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Ana Sayfa Blog Leather Love Types & Features of Genuine Leather
Types & Features of Genuine Leather
15 January 2020
Leather Love

Types & Features of Genuine Leather

Genuine leather has been used by mankind since ancient times. Despite the invention of a large number of synthetic materials, natural leather remains at the top of popularity because of the abundance of advantages. Nowadays there are many types of leather, and new methods of its processing let products be more wear-resistant and attractive. Let’s take a closer look at the main types and features of natural material, as well as what methods are being used to produce it.

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What Tanning Is & What Types of This Procedure Are

What Tanning Is & What Types of This Procedure Are

Tanning is the most common form of genuine leather manufacturing, which makes it possible to process raw material, make it usable and eliminate its negative properties. Such a procedure lets product become resisting, resilient and durable. Nowadays both natural and chemical methods of tanning are being used, every of which provides with equally good results.

Types of genuine leather tanning:

  1. Chrome-tanned. In this case, leather is obtained with help of basic chromium salts. As a result, material becomes soft, resilient and heat-resistant. Such products are elastic, strongly, but very quickly become wet and leak easily.
  2. Vegetable-tanned. This method is based on the use of tannins, which are known as special tanning substances contained in bark and leaves of trees. The final product has large thickness, high density, water resistance, but low heat resistance. This method is usually used in combination with others.
  3. Zircon. A compound of zirconium is used in this case. This method is intended to produce white leather, which is durable and wear-resistant, is not afraid of exposure of water and sweat.
  4. Synthetic. Syntans make genuine leather resilient and give it attractive appearance. This method is usually used in combination with others.
  5. Oil tanning. This method of tanning is carried out with the help of fish oil, as well as fat of marine animals.
  6. Aluminum-tanned. Such kind of tanning is based on the action of aluminum salts. With its help kid leather is being processed, which is soft and resilient, but is afraid of wet.

Features & Benefits of Genuine Leather

Features & Benefits of Genuine Leather

Like any other material, genuine leather has its own features, which are common only for it. The general features of the material are:

  • softness;
  • strong and damage resistant structure;
  • high resilient, and therefore genuine leather shoes can take the shape of feet;
  • good air circulation is ensured, since the presence of pores on the surface of the material;
  • ability to absorb moisture.

The main benefits of genuine leather are:

  • provides with comfort and protects from sweating because of its porous structure;
  • with proper care such products can last for several years;
  • prevents bad odors and bacteria;
  • due to its natural properties, genuine leather is good for health;
  • leather can stretch, letting shoes of this material to take the shape of feet, while clothing perfectly fits everyone.

Types of Genuine Leather

Types of Genuine Leather

Various types of genuine leather can be used to create all kinds of goods. Some of them are preferred for making bags, others for clothing and footwear. Let’s learn about the most popular types of genuine leather and their benefits.

1. Haircell Leather

Haircell leather is considered to be the most popular type of natural material. The highest quality and completely free of wool raw materials are used to make it. This type of genuine leather has pores, and therefore it is able to breathe and has long term of life. Haircell leather products are notable for increased wear resistance. The most expensive and luxurious footwear and furniture are made of it.

2. Nubuck

Nubuck is a beautiful, but rather delicate material, that is made of pork or cattle by chrome tanning. Velvety effect is achieved by grinding with fine-grained materials. Nubuck is used to produce accessories, upper part of footwear, as well as for furniture covering.

This material is less protected from moisture and dirt, more susceptible to brining than suede. Nubuck requires special care, especially during the first month after purchase. Dark nubuck things brighten over time, and light ones darken.

3. Velour

Velour is very similar to nubuck. The only difference between these two materials is that in the first case leather is polished from the inner part, and in second case from the outer part. Depending on the processing technology, velour can be as soft and thin, as heavy weight and thick. It is made of pork and sheepskin, obtained with the help of chrome tanning. Such material is used to produce clothing, upper part of footwear, as well as accessories.

4. Suede

Suede is one of the most popular types of genuine leather. It is made of the skin of goats, pigs, sheep, deer, moose. By its nature, it is a soft, porous and high-strength material with a fleecy surface, which is preferred by almost everybody. Suede is comfortable to use, it has ability to breathe, and is also able to maintain its softness even after cleaning with the help of soapy water.

This type of material is obtained by oil tanning. Velvety suede is ensured by subsequent grinding. Exclusive outerwear, bags, shoes and accessories can be made of suede.

5. Aniline Leather

Experts consider aniline leather as the highest quality product. It is painted with organic dyes and processed minimally. Natural traces can be found on aniline leather, including scratches or scars. Aniline leather is quite sensitive to the effects, and in the process of using it can get an antique look.

6. Plonge Lambskin

Despite the fact that you may have never heard about such material, it is actively used to create accessories and other products. Plonge lambskin is made of the skin of young and adults animals, and after double tanning becomes incredibly soft. Depending on the coating, plonge lambskin can be matte or shiny, smooth or perforated.

The main advantages of the material:

  • excellent appearance;
  • softness and smoothness;
  • durability;
  • high quality;
  • resistant to pollution and moisture;
  • easy care and cleaning.

