Do you think you really know the leather?

Delving into the world of leather is an ongoing discovery. It begins by learning how painstaking and complex the leather tanning process is and how many processes are required to transform raw leather into a product with high aesthetic and technical qualities. Along the way you also learn that there are a variety of different types of leathers, treatments, processes and finishes, each with its own particularities, purposes and terminologies. For example, you may have already heard of full-grain leather, but what does it really mean?

Let's find out together.

Characteristics of leather.

Regardless of the type of leather-beef, deer, etc. - a first distinction should be made between grain (the upper outer part) and split (flesh-side part), two quite distinct products obtained by the splitting process, that is, by cutting the hide horizontally. This is the starting point for obtaining hides with different "performance" and destinations.

We will therefore have:
Full grain leather - This is the quintessence of genuine leather. The leather is maintained in its most natural appearance, without any covering or correcting treatments of the grain. The leather may have small natural marks and different colorations, which enhance the perception of authenticity.
Corrected grain leather - Compared to full grain leather, the leather is lightly sanded and can be ennobled with various kinds of prints. This treatment eliminates any imperfections and allows corrected grain leather to have a uniform grain over the entire surface.
Split leather - Although considered the least "noble" part of leather, split leather has a variety of applications and can be processed to ensure high performance. One example is the split leather for car steering wheels produced by the DANI Group, which is characterized by exceptional wear resistance and texture with excellent sensoriality.

Types of leather according to the type of finishing.

Let us move on to another important classification, this time related to the type of finishing carried out on the tanned leather. In the final tanning process, the aesthetics and sensoriality of the leather can be emphasized in their naturalness or modified to achieve a more uniform appearance.

We will thus have a distinction between:
Aniline leather - Usually made from the finest quality raw hide, it is obtained with a minimal surface finish that keeps the leather extremely natural - in jargon, this is called aniline leather with through-dyeing in the barrel. Aniline leather, usually obtained from full-grain leather, is an extremely valuable product and is used for luxury items such as furniture, fashion accessories or luxury leather goods.
Semi-aniline leather - The skin is treated with a light use of pigments, improving color homogeneity. This operation softens what might be the imperfections of the natural grain. At the same time it evens its surface and protects it.
Pigmented leather - The leather is finished with a more tenacious and compact coating. This hides natural marks for the benefit of greater uniformity and ease of cleaning.

Types of leather based on surface appearance.

Depending on the type of target product--e.g., leather for bags, sofas, jackets, car interiors--leather can be treated to achieve different and in many cases unique aesthetic and tactile effects.

There are many possibilities, but the starting point is a few types of leather, defined by their appearance:
Leather with natural or embossed grain-The surface pattern on the grain side of the leather is called grain. We speak of leather with natural grain when the surface retains its original appearance and its pattern is emphasized by fulling. 
Smooth leather - This is among the finest leathers as it is obtained by a special tanning, retanning and finishing process. To the eye, the leather is grain-free and pleasantly smooth to the touch.
Embossed leather - By means of presses and rollers, special patterns of fancy or imitation of other animals (e.g., reptile print leather) can be imprinted on aniline or pigmented leather.
Nubuck - Nubuck leather is obtained by a special buffing process that partially removes the grain and gives the surface a writing effect like velvet, soft to the touch and warm.