| ghout history, a material that has proven its durability | | | | lime. Once done soaking, the skin is stretched. |
| and functionality time and again is leather. Once used, | | | | Rawhide is more brittle and stiff compared to other |
| along with wood, to form the base of ancient | | | | types, and is used in items such as dog chews, drum |
| technologies, it can still be found today in machines, in | | | | heads, or cut up in cords for stitching and lacing. |
| people’s homes, and in their clothing. The | | | | - Synthetic-tanned Leather – Aromatic |
| leather industry is one that has been around for a | | | | polymers are used for this type, producing a white |
| very long time, and one that shows no sign of | | | | colored product. This type was created during World |
| disappearing. | | | | War 2 due to a shortage of materials for |
| Leather is created from the skin of animals. A | | | | vegetable-tanned leather. |
| number of different animals can be used to produce | | | | - Vegetable-tanned Leather – This process |
| it, but the skin most commonly used is that of a | | | | involves tanning the skin using tannin along with |
| cow. It is known to produce thick and strong leather, | | | | ingredients from tree barks, vegetable matter, and |
| which makes it very good quality. Other animals used | | | | other sources. It has a supple texture is usually |
| include lamb, sheep, bison, elk, deer, sting ray, | | | | brown in color. It further improve this type, natural |
| kangaroo, ostrich, and many others. In order to | | | | oils can be applied to lengthen the leather’s |
| produce the leather, once an animal has been | | | | lifespan. |
| slaughtered, it is skinned. The skin is given to a | | | | When leather products ready to be sold, there are |
| tanner, who performs the process of turning the skin | | | | generally three different forms that it is sold in. |
| into leather. | | | | - Full-grain/top-grain leather is a form that has not |
| There are a number of different techniques that | | | | been buffed, snuffed, or sanded. The grain is still in |
| tanners use to produce leather. In all cases, the skin | | | | its original state, allowing it to retain its fiber strength |
| of the animal is altered by some chemical or | | | | and durability. It forms more comfortable clothing as |
| substance. In past generations, salt or even urine | | | | natural grain has good breathability. The only thing |
| would be used to process the leather. Urine was | | | | removed from the animal skin is the hair. |
| collected and allowed to turn into ammonia, which | | | | - Corrected-grain Leather is a form that has had its |
| was then applied to the skin. Today, there are a | | | | surfaced buffed, snuffed, or sanded. Imperfections |
| multitude of different chemicals used in order to | | | | caused by bites or scars are taken out of the |
| achieve different styles of leather products. Some of | | | | surface, giving it a different look. An artificial grain |
| the methods used and their results are listed below: | | | | may be applied, causing this type to be lower quality |
| - Aldehyde-tanned Leather – This process | | | | than full-grain leather. |
| involves treating the skin with glutaraldehyde or other | | | | - Split Leather is produced from the fibrous part of |
| oxazolidine compounds. The leather has a white | | | | the hide that remains once the top grain of the |
| cream coloration and is considered wet-white leather | | | | rawhide has been separated. One of the most |
| because of this. Mainly used for chrome-free leather, | | | | common uses of this form is to make suede |
| such as for infant clothing/shoes. | | | | products. |
| - Alum-tanned Leather – Skin is cured with | | | | These three forms are the most common, but there |
| aluminum salts mixed with protein sources such as | | | | are many more forms available. Other less common |
| egg yolk. The leather produced has a very light | | | | types include Buckskin, Patent leather, Sharpen, |
| shade. | | | | Hachette leather, Slink, Deer skin, and Nubuck. Each |
| - Chrome-tanned Leather – Chromium sulfate | | | | offers its own unique qualities and traits. |
| and chromium salts are used in this process. The | | | | Leather is used in countless forms in society today, |
| leather has a more supple texture and is more pliable | | | | from clothes to accessories to automobiles. The |
| compared to other types. It does not lose color or | | | | durability and uniqueness of leather have survived |
| shape when exposed to water as some other types | | | | through the years to make it a prized material. Still |
| do as well. Because of the chromium, it forms a | | | | today, most everyone feels more special when they |
| wet-blue coloration. | | | | are in possession of a quality, genuine piece of |
| - Rawhide – This type is produced by scraping | | | | leather. |
| the skin until it becomes thin, and then soaking it in | | | | |