A Glance at Different Types of Leather
What is Leather?
Leather is a natural material which is created by treating animal rawhides and skins. Leather has been used by mankind since ages. There is various type of leather which is used to make leather articles like leather footwear, leather automobile seats, leatherwear, leather bags, book bindings and leather fashion accessories.
Types of leather
FULL GRAIN LEATHER
Full grain leather is the most natural form of leather. There is no sanding procedure done on this leather and also there is no process done to remove its imperfections. This type of leather retains the layer of the skin which is found below the hair of the animal. It is used for high-quality shoes and accessories. Full grain leather sofa, full grain leather belt, full grain leather backpacks are usually very popular among people.
TOP GRAIN LEATHER
Top grain leather is the second highest leather. It is split from the top layer of the animal skin. It is strong and durable enough. It can be said that it is a refined version of full grain. Mostly top grain leather is used for leather jackets because it gives a very smooth and clean look. It is a lifetime investment in terms of jacket and leather wear.
SPLIT LEATHER
This type of leather is made from the remaining part of the animal skin. The split leather comes from the removal of the top grain leather. If this type of leather not handled properly then it can be easily damaged, it is fragile in nature.
CORRECTED GRAIN LEATHER
It is a little bit different from the others in terms of manufacturing. In this case, after the cowhides are tanned, the hides which are having more defects usually sent to clear the defects. That’s why it is called corrected grain leather.
NUBUCK LEATHER
This type of leather is created form the outer side of the skin. It is more strong and thick. It is made of the outer layer of the calfskin. It is an expensive kind of leather. There is a counterpart to this leather this is sanded from the outside so there can be some natural defects or imperfections of the leather. It has been said that the imperfections of this leather give a character to this leather. It is also known as suede leather and buffed leather. Nubuck leather boots, nubuck leather jacket and nubuck leather sofa are generally quite famous.
BONDED LEATHER
Bonded leather is also known as the lowest type of leather because it is made of a scrap of genuine leather. If the scrap was not used as bonded leather then generally it is thrown away. It is a man-made leather it contains shredded leather and binding agents. You will find bonded leather durability less than genuine leather.
OTHER TYPES OF LEATHER
THERE IS ALSO ANOTHER TYPE OF LEATHER WHICH IS USED TO PRODUCE LEATHER GOODS.
- Finished leather – This leather contains a plastic coating which gives a gloss finish to it. Finished leather shoes are very popular among people
- Pigmented leather- The surface of this leather has a finish which contains pigment particles. It is mostly used for furniture. It is widely available and used in many colors.
- Belting leather – This leather is specified for a wide range of applications including walls and custom furniture.
- Pull-up leather – Pull-up leather is nubuck leather but with a grease or wax finish. This is the reason why it is called Pull-up leather.
- Deerskin – As it name says deerskin leather is created from deer’s. This leather is not mass produced material. That’s why it has a luxury appeal.
- Fish leather – This leather is eco-friendly leather and it is made from the fish skin which is basically discarded from the seafood industry.