About Leather
Why we use Vegetable tanned leather
It is an ancient technique that has been around for ages. It is considered higher quality and will last longer than synthetically treated leather. The leather hide is first soaked in the vegetable liquid with liquids from the bark, leaves and roots of specific plants, then put in the sun to dry. The leather will be tanned with tannins (naturally occurring astringents).
Vegetable-tanned leathers are thick but flexible enough to stretch and mould. Though Vegetable Tanning is perhaps the oldest method of tanning, it could take up to a year for each hide to be processed, but modern vegetable tanning takes between one and three months.
Advantages of Vegetable-Tanned Leather
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Breathable
With the absence of synthetic coating, vegetable-tanned leather is breathable and can easily absorb oil and moisture. Its beauty and quality with therefore increase with time. This increases the value of the product.
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Environmentally Friendly
Since organic and natural substances are used in the production process, vegetable-tanned leather is also environmentally friendly. The process uses organic, natural substances and tends to naturally bio grade over time.
What is top grain leather ?
Top grain leather is leather from the uppermost layer of a hide. lt is the highest quality part of the hide. Each hide is skived to a certain thickness and the under part is what suede is made from.
What is pigment leather ?
We use only the best leathers available to make our multitool pouches, log book covers, leather belts, kangaroo wallets, tobacco pouches, totes and purses.
Pigmented leather any top grain leather to which a clear top coat and pigments have been applied. The pigments are what usually give the shiny even top colour to the leather. The leather may or may not be aniline dyed. Sometimes the pigments are applied to the base crust of a different colour and in this case the leather is not dyed all the way through. If the pigments are applied to a hide that has been aniline dyed and matched for colour then this leather is called a protected aniline leather.Leather is usually pigmented to give it durability and hide its natural blemishes. pigmented leathers are easy to maintain and have maximum resistance to wear, soiling and fading .
What is non-pigmnted leather ?
Non-pigmented leather is leather to which no pigment has been applied thus showing the natural surface of the hide. These are usually hides of the very best quality and have been aniline dyed for colour.
What is pure aniline leather ?
Pure aniline is top grain leather that is dyed for colour without any pigments applied. These hides will exhibit some natural characterisitics such as healed scars, scratches, neck and belly wrinkles. Expect colour variation from hide due to the fact that leather is a natural product and will absorb dye differently within the hide and from hide to hide.
Aniline dyed leather is soaked in a large drum to allow the dye to penetrate all the way through the hide. This means if the top surface of the leather is scratched the layer underneath will be the same colour.
What is protected aniline leather ?
Protected aniline leather is a top grained leather that is dyed for colour and then receives pigment to ensure colour consistency. The pigment also ensures fade resistance and helps the leather wear over time. A clear water based top coat is applied for additional protection. The natural imperfections of the hide are also less noticeable . These leathers are easy to maintain and offer the best resistance to wear, fading and soiling.
What is semi-aniline leather ?
Semi-aniline leather is pure aniline leather that has a small amount of pigment or clear finish thus allowing the natural characteristics of the hide to still show through while offering some of the benefits colour consistency and increased wearability.
What is Nubuk leather ?
Nubuk is long grain leather that has been aniline dyed for colour and then polished to create Nap. Also known Nappa .Since nubuk leathers have no pigment applied these hides will exhibit colour variation from hide to hide and dye batch to dye batch.Some natural markings are visible but unfortunately prolonged sun exposure will cause these leathers to fade.
What is distressed leather ?
Distressed leather is aniline dyed leather with an artificially worn and aged appearance in which the natural characteristics of the hide such as healed scars, scratches and wrinkles are considered positive characteristics
What is antiqued leather ?
Antiqued leather is leather that is dyed with one colour over another to create highlights and an aged appearance.