{"id":854,"date":"2019-12-06T15:57:33","date_gmt":"2019-12-06T15:57:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/au.contrado.com\/blog\/?p=854"},"modified":"2020-12-17T16:01:03","modified_gmt":"2020-12-17T16:01:03","slug":"what-is-leather-from-timeless-to-rock-chic-its-here-to-stay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/au.contrado.com\/blog\/what-is-leather-from-timeless-to-rock-chic-its-here-to-stay\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Leather? From Timeless to Rock Chic, It\u2019s Here to Stay"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What is leather?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It is safe to assume that everyone knows what leather<\/a> is: most of us have at least one item of clothing or accessory that is made of leather (or faux leather<\/a> – vegans we think you’re great). Derived from the hide of animals, leather is one of the oldest materials known to man and is used for making clothes, shoes, accessories, furniture and other kinds of products. From a vintage article of clothing, to an important component of the styles of fetish groups, gothic and rock bands, leather has come a long way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is leather made of?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What is leather made of? Leather is obtained by tanning\nanimal hide. The most commonly used animals are cattle, sheep, goat and pigs.\nHorse hide is used to make durable leather, such as \u2018Shell Cordovan\u2019, which is\nused to make high-end shoes. It\u2019s valued for its mirror-like finish and\nanti-creasing properties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lamb, deer, and elk skin is used to make leather for expensive garments. Reptilian hide obtained from alligators, crocodiles and snakes are priced for their distinct patterns and scales. Kangaroo leather is used for making bullwhips; falconry jesses, soccer footwear and motorcycle gear, as it\u2019s strong, lightweight and resistant to abrasion. Ostrich leather is also growing in popularity due to its \u2018goose bump\u2019 like pattern. It is used for upholstery, footwear, accessories, clothing etc. In Thailand, Stingray leather is used for wallets and belts as it\u2019s tough and durable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Herm\u00e8s “Kelly” Bag – Ostrich Leather<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

What is leather\u2019s origin and history?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Animal hides have been used to make clothes and accessories\nsince the Palaeolithic age. We all have read about the \u2018early man\u2019 who hunted\nwild animals for food and used their skin to cover himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first basic leather tanning process is mentioned in the Assyrian texts and Homer\u2019s Illiad<\/em>. The methods included formaldehyde tanning (found in the vapours produced by burning green leaves and branches), vegetable tanning and alum-based tanning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Historians have discovered several written documents and wall paintings that point to the manufacturing and use of leather in the early Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Greek and Roman civilisations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the 8th century, Spain produced \u2018Cordovan\u2019, a type of\nleather that remained popular throughout Europe for centuries. By the 15th\ncentury, leather tanning became widespread in Europe. The Industrial Revolution\ngave a boost to the process of manufacturing leather and made it more sophisticated.\nThe introduction of powerful machines and the use of chrome salts, instead of\nnatural tanning agents, resulted in a faster and easier turnaround.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The production and use of leather has continued well into the modern times. India is the third-largest producer and exporter of leather in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What is leather\u2019s manufacturing process like?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The process of leather manufacture includes 3 steps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

First is preparation of the hide<\/strong>, which includes liming, deliming, hair removal, degreasing, bleaching and pickling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second step is tanning<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This involves stabilising the proteins in the raw hides to prevent them from rotting. This also ensures that the tanned hide can be used for a variety of things, unlike raw hide which becomes hard and inflexible when dry, and putrefies when wet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The hides are loaded into a drum and immersed in the tanning liquor. It is left to soak while the drum rotates on its axis. This allows the tanning liquor to slowly penetrate through the full thickness of the hide. Once the hide is evenly coated, the tanning liquor\u2019s pH is slowly raised. This process is called basification and it fixes the tanning liquor to the leather. The more the liquor is fixed, the higher is the leather\u2019s hydrothermal stability and resistance to shrinkage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next step is crusting<\/strong>. This step thins and lubricates leather and also includes colouring. Crusting is concluded with drying and softening. It could also include splitting, shaving, dyeing and whitening. Some tanners also oil the surface of the leather to improve its resistance to water, though the oils can be washed out with repeated exposure to water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hilltop Leather Works in Buslingthorpe Lane, Leeds, UK<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Types of tanning agents<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Vegetable-tanned leather<\/strong>: It is the oldest method of tanning, using tannins extracted from vegetable matter. It is supple and brown in colour. This kind of leather is not stable in water and is prone to discolouration. It becomes hard if left to soak and then dried.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chrome-tanned leather<\/strong>: This was invented in 1858 and involves the use of chromium sulphate and other chromium salts. It is also known as \u2018wet blue\u2019 for the pale blue colour of the undyed leather. This method usually takes around one day to complete, making it suitable for industrial use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aldehyde-tanned leather<\/strong>: This involves the use glutaraldehyde or oxazolidine compounds. It\u2019s called \u2018wet white\u2019 due to its pale cream colour. It is the main type of \u2018chrome-free\u2019 leather, often used to make shoes for babies and automobiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brain tanned leathers<\/strong>: These are obtained by a labour-intensive process that involves the use of emulsified oils, obtained from animal brains such as deer, cattle, and buffalo. They are known for their softness and washability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alum leather<\/strong>: It is transformed using aluminium salts mixed with a variety of binders and proteins, such as flour and egg yolk. The process is called \u2018tawing\u2019, and the resulting material transforms to rawhide if soaked in water long enough to remove the alum salts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tanning Leather in Fes, Morocco<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Types of leather<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Leather is produced according to the following grades:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Top-grain leather<\/strong>: This includes the outer layer of the hide which has finer and more densely packed fibres. This gives the leather strength and durability. Depending on thickness, it may also contain some of the more fibrous under layer, known as the corium. Types of top-grain leather include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n