ANILINE FINISH Also known as pure aniline leather, aniline finish is full grain leather which has been soaked in aniline dye, but does not have any subsequent pigmented or clear coat finishes applied. Only the best hides which are relatively free from gross imperfections can be made into aniline finish leather. It is soft, pliable and considered the premier grade of leather. ANILINE Aniline is a type of dye used to give initial color to a hide. Aniline dying is the process of putting hides into a drum and allowing the dye to soak completely through the hide. Thus the phrase "aniline dyed all the way through" comes to be. BUFFING This is a process used to minimize the appearance of gross surface imperfections such as wrinkles, parasitic damage or healed scars in the finished hide. This process makes the leather more uniform, but also obliterates the natural grain and markings that make each hide unique and naturally beautiful. CORRECTED GRAIN Top grain leather that has been buffed or sanded to minimize imperfections in the hide. There are varying degrees of corrected leather. Most if not all of the very inexpensive leather chairs use "heavily corrected" leather. In this process, the finish on the leather is usually painted on instead of vat dying the hide. This closes the pores of the leather and doesn't allow it to "breathe" as it normally would. In addition, the graining process that is done under extreme pressure and heat makes the leather very stiff and sensitive to hot and cold causing premature cracking of the leather. DRUM DYED A dying process accomplished by tumbling leather in a rotating drum to encourage thedye to penetrate fully. EMBOSSING To mechanically imprint unique grain effects under heat or high pressure in order to smooth the grain or give a unique patterned look (ostrich, alligator, floral, etc.) Top grain leather with excessive imperfections is often buffed smooth and then embossed with a grain pattern. FINISHING To make leather more durable, clear or pigmented substances are applied to the hide. These provide abrasion and stain resistance as well as color enhancement. The finishing process usually involves three to four coating operations. Generally, the more finish a leather has, the stiffer (boardier) it becomes. Semi aniline leathers tend to be softer than heavily finished leather, although this can largely be overcome by milling. FULL GRAIN Full grain leathers are top grain leathers that have not been corrected in any way, allowing the natural markings and character of the leather to show through. Full grain leathers are therefore, much cleaner hides to begin with, minimal scars, bug bites, etc. which also make them more expensive than corrected grain leathers. GRAIN Markings or patterns on the leather surface. Naturally occurring grain is caused by wrinkles, markings and pores in the hide. HAND The softness or "feel" of a leather is referred to as its hand. HIDE A raw or tanned pelt taken from a large adult animal. Cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat and pig hides have been used to make upholstery leather. However, cattle or steer hides are the most common. LEATHER A collective term used to describe any tanned animal skin. MILLING A natural softening process in which leather is tumbled in a drum. NATURAL MARKINGS These subtle markings on leather are the equivalent of a finger print. they distinguish general leather from man-made materials. Other marks which can appear on the surface of leather are healed scars, barbed wire marks, wrinkles, brands, and insect bites. Gross imperfections are normally cut out of the finished product. NU-BUK LEATHER Nu-buk is a pure aniline product that has been abrased to create a slight suede type nap resulting in a very soft hand. PATINA A luster that naturally occurs as leather ages. PROTECTED LEATHER Protected aniline leather is less expensive and more common than aniline or semi- aniline leather. Its coloration is more consistent and because it has been coated with protective pigments, the leather's natural markings are less noticeable. These protected leathers are more heavily pigmented than semi-aniline leather and are easier to clean than pure leather because surface pigments repel water and stains...standing up well to heavy use. PULL UP Pull up leather is one that when pulled tight products as burst of color, used as upholstery leather it gives a worn, weathered appearance or a distressed look. Pull-ups are full aniline leathers that have an oil and/or wax application. When the leather is pulled the oil and/or wax separates causing the color to become lighter. SAUVAGE A two-toned effect which adds depth to the leather. SEMI-ANILINE DYED The term used to describe aniline dyed leather which has only a small amount of clear or pigmented finish. It is a premium product, which allows the hides natural character to show through. SPLIT GRAIN The term refers to the underneath layers of the hide which have been "split" off from the top grain. Splits are buffed, sanded and embossed to look like grain leather. Split hides are stiffer than top grain leathers. TOP GRAIN Leather that contains the top portions of the hide...the part that had hair on it. Top grain leather can be full grain or corrected grain leather. The top portion of the hide is approximately 3/64" about the thickness of a penny. |
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