LEATHER GLOSSARY

Matte Finish
A flat or dull finish.
Metallized Leather
Leather given a metallic lustre by the
application of metallic foils or powders.
Milling
A process that produces suppleness in hides.
Morocco
(1) Vegetable tanned goat skin leather with
characteristic grain pattern developed naturally
or by hand boarding or graining only. The most
common and most characteristic grain is hard grain.
(2) By long usage, especially in the fancy goods
trade. Goatskin of any vegetable tannage that
has been hand boarded in the damp condition,
but in the strict sense it should be limited to
goatskin tanned exclusively with sumac.
Naked Leather
A dyed leather that has received no topical
application that may mask or alter the natural
state of the leather.
Nappa
Soft full grain gloving or clothing leather made
from unsplit sheep or lambskin or kid-skin. It
is usually tanned with alum and chromium salts
and dyed throughout its substance.
Natural Grain
A leather which retains the full original grain.
Nubuck
A brushed, grain-sueded leather.
Patent Leather
Leather, one surface of which is covered with
an integral, flexible, waterproof film which has
a lustrous mirror-like surface. The coating was
formerly built up by the application of various
daubs, varnishes and lacquers, pigmented or
non-pigmented, based on linseed oil. Today
these may include nitro-cellulose and/or
synthetic resins. Laminates coated with a
plastics film less than 0.15mm thick may also be
classed as patent leather.
Patina
A luster or shine that develops with use over
time. Usually associated with fine antiques and
vintage furniture.
Pearlized Leather
Coloured leather with a pearl-like lustre.
Pearlescent Leather Coloured leather with a
pearl-like lustre.
Perforated
In leather, the process of die cutting small holes
to form a pattern. The holes can vary in size,
density and pattern.
Pigmented
Leather that is finished with a solid pigment
coating for consistency of color and texture.
Pigment may be used to cover imperfections,
as well as add protection.
Plating, Plated Leather
Pressing leather with a heated metal plate
under high pressure. Most furniture leather is
usually sanded, pigmented and plated to cover
imperfections.
Printed Leather
Leather, bearing a surface pattern, produced
usually by embossing, but sometimes by other
methods, e.g. by silkscreen printing.
Protected Leather
Leather in which certain special chemicals
have been incorporated to render it less liable
to deterioration through exposure to polluted
atmospheres.
Pull-Up
Describes the behavior of leather that has been
treated with oils, waxes, and dyes in such a way
that when the leather is pulled or stretched (i.e.
on upholstery), the finish becomes lighter in
the stretched areas. Considered a mark of high
quality.
Pure Aniline
Leather that is aniline dyed and receives no
additional coloring. Also called full aniline,
naked aniline or naked leather.
Raw Hide
A hide which has only been treated to preserve
it prior to tanning.
Retan
A modifying secondary tannage applied after
intermediate operations following the primary
tanning.
Round Hand
A full-handed leather, usually slightly swelled as
with vegetable tanning.
Saddle Leather
Vegetable-tanned cattlehide leather for
harnesses and saddles, usually of a natural tan
shade and rather flexible.
Semi-Aniline
A semi-aniline leather has been aniline dyed,
t h e n s l i g h t l y p i g m e n t e d . B e c a u s e p i g m e n t
is solid , this type of leather ensures color
c o n s i s te n c y w h i l e h a v i n g s t a i n a n d s p i l l
resistance.
Shearling
Wooled sheep and lambskins, tanned with the
wool intact.
Shrunken Grain Leather
A full, natural-grain leather which is shrunken to
enlarge and enhance the grain of the leather.
Side Leather
Grain leather which has been cut in half, forming
two sides in order to better accommodate
tannery equipment.
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