ANILINE DYED
Aniline-dyed leather is leather that has been colored throughout with transparent dyes, allowing the natural characteristics and markings of the leather to remain visible. This process involves immersing the leather in a dye bath, resulting in high-quality leather that is both rich in color and retains its natural beauty.
BONDED LEATHER
Bonded leather, also known as reconstituted leather or blended leather, is a type of material made from scraps of genuine leather combined with synthetic substances like polyurethane or latex. These leather scraps are bonded together to create a surface that resembles genuine leather.
BUFFING / BUFFED LEATHER
Buffing leather involves using tools or machines to smooth and shine its surface, improving its appearance and texture by removing imperfections. It's a process that enhances the look and feel of leather.
CORRECTED GRAIN
Corrected grain leather is a type of leather that has undergone a process to remove or correct surface imperfections, such as scars, blemishes, and natural wrinkles, to create a smoother and more uniform appearance.
CROCKING
Eliminating the excess color that comes off a freshly dyed leather hide.
CRUST
Leather that hasn’t had any finishes or coloring applied to it yet.
DISTRESSED LEATHER / DISTRESSING
Leather that has been purposely treated to achieve a worn and naturally aged appearance, with scuffs and color variations.
DRUM DYED
A process that dyes leather in large rotating drums or barrels to ensure that the dye penetrates deeply into the leather, coloring it thoroughly and evenly throughout.
DYE LOT
A batch or production run of leather that has been dyed using the same batch of dye or colorant. Leather manufacturers often dye their leather in batches, and each batch can vary slightly in color or shade, even if the same dye formula is used.
EMBOSSING
Embossing leather involves using heat and pressure, along with specially designed plates or rollers, to create textured or raised patterns and designs on the leather's surface. EX: used to create imitation alligator hide.
FINISHING / FINISHES
A leather finish refers to the final treatment or coating applied to leather to achieve a desired appearance, texture, and level of protection. Examples include dyeing, embossing, buffing, antiquing, waxing, waterproofing, and so on.
FULL GRAIN LEATHER
Full grain leather is the most genuine type of leather, made from the top layer of the animal hide and retains all of the grain and imperfections of the original hide.
FULL HIDE / HALF HIDE
Refers to the size of the hide that has been shipped from the tannery. A full hide has not been cut into, while a half hide has. Full hides generally range from 40 - 50 sq ft while half hides generally range from 15 - 25 sq ft. United Leather does not cut into any of the hides.
GRADE
A leather "grade" refers to the classification of leather based on its quality and characteristics
GRAIN
the texture, pattern, and natural markings found on the surface of the leather.The grain can vary in appearance, with different types of leather exhibiting unique grain patterns, such as smooth, pebbled, or textured surfaces.
HAIR-ON LEATHER
Leather that has the hair still attached to the hide.
HAND
refers to the way leather feels to the touch and how it drapes or handles.
HIDE
A leather hide is the skin of an animal that's been treated to become leather.
MATTE FINISH
A matte finish in leather refers to a surface texture that is dull and flat, lacking shine or gloss
NAP
A soft, raised, textured surface, such as what gives suede its luxurious feel.
NAKED LEATHER
Naked leather is untreated, natural leather that has not been coated with dyes or finishes, allowing its raw, unaltered beauty and texture to show through.
NATURAL GRAIN
Natural grain leather is leather that retains its original surface texture, markings, and imperfections, allowing the natural character and uniqueness of the hide to show through without significant alterations or treatments.
NUBUCK
Nubuck leather is a type of top-grain leather that has been sanded or buffed on the grain side to create a soft, velvety surface. It has a slight nap or fuzziness and is known for its luxurious feel and appearance.
OIL TANNED
Oil-tanned leather is a type of leather that has been treated with oils and waxes during the tanning process.
PATENT LEATHER
Patent leather is a type of leather that has been coated with a high-gloss, shiny finish, typically achieved through the application of multiple layers of a special varnish or lacquer. This finish gives patent leather its distinctive, mirror-like appearance and makes it highly reflective and smooth.
PATINA
The sheen or luster that develops on the surface of the leather over time with use, handling, and exposure to environmental factors.
PEARLIZED LEATHER
Pearlized leather is leather that has been treated or coated with a pearlescent or iridescent finish, giving it a subtle shimmer or pearly glow.
PERFORATED LEATHER
Perforated leather is leather that has been punctured with a pattern of small holes or perforations
PIGMENT / PIGMENTED LEATHER
A type of colorant or dye that is used to add color to the leather's surface. They create a solid, consistent color appearance and are often used in leather finishing to achieve specific colors or to cover up blemishes and variations in the leather. Pigmented leather finishes are known for their durability and resistance to fading and staining, making them a popular choice for leather products that need to withstand wear and tear,
PLATING / PLATED LEATHER
A technique that involves pressing leather in between heated metal plates under high pressure to achieve a smooth and polished edge.
PULL-UP / PULL-UP LEATHER
Pull-up leather is a type of leather that has been treated with oils and waxes in a way that creates a two-tone or "pull-up" effect when the leather is stretched or folded.
SEMI ANILINE DYED
Semi-aniline leather is a type of leather that is processed with a combination of dye and a small amount of transparent pigment.Unlike full-aniline leather, which is dyed without the use of pigments and retains the natural characteristics and markings of the hide, semi-aniline leather has a light pigment layer that provides some color consistency and protection while still allowing the leather's natural grain and texture to show through to some extent.
SHEARLING
Shearling is a type of leather that is tanned with the wool still attached to the hide. It typically comes from sheepskin or lambskin.
SHRUNKEN LEATHER
Shrunken leather is leather intentionally treated to make its surface shrink and create a textured appearance with wrinkles and creases.
SKIVE / SKIVING
The act of shaving, slicing, dividing, or peeling a hide to create a thinner layer
SNUFFING
A process where the surface of the leather is lightly abraded or sanded to create a soft, velvety texture.
SPLIT LEATHER
A type of leather that is created by splitting or separating the top layer of a hide from the lower layers. The top layer, which contains the grain and natural markings of the hide, is often used for making full-grain or top-grain leather. The lower layers, resulting from the splitting process, are known as split leather. Split leather lacks the natural grain and markings found on the top layer and is typically smoother and less durable.
SUEDE
Split leather that has been sanded or buffed to achieve a plush, napped finish
TANNING
Tanning leather is the process of treating animal hides or skins to transform them into leather
TOP GRAIN LEATHER
Top-grain leather is a type of leather that is derived from the top layer of an animal hide, specifically the outermost part where the natural grain and markings are present.
TUMBLING
Tumbling leather is a finishing process in which leather hides or leather pieces are placed in a large rotating drum or barrel and tumbled for a period of time in order to help soften and texture the leather.
UNFINISHED LEATHER
Leather that has not had finishes or color treatments added to it
UPHOLSTERY LEATHER
Upholstery grade leather is a type of leather that is specifically chosen and processed for use in furniture upholstery.
VEGETABLE-TANNED LEATHER
Vegetable-tanned leather is a type of leather that is tanned or treated using natural plant sources. This traditional tanning method is known for producing sturdy and firm leather with a natural, earthy color.
WEIGHT
Weight of the hide measured in ounces per square foot.
WELTING
Strip of leather sewn into a seam as reinforcement or trim.
YIELD
Usable area of hide after trimming process.
TANNIN
Solvent or substance of organic origin used in tanning.