Leather Terminology

Leather Terminology

- Aniline Finish: Skins are drum-dyed for a soft, smooth feel. They are usually coated with protein, resin, lacquer, or can be waxed.

- Distressed: Buffing surface to create uneven coloration and markings for a weathered look
Glazed Finish: Surface is polished to a high luster by pressurized glass or steel rollers

- Grain: Refers to the outer surface, markings or the patterns on the leather's surface
Leather: A generic term used for all kinds of tanned animal hides or skins

- Metallic: Metallic color applied during the tanning process for a lustrous appearance

- Napa: Commonly refers to the surface or top grain of any soft leather hide

- Patent: Heavily finished to give a highly lustrous, baked-enamel type appearance

- Pearlized: Spray-on finish giving pearlized effect

- Shearling: Natural lamb pelts with the leather side often suede and worn on the outside

- Split: When a thick hide is split, the term refers to the top surface that looks like suede but is not as soft

- Suede: Leathers that are finished by buffing the underside of a hide to produce a velvet-like nap

- Unbuckle: Lightly buffed top grain to a very fine nap that appears smoother than suede

For more terms please refer to the Dictionnary of Leather Terms: http://www.iultcs.org/leather_terms/a.asp

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