Varieties of Leather and Their Uses

Whether you are looking for a leather chair, sofa, ottoman, or any other type of leather furniture, they all have one thing in common – they are upholstered in leather.  In this article we will take a look at leather – it’s types, grains, and most common uses.  Hopefully by the time you are done reading this, you will be armed with all the information you could ever need to make yourself a savvy consumer.

First of all, what exactly is leather?  By definition, leather is the skin of an animal, with the hair removed, prepared for use by tanning or a similar process designed to preserve it against decay and make it pliable or supple when dry¹.  These animal skins and hides are treated to preserve and make them suitable for use. By the process of tanning these skins are converted into a stable and non decaying material.  Sounds lovely, doesn’t it?  But when that leather is draped over a frame and made into a gorgeous leather chair, we forget all about hides and decay…

Genuine leather is extremely versatile.  No other type material can compare to its strength and durability. Your leather office chair or leather tub chair will impress and withstand time. However, it is important to remember that the quality of the leather depends a great deal on the type of leather you go with, as well as the grain.

Types of Leather

The most versatile type of leather is vegetable tanned leather.  It is  also the most well-known type of leather.  Oak tree bark and other plants that contain natural tannins are used to make vegetable leather. The benefits of this type are that it stretches well when soaked in water and it can be carved, molded, painted, dyed, oiled, or waxed. This proves to be extremely useful in making leather furniture, and can also be the most expensive type of leather.  Most of the time when you find a leather armchair, you will find that it is made of vegetable leather.

Another kind of leather is oil-tanned.  The special feature of this type of leather is that it is usually the most agile type of leather. Any time you touch a leather settee or chair that has a slightly oily surface feel, it is most likely oil-tanned. This oily feel does not rub off on your hand, although it does offer a unique and interesting finish.

True buckskin leather is a strong deer hide that is very pliable.  It is treated in a solution of wood ash and lime. This type of leather is extremely soft, supple and water friendly (which is a good quality to have in furniture). If you look at any type of buckskin leather chairs, make sure to inquire as to the tanning methods.  If the hide has been treated by other tanning methods, it may cause the buckskin to lack the high qualities and feel of true buckskin.

Another type of leather is the chrome-tanned variety.  It stretches much less than vegetable tanned and cannot be carved or molded. This type of leather is made by soaking the hide in an acidic bath that contains a high level of chromium. Chrome-tanned leather is relatively inexpensive and does take well to some dyes. Because it does not stretch well, it used mainly in garments or bags. You will not find (nor would you want to find!) leather chairs made of this type of leather.

Everyone has heard of rawhide leather.  The term rawhide refers to an untanned type of leather that is the hide’s basic state. These cattle hides become very stiff when they are dried, but flexible and stretchy when they are wet.  This, too, is rarely something you will find in furniture.

Leather Grains

Now, on to leather grains.  Of all the different types of leather grains, the most expensive is full grain. You can have it made into just about any type of furniture – a chair, a couch, a settee or an ottoman – if you are willing to pay for it.  Full grain is the connoisseur’s leather of choice.  This is for primarily for two reasons.  One of which is its exquisitely soft feel.  The other is its personality.   The downside of full grain is that it lacks the durability of other leather grains.

Full grain leather is available in two finishes: aniline and semi-aniline.  Pure aniline leather is leather that is dyed without any pigments.  This type of leather will exhibit some of the natural blemishes of the hide (personality).  Semi-aniline has some pigment or clear finish, so the blemishes still show through, but with increased durability.  If you are going to go with full grain furniture, be sure that you know how to properly care for it.

Another class of leather is top grain.  Top grain leather is much more popular that full grain for use in furniture. This is primarily because it can be dyed more uniformly.  Couches or chairs made of top grain leather do not show “blemishes”, which is preferred by most average furniture buyers.   Top grain is more durable, so your leather furniture will last much longer.  It is also much less expensive than full grain.

Split grain is the most widely purchased and is the type predominantly found in furniture stores. It is also the most affordable of the three.  Its durability rivals top grain but is cheaper to make.  People who are looking to get a new leather chair that will last a long time, but still save a few dollars will usually buy split grain.   Large furniture retailers usually sell mostly split grain leather furniture.  Some higher end stores will sell split grain as well, but they will often offer an option to upgrade to  top grain leather.

The last in our group is bonded leather. Bonded leather is basically made up of scraps (or leftovers).  If you were making leather furniture all day and then picked up your scraps and sewed them all together, you would have bonded leather.  You rarely see it used to make furniture.

Cleaning

One more very important piece of advice: make sure to buy the proper cleaning products for your new leather recliner to keep it looking clean and stain-free.  There is a variety of products to choose from, and your cleaning products should match the leather you are buying. Full grain leather is the hardest to clean, as it absorbs stains and liquids quickly.  Try to wipe it with a dry cloth as soon as possible, and make sure not to rub the liquid into the leather.  Then, leave it alone to dry—and it will dry quickly. Do not use furniture polish, oil, ammonia or any type of cleaning solvent. All of these will stain.  Other, less volatile leathers are best taken care of with a professional leather cleaning kit.  You can purchase these at furniture stores or online.  Personally, I prefer a little Murphy’s oil soap and water.

¹http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/leather

Related posts:

1. The Brown Leather Chair Of all the different colors of leather chairs around, the brown leather chair is the most widely seen. If...
2. Buying a Leather Tub Chair When you are trying to find your next leather tub chair there are a few things that you will...
3. Choosing the Right Leather Settee A genuine leather settee makes a great addition to almost any living room.  While you can get leather chairs...
4. The Prestigious Executive High Back Leather Chair Very few things can make you feel like a VIP quite like a high back executive leather office chair....
5. How to Care for a Leather Chair A leather chair, or any piece of leather furniture, is no longer a luxury restricted to the very wealthy....