How to Understand Leather Terms for the Home Sewer

There are more sites listing leather terms on the web than there are sites to purchase leather from. I’ve compiled the following list of terms you might come across while shopping for leather. They have been organized in a manner to make them more useful when attempting to purchase leather online.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Types of Leather All leather falls into the following category. With this list of definitions you will know exactly what quality of leather you are considering purchasing. Full Grain Leather: Leather which has not been altered; it is the most natural type of leather. Incredibly soft and washes well. The very best leather you can buy. Top or Corrected Grain: Leather from which imperfections have been removed and then stamped or rolled with an artificial grain: made from inferior hides. Second best type of leather you can buy. Split Suede: Second layer of skin under Top Grain. Variety of thicknesses available. Can be further processed to create an artificial look of full-grain called “Finished Split”. Third best type of leather to buy. Nubuc: Leather whose surface has been buffed to be soft and velvety. Different from suede because suede is created from the inside of a hide, nubuc is created from the outside of a hide. Fourth best type of leather you can buy. Bonded or Bicast Leather: Not true leather at all but rather a man-made composite of leather fibers. Avoid.
2. Tanning Methods There are many different ways to tan leather but the most common are listed below. Aldehyde: A way of tanning leather to create chrome free leather for industries like infant shoes. Resulting leather is very soft and washes well. Brain-tanned is a style of Aldehyde tanning. Chrome: A way of tanning leather that produces a soft flexible hide that accepts color well and does not discolor or lose shape when wet. The most widely used tanning method in the US. Be careful when purchasing Chrome tanned leather not to wash it with bleach as this may cause a bad chemical reaction that can be dangerous. Oil or Waxed: A way of tanning leather to create a very soft and pliable finish. Vegetable: A way of tanning leather to create greater body and firmness than can be sewn by a standard home sewing machine.
3. Methods of Applying Color Leather can be colored in several different ways and it can be important that you understand how each works so you can select the method best suited for your purpose. Aniline: Leather that is colored all the way through with a transparent dye. Only the best hides are treated this way. A good choice as scuffs and scratches will not show through. Will develop a good patina as it ages. Semi-Aniline: A full Aniline dye with a small amount of color added to increase beauty. Drum Dyed: Leather that has been soaked in dye in a rotating drum; the best method for achieving a consistent dye throughout a hide. Wonderful choice for colored leathers as scratches and scuffs will not show a different color beneath. Pigmented Leather: Leather that has been coated with a flat surface color on top instead of dyed. This leather will almost always have different colors on the back and front. If you are making something that can be scratched or have spots worn into it you should avoid this type of leather.
4. Other Terms Here is a list of additional terms that can be useful when searching for leather on the web. Buffed Leather: Leather from which the top surface has been removed by scraping: suede or nubuc. Embossed Leather: Leather that has been "stamped" with a design or artificial texture (i.e., fake snake skin, textures, etc). Be wary of embossed leather as it may not fold smoothly along seams. Garment Leather: Soft, thin, and flexible leather (either grain or suede) made especially for clothing. This is the most common leather used for sewing on a standard sewing machine. Glazed Leather: Aniline-dyed leather that is very shiny due to being run through rollers under pressure. Matte Finish: A flat or dull finish. Nap: Describes the fuzzy effect in leather brought about by brushing or rubbing it. Natural Grain: Leather that displays its original grain. Suede: Split leather that has been buffed and brushed to create a fuzzy surface feel. Top Grain: Leather whose top layers have been left whole. Upholstery Leather: Leather created from a whole hide and intended for use in upholstery applications. Be careful to check for other attributes as it can be dyed and tanned in several different ways.

Tips & Warnings

• Misty Marquardt is the designer and owner of Make Them Yourself patterns. She has over 20 years experience sewing with all fabrics and is currently teaching classes on making leather shoes at the University of Texas. Visit her site to check out her pattern line: http://www.makethemyourself.com.