For someone who isn't familiar with leather, discussing all the options with a professional can get confusing fast! Or, you order something and perhaps the leather isn't what you expected? Here are some basics on the types of leather, how they are made, and what they are used for to hopefully help answer some of these questions.
THE BASIC DO ANYTHING - Vegetable Tanned Leather
Vegetable or "veg-tan" leather I would say is your basic starting point when looking at custom leather. It is they kind of leather you can do nearly ANYTHING with. It is called veg-tan due to the tanning method which uses the natural tannins derived from plants such as oak, acacia, and chestnut. This is a centuries old tanning processed used across the world and still used commonly today. It is also the basis for some of your other leathers that have had additional steps to create your final product, as will be discussed below.
Veg-tan leather can be wet molded, dyed, tooled, and embossed. It is commonly used for saddles, horse tack, holsters, sheaths, belts, bags, and anything else that someone can come up with! It is a versatile type of leather that can be firm or soft, thick or thin, smooth or textured.
Veg-tan leather is the only leather that can be tooled or molded to a particular shape. Some leathers that have veg-tan as the basis of their tanning can also be molded which you will read more about below.
When dry, veg-tan leather will typically hold the shape it was placed in. This makes it the ideal candidate for molded holsters, handbags, or other items requiring a specific shape. It is also used for popular art processes such as extreme embossing and leather model art.
THE SLEEK AND THE STRONG - Bridle and Harness Leather
Bridle leather was originally made -well - for bridles. This type of vegetable tanned leather is usually made from the best hides which are then treated by stuffing them with oils and waxes. This leather is stretched and smoothed, dyed, and then worked with oils and waxes. This produces an extremely strong, resistant, and durable leather that was traditionally made to be used for bridles and tack in England.
Bridle leather comes in many colors, is usually smooth or almost patent looking on the top and smooth on the back where it would traditionally be up against a horse's body and needed to be comfortable. It is a stiffer leather that can soften some with use and time, but holds up to wear and is usually weather resistant.
Today, this leather is commonly used in a lot of applications. One common use is belts due to its sleek look and longevity of wear. Due to the extra processing required and the
quality typical of this type of leather, the price for goods made of bridle leather are usually higher. Also, due to being vegetable tanned, some amount of tooling and stamping is also possible with this leather.
When purchasing bridle leather products, consumers may eventually note a waxy substance from time to time on the top of the leather. This is the waxes working their way to the surface and is natural. They can be buffed easily back into the item and are rarely a problem. In fact, this can be a sign of good quality leather!
In comparison, harness leather is also a waxed veg-tan leather but with slightly less waxes and with the #1 priority being STRENGTH. As it's name implies, it is used for heavy applications such as harness, reins, and other outdoor equipment. It is not as sleek as bridle leather but every bit as durable.
VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE - Chrome Tanned Leather
Chrome tanned leather is just as it sounds - instead of using natural vegetable tannins, they use chrome and other chemicals to process the leather. This process is considerably faster and cheaper than Veg-tan, but you get a different product. Chrome tanning produces a lighter, softer leather that typically has more water and stain resistance as well as color fastness. It also allows for a lot more color options without individual dyeing such as with veg-tan.
Chrome tan is used for clothing, accessories, bags, wallets, and so on. It cannot be tooled, molded, or used for heavy duty applications as veg-tan can. The tanning process is also not considered environmentally friendly due to the chemical uses. Even still, this leather has a robust place in the leather world and is widely used.
Chrome tan leather can also be treated with oils or waxes for an oiled soft feeling leather. This gives increased resistance to water and stains as well as increases the durability of the leather. Some leather called "pull-up" leather is chrome tanned then waxed, and when the leather is folded, stretched, or manipulated, the movement of the oils and waxes in the leather create a natural patina or worn look. This type of leather is popular for many things like watch bands, shoes, and bags.
RUGGED AND TOUGH - Latigo Leather
Latigo leather is unique in that it is both chrome AND vegetable tanned. After being chrome tanned, it is then put through a vegetable tanning process and finally tumbled in vats with a variety of oils and waxes that penetrate the hide. The resulting leather is traditionally seen as a red or mahogany color, is supple yet strong, and extremely resistant to the elements, sweat, and wear and tear. It is firmer than chrome tan but more supple than veg-tan.
Latigo is used for many applications, one of the most commonly known being horse tack and equipment. It is also great for belts, dog collars, shoes, and a variety of other equipment.
Despite being put through the veg-tan process, latigo cannot be tooled or molded. The wax and chrome tanning processes produce a surface that is too springy and will not hold a stamp.
THEM BLUE SUEDE SHOES - Suede Leathers
Suede is actually a product made by splitting a hide. The underside of the hide creates a soft, supple material known as suede. It can come from many types of hides, sheep being one of the most common. Typically, the quality of the suede depends on the health and age of the animal. Suede from an older cow for example is going to be of poorer quality than that of a younger animal.
Suede is commonly used for many applications. It can be used as a liner, for clothing, as an accent, or to create a variety of accessories. It is also commonly available in a huge variety of colors, thicknesses, and even patterns. This leather can be embossed with a
design that still has the soft suede feel. Some suedes such as pig skin or goat skin are used for fine liners in wallets or purses.
Important considerations with suede are that they tend to be less resistant to water, stains, and dirt making them more likely to become soiled or discolored. Also, because this leather is not made from the tight top grain of the leather but rather the loose underside or flesh side, it can wear more easily. It is not suitable for items that will be subject to a lot of wear and tear.
BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE!
Of course there is! There are a ton of leathers out there that have various finishing processes like a printed polyurethane coating that allows for a pattern (like Coach?) or specialty leathers that have glazes, hair-on hides, sheep skin, buckskin, and so much more. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but hopefully will help you better understand some of the terms you may see when reading through my website or discussing your upcoming custom order that you KNOW you are going to place! Have more questions? Just ask!
Comments