10 Leather Terms to Know Before Buying a Leather Sofa
One of the things we love about leather is that no matter how much time or experience you have with it, there is always something new to learn. There’s a plethora of makes and processes involved that drastically change the look and feel and, before you commit to buying a leather sofa in Tampa, you should learn some of the lingo.
Leather Terms You Should Know
Here are 10 common and uncommon leather terms you can add to your vocabulary.
Altered Leather
Altered leather is leather that has had its original surface (the skin or hide) removed. Usually this is done due to imperfections on the original surface. Afterwards, a new grain is embossed into the leather. Altered leather is not uncommon to find as most top-grain leathers have been altered or corrected.
Another word for altered leather is “corrected grain.”
Full Grain
The term used for the outside original skin or hide which has had the hair removed, but otherwise has not been corrected, altered or treated in any way.
Full grain leather possesses the genuine original grain of the animal with all its imperfections, scars, and marks that accumulated throughout the life of the animal.
Crocking
As a verb, crocking is the transfer of color or finish to another material through abrasion techniques like rubbing them together.
“Crock” can also mean the coloring matter of a poorly dyed leather that runs off or is rubbed off.
Drum Dyed
This dyeing process involved soaking the hide in dye and tumbled in a rotating drum. This process ensures the leather to be fully penetrated by the dye and absorb as much as possible into its fibers.
Embossing
Embossing is pressing a pattern into a hide. This can be done to implement a pattern to cover up imperfections, defects, and blemishes, or just to spice up an existing hide with a unique design.
Embossing can also imprint a hide with the pattern of a different animal to make it look like a completely different leather. An example would be pressing alligator print into a cowhide.
Split Leather
Splitting leather involves splitting a hide into two or more layers. A single layer is then known as a “split.”
Split leather is leather made during the splitting process.
Patina
A patina is the term for the luster and shine that develops on leather over time and with use. Patinas on leather are usually a sign of a high-quality product. It provides a character and personality to a leather that tells a story.
Fat Wrinkle
These wrinkles are naturally occurring grains in a top cut of leather that are made up of fat deposit from the lifetime of the animal. They aren’t visible in imitation grains so the sight of one is a sure sign of the real thing. These can be buffed or treated out of the hide.
Pigmented Leather
Pigmented leather is finished with a solid pigment coating for a highly consistent color and texture. Pigment may be used to cover imperfections.
Pigmented leather is also more durable, thanks to the polymer surface, that protects it against stains, fading, scratches, and protecting the color. This makes it a great choice for furniture and upholstery of which it is one of the most commonly used leathers in leather sofas in Tampa.
Aniline Dyeing
Aniline dyeing involves using more transparent colors that penetrate the cell layers and produce a rich, full color that doesn’t cover up the natural markings and other characteristics.
This process produces a leather that looks as natural as possible, preserving all the imperfections and character of the original hide.
Looking to update your Tampa space with a brand new leather sofa? Don’t hesitate to visit us at one of our 5 convenient locations in Southwest Florida to browse our diverse selection of leather products or feel free to contact us today to speak with a member of our team.