7. Patent Leather

Patent leather is obtained by dyeing the skin and applying natural lacquering coating under the influence of high temperatures. This material has an attractive appearance, but less durability than genuine leather, and it becomes cracking at temperatures below -10 and above +25 degrees Celsius. High-quality patent leather withstands repeated bends, has level shade and with proper care can be used for several years.

8. Nappalan

Nappalan is a type of suede that is treated with a solution with robber mass. Such a coating lets nappalan be able to protect from rain and snow, but after a while it may start cracking, and if you scratch such product, you will not be able to restore it.

9. Kid Leather

Kid leather is a soft and resilient type of material, the skin of lambs and baby goats are used to create it. Such products are usually treated with chrome-and-oil or chrome tanning. Almost always, this material is used to produce gloves.

10. Buffed & Embossed Leather

Animal skins often have a lot of natural defects, such as scratches from plants, insect bites and others. As a result, the hole is not tightened, and this fact significantly reduces the value of the material. Such defects during the manufacturing are eliminated by buffing, and the to ensure that the surface of the product has level shade, it is coated. This natural leather should be necessarily painted.

If, after buffing, there are still defects on the surface of material, then embossing is applied. Leather is heated and then pressed with large plates.

A Few Tricks for Leather Products Care

A Few Tricks for Leather Products Care

  • If you have clothing made of nubuck, velour or suede, it is recommended to give it to dry-cleaning with color restoration or tinting operation from time to time.
  • Try to avoid rain while wearing suede and velour products, because they don’t tolerate contact with water. But if, after all, clothing or shoes made of these materials became wet, shake them and dry on hanger at room temperature as soon as you will come back home. Don’t leave these products on a battery or other sources of heat, because they will fall out of use.
  • In places of strong friction of products paint is erased over time. Special care creams are able to restore the previous look. However, such care items shouldn’t be applied on the pile surface and on genuine leather products without a protective surface.
  • Dirtiness from haircell leather can be removed with the help of cloth, moistened in soapy water. But don’t let the product get wet through, as this can cause damaging of goods or the appearance of white salt stains.
  • Aniline leather can’t be processed with a cream, and after the purchase it must be treated with protecting products. To remove grease stains from the surface of goods made of this material, paint them with chalk, and then wipe with a dry cloth.
  • Nappalan leather has special structure, and therefore requires special handling and must be worn with extreme care to avoid the need for dry cleaning.

See all available for ordering genuine leather care products right on this page.

How to Distinguish Genuine Leather from Leather-Cloth


Those who appreciate the high quality and durability of things always want to buy genuine leather products. But unfortunately, unfair manufacturers have learned well how to fake this material, package leather-cloth as natural material. How not to buy low-quality product and distinguish genuine leather from artificial material? Below you can find some criteria that will help you avoid buying low-quality products.

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1. Label

When choosing leather products, first of all look at the label. Its shape should repeat the outlines of animal skin. If product has rhombus shaped label, it was made of artificial material. Unfortunately, manufacturers can simply change the label, so this method can’t provide you with 100% guarantee.

2. Smell

Genuine leather has an incomparable pleasant aroma, while leather-cloth smells very unpleasant. But it is not recommended to strongly hope for this criterion, because now manufacturers are able to counterfeit the smell. This method is recommended for use with others.

3. Color

Since leather things are rather expensive, manufacturers don’t use cheap dyes to paint it. Genuine products are painted evenly, while synthetic goods may have stains, border-lines and blotchiness. After bending or stretching, natural material will not change its color, but leather-cloth may do.

4. Elasticity

Genuine leather is very elastic material, while products made of artificial materials are not. To check this, slightly bend a small part of material. In both cases, folds and small wrinkles will appear. But if they will be smoothed after a few seconds, item is made of genuine leather. Leather-cloth products when bending can have certain problems, including peeling paint. In some cases, the formed folds will never disappear.

5. Structure of Pores

Leather has an uneven surface with unevenly distributed pores, that you can notice from close distance to product. Most synthetic products either have no pores at all, or they are arranged in a specific pattern and have the same depth.

6. Price & Certificates

Genuine leather products can’t be cheap. The higher price compared with synthetic materials is caused by the better quality of such products and the complexity in their production. However, manufacturers often deliberately overestimate the cost of leather-cloth jackets in order to distract gullible buyers. In this case, it is recommended to ask for a quality certificate. Any genuine leather store will show you it.

7. Contact with Fire

Shop assistant will not let to conduct such experiment at shop, because of the risk of the damaging of goods. But you can perform it at home. It is known that genuine leather doesn’t burn well, and therefore you can try to hold a lit match or a lighter for a few seconds to a short distance of the material that comes together with the product. The original material doesn’t respond such an impact, and leather-cloth will begin to melt. But this method fails, if leather goods are treated with aniline, flammable from the slightest contact with fire.

8. Moisture Experiment

This is another experiment, which you will not be able to conduct in a store. But you also can do it at home. All you have to do is to drop a little amount of water on the product. Moisture should be absorbed within few seconds. If this doesn’t happen and drop rolls down, you bought leather-cloth product. This method is also can’t give you 100% guarantee, because genuine leather goods may be pre-treated with water-repellent agents.

9. Heat Release

One of the surest way to determine the authenticity of genuine leather things is to check their heat release. Put your hand on the product and hold it for 30 seconds. Genuine leather will warm up slightly from contact with your hands and keep warmth for some time. Leather-cloth doesn’t have such an ability.

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