Understanding Leather Types and Tanning Process

Types of Leather and Synthetics Used for Furniture

Tanning the Hide:

Tanning is essential to ensure a hide does not decompose or petrify over time. This process transforms the rawhide into durable, long-lasting upholstery leather. During tanning, hides are split to create thinner, more usable layers for furniture. Typically, raw cowhide about 4 to 5 mm thick is too thick for upholstery, so it is sliced into thinner layers.

1. Top Grain (Grain Split):
   • The top layer, which includes the outer skin, is the strongest part of the hide, held together by tight fibres.
   • This is known as the Top Grain leather, prized for its durability and quality.
2. Split:
   • The bottom layer, known as the Split, has looser fibres and is mechanically reinforced, resulting in weaker leather.

Furniture can be made from a variety of materials, from genuine leather to synthetic alternatives. It’s important to distinguish between genuine leather and its imitations.

Various Types of Leather:

Full Grain Leather:

• Made from the top grain of the hide.
• The original grain is unaltered, showcasing its natural beauty.
• It is the strongest and most durable type of leather, known for its soft touch and natural pebble-like appearance.

This is 100% genuine leather.

Semi-Corrected Leather:

• Also made from the top grain of the hide.
• Lightly buffed to remove minor imperfections like scars and tick bites.
• Coloured with a pigment and lightly embossed to retain a natural look.

This is 100% genuine leather.

Corrected Grain Leather:

• Made from the top grain but heavily buffed to remove imperfections.
• Pigmented and embossed to mimic the appearance of natural leather.
• Firmer than full grain and semi-corrected leathers due to the intensive processing.

This is 100% genuine leather.

Pigmented or Finished Splits:

• Made from the bottom split of the hide.
• It has a suede-like texture initially but is treated with pigments and embossed to resemble top-grain leather.
• Firmer and less durable, typically used for non-contact areas of furniture.

This is genuine leather but of lower quality.

Bycast Leather:

• Technically leather, but made from the split layer.
• Coated with polyurethane to simulate a grain surface, resulting in a firm, less pliable material.
• Prone to an "orange peel" effect when stretched.

This can be called leather but is often referred to as Bycast leather.

Bonded Leather:

• Not genuine leather.
• A synthetic material with leather shavings applied to the back.
• Composed of about 85% synthetic material and 15% leather shavings.
• The term “bonded leather” is misleading.

This is not genuine leather.

Tips for Purchasing Leather Furniture:

When buying a leather sofa, always verify whether the leather came from an animal hide or from a synthetic roll. Genuine leather should come from an animal, not a manufactured roll. Being informed can help you avoid the pitfalls of misleading leather terms and ensure you invest in authentic, high-quality furniture.