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There are many features of leather which make it so attractive to
consumers the world over. One of these features is leather's resilience. A
properly maintained leather will never look old and will therefore outwear
textiles many times over. Since fabrics are woven, changes in their appearance
from age and use detract from their beauty. Leather will actually absorb body
oils during use. These oils, which are damaging to textiles, will actually
enhance the leather's appearance making it more beautiful over time.
Fully clean leather upholstery every two to three months or
as needed using Leather Cleaner. You can care for the fabric from stains and
spots, which will also increase in length the life of the fabric. Name brand
products such as Scotch guard, Fiebings Suede and fabric coat, and Teflon are
topical applications and give protection for anywhere from 6 to 12 months.
Leather Skin Types
Aniline Leather
| Aniline leather is the most natural looking leather with the unique
surface characteristics of the hide remaining visible. Aniline leather is
colored only with dye and not with a surface coating of polymer and pigment
| | Nubuck Leather | Nubuck Leather is actually aniline leather, where the surface has been
brushed and polished and has a velvet like texture with lush appearance. It is
also known as Chaps, Distressed, and Bomber. Like velvet, the textured surface
will show a difference in shading when you run your hand over it.
| | Goat Suede | Goat Suede is generally the inner side of the hide or skin next to the
meat of the animal, buffed to a smooth finish. Suede may also be split from a
thick hide. Goat Suede is available in many attractive finishes with different
texture.
| | Cow Nappa | Cow Nappa is a smooth and soft surface leather, which is taken out from
the outer skin of the cow. This leather is available in various colors and
finishes. Due to its softness, cow nappa leather is used in making a host of fashion
apparels. This leather is wrinkle free.
| | Lamp Nappa | Lamp Nappa leather is the softest leather, which is taken out from
a lamb or young sheep. Its a soft and light-weight leather. It is generally
used for making sports wear jackets.
| | Sheep Nappa | Originally, only sheep skin was referred to as "Nappa."
However, in recent years, the word "Nappa" has become an adjective,
meaning "soft" and now this term covers all leathers with a smooth
and soft surface, which comes from the outer of the animal.
| | Pig Suede | Pig Suede leather is generally the inner side of the hide or skin next
to the meat of the pig, buffed to a smooth finish. Suede may also be split from
a thick hide. |
Textures
Full Aniline
| Also referred to as "Naked" or "Pure Aniline"
full-aniline leather hides are beautiful looking and feeling leather. It has
been dyed for color and has little to no other treatment applied to it. Because
of this it will absorb stains easily, it will scratch, and it will fade,
especially when exposed to direct sunlight. Full aniline hides will also reveal
more of the natural markings and defects of the leather such as healed scars,
stains, and bug bites. Full aniline leathers will develop a rich
"patina" over time. Full aniline leather is recommended for low to
medium traffic areas.
| Pigmented
| Also referred to as "protected leather" pigmented leather
essentially has a layer of dye sprayed onto it and a clear protective coating
applied over that. This type of leather is commonly found in public places as
well as most automobiles. It is resistant to spills, stains, fading, and
scratches. Pigmented leather is recommended for medium to very-high traffic
areas.
| Semi Aniline
| Also referred to as "aniline plus" or "micro
pigmented" semi-aniline uses the process of micro pigmentation which
applies an extremely thin layer of matching pigment to a fully aniline dyed
hide before applying a clear protective coating. This leather offers most of
the protections of fully pigmented leather but retains the natural look and
feel of a full aniline dyed leather.
| Pullup
| Some aniline leathers have dyes that are not totally fixed and will
naturally migrate throughout the hide with use. This type of leather is known
as a "pullup leather". One moment it has a certain appearance and
once sat on or pulled at will create a brilliant burst of color and the appearance
changes. Most people find this to be a desirable effect however if unexpected
it can be bit of a problem. |
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