Why Leather?
Leather is one of man’s earliest and most useful discoveries. Being a by-product of the meat industry, leather is a sustainable material that is transformed from a waste product into a beautifully durable and luxurious product.
WHY USE LEATHER?
Leather is one of man’s earliest and most useful discoveries. Our ancestors used leather to protect themselves from the elements. Primitive man hunted wild animals for food, then made clothing, footwear and crude tents from the hides. Like then, hides used today are a by-product of the meat industry. Animals are raised for the meat, dairy and wool industries, not for their hides. Isn’t it amazing that we can take what is essentially a waste product and make it a useful and beautiful material?
LEATHER’S PLACE TODAY
Due to its durability and comfort, leather has been used for seating throughout the history of transportation and furniture. It has always been the ideal material for making saddles and tack, as well as footwear. During the Middle Ages, leather became the cover of choice for dining chairs, because it was easy to maintain and did not absorb the odor of food – a fact that is still true today.
Modern technology has allowed for innovation in the leather industry, as the development of chemicals and sophisticated processing methods have greatly expanded the aesthetics and feel of leather as well as the possible applications. Leather continues to be the luxury material of choice, not just for commercial and residential furniture but for automotive, aviation and marine applications as well.
LEATHER’S UNIQUE CHARACTER
We believe nothing adds richness to a room like leather. Natural leather is not only strong, durable and sustainable, it offers something that no other material can match – uniqueness. No two hides are identical. This means that your chair will be unique as well. In the hands of a skilled craftsman, unique markings of each hide become celebrated features that separate sameness. Leather also appeals to the senses. It begs to be touched and over time and wear becomes more beautiful with age.
VEGETABLE TANNING VS. CHROME TANNING
Vegetable Tanning is the oldest method of tanning. It utilizes vegetable tannins and extracts from trees and plants for use in the tanning process. Today, vegetable-tanned leather is still utilized by boot and saddle makers.
Chrome Tanning is the most widely used process of tanning leather, accounting for approximately 90% of leather produced globally today. Invented in the 19th century, chrome tanning uses the minerals of chromium salts to tan hides and allows for a softer hand and a broader range of color.
ANILINE VS. SEMI-ANILINE
Aniline leather is colored by immersing hides in a dye bath with transparent, aniline dyes that fully penetrate the hide. These leathers are the most natural and often the most pristine hides are used. All surface imperfections and flaws (or beauty marks) will be visible in aniline dyed leathers.
Semi-Aniline leathers are aniline dyed with an added layer of pigment or surface coating to enhance durability and color consistency. Imperfections and flaws are still visible.
Full Grain refers to leather that has not been altered by sanding or buffing. Full-Grain leather retains the grain layer, original texture and markings that naturally occur during the lifetime of the animal and create a one-of-a-kind look for each upholstered product. The vast majority of our leathers are Full Grain hides.
Often confused with Full Grain, “Top Grain” leather simply comes from the uppermost portion of a hide – the term “Top Grain” is referring to the layer of the hide from which the leather originates. Leather is split into layers and sold as two different products: Top Grain and Split leather. From the Top Grain portion of a hide comes both Full Grain and Corrected Grain leathers.
VEGETABLE TANNING VS. CHROME TANNING
Vegetable Tanning is the oldest method of tanning. It utilizes vegetable tannins and extracts from trees and plants for use in the tanning process. Today, vegetable-tanned leather is still utilized by boot and saddle makers.
Chrome Tanning is the most widely used process of tanning leather, accounting for approximately 90% of leather produced globally today. Invented in the 19th century, chrome tanning uses the minerals of chromium salts to tan hides and allows for a softer hand and a broader range of color.