Three Main Categories of
Leather
There
are different grades and categories within of these three leather
processes. Each manufacturer has different criteria, however; there
are some general properties common to all leather.
- Aniline
Dyed* Leathers: Lovers of truly
natural products are particularly fond of these leathers: their
unequaled, glove-soft texture adds an extra dimension of comfort
to your sofa or chair. To create this luxurious softness and the
rich gem-like color, aniline dyed leathers are tumbled for up
to 12 hours in drums containing clear, transparent dyes. These
dyes enhance the subtle variations of each hide. All leathers
get better over time, but aniline dyed leathers develop a truly
beautiful, distinctive patina which adds to its value as a focal
point in your home. Only premium hides with the most pleasing
color and texture are selected for this category, less than 5%
of all upholstery hides in the world. Many grades of leather,
from all tanneries, are aniline dyed and natural.
- Semi-Aniline* Leathers:
Also referred to as "Aniline Plus", these leathers are
first dyed in the penetrating aniline dyes. Then a topcoat is
applied to even out the color of the hide surface. The topcoat
also serves to create fading- and soil-resistant pieces.
Semi-aniline leathers are available in hundreds of colors. They
retain a great amount of the softness of aniline dyed hides because
the natural top grain is left intact. A much larger proportion
of the worldwide hide supply is suitable for this class of leather
and as a result they are more moderately priced than pure aniline
dyed hides.
- Corrected
Grain* Leathers: Many hides are
very marred by naturally occurring imperfections or "thumbprints"
such as insect bites, barbed wire scars, scrapes and other defects.
To remove these imperfections, Corrected Grain leathers are first
sanded or buffed, then usually embossed to restore a natural-looking
grain pattern. Finally, additional color and a protective coating
is applied. Some natural softness is sacrificed in the process,
but the great number of hides that fit this category make this
the most economical grade of top grain leather furniture, and
extremely resistant to stains and fading.
Leather
Facts - Three Main Categories of Leather{bestprice}
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