied to the leather’s surface to mask imperfections, protect and\/or color leather. This term can be used for any processing done to leather after tanning.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
FULL GRAIN<\/span><\/p>\nUnaltered or uncorrected hide or skin once the hair is removed.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
GLAZED FINISH<\/span><\/p>\nWhen the surface of the leather is polished using enormous pressure with glass on steel rollers. Besides this, it’s almost the same as an aniline finish.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
GRAIN CHARACTER<\/span><\/p>\nLeather’s natural surface markings.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
GRAINED LEATHER<\/span><\/p>\nAny leather on which the original natural grain has been changed or altered by any method, process or manipulation; also top grain.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
GRAIN SUEDED<\/span><\/p>\nLeather in which the grain has been sueded for the purpose of getting a buffed appearance.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
HAND<\/span><\/p>\nA word describing suppleness or softness of leather. A common term in the leather industry.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
LEATHERETTE<\/span><\/p>\nA leather imitation, or faux leather fabric material.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
MATTE FINISH<\/span><\/p>\nA finish without shine. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
NAKED LEATHER<\/span><\/p>\nA term used to describe leather which has only been dyed without any other finish or treatment.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
NAP<\/span><\/p>\nThe soft effect found after brushing or buffing leather.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
NATURAL GRAIN<\/span><\/p>\nThe original full grain retained in the leather<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
NUBUCK<\/span><\/p>\nGrain suede leather which has been brushed.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
OIL TANNED<\/span><\/p>\nA pliable, soft leather tanned with fish oils.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
PATENT LEATHER<\/span><\/p>\nWhen varnish, synthetic resins, or drying oils are used with successive coats on leather to get an impermeable glossy finish.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
PATINA<\/span><\/p>\nWhen something looks beautifully grown on the surface through use or age; a quality achieved through habit, repetition, or constant use.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
PERFORATED<\/span><\/p>\nLeather with a pattern of holes cut into it.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
PIGMENTED LEATHER<\/span><\/p>\nWhen a flat surface color is added to leather to increase durability and mask blemishes.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
PLATING, PLATED LEATHER<\/span><\/p>\nUsing a heated metal plate to press leather. Plating, pigmenting, and sanding are most often used to cover imperfections in furniture leather.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
PULL-UP<\/span><\/p>\nAreas of treated leather becoming lighter when stretched or pulled, particularly treated with dyes, waxes, and oils. This is seen as a sign of excellent quality.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
RECONSTITUTED LEATHER<\/span><\/p>\nA fibrous mat put together using collagen fibers from macerated pieces of hide.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
REFINISHING<\/span><\/p>\nCovering stains, correcting fading, and hiding damage trough applying finish to leather. Can also be used to change the color of leather.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
REPAIR<\/span><\/p>\nCorrecting minor damage through the use of synthetic filler materials.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
SEMI-ANILINE<\/span><\/p>\nWhen a matching layer of pigment is added to aniline leather for the sake of protection and\/or evening out the color.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
SHRUNKEN GRAIN LEATHER<\/span><\/p>\nEnhancing the grain of a natural, full-grain leather by shrinking it.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
SIDE<\/span><\/p>\nA lengthwise cut down the middle of a hide making a half.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
SPLIT LEATHER (SPLIT)<\/span><\/p>\nSliced hide with each layer done in equal thickness. Sometimes cheap leathers are just pigmented splits with imitation grain embossed. Can also be finished and trimmed as<\/span><\/p>\nsuede.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n