Different Kinds Of Leather
There are a variety of different kinds of leather. Some kinds of
leather are differentiated by the way that the leather is
prepared. Animal hides can be prepared by vegetable tanning,
chrome tanning, boiling, and rawhide treatment. Each different
method of tanning results in a different kind of leather.
Leather that is vegetable tanned results in a leather that can
be supple and strong. The one major drawback of this kind of
leather is that is easily damaged by water. Exposure to water
will cause the leather to change colors, shrink, and become
stiff. Vegetable tanned leather gets its name due to the fact
that the various vegetable materials are used to tan the hides.
Chrome tanning is a kind of leather tanning that uses salts to
tan the leather. Chrome tanned leather holds its shape and
suppleness better if it is exposed to water. Another benefit to
this kind of leather is that it can be tanned in different
colors, as opposed to vegetable tanned leather, which is varying
shades of brown.
Boiling produces a kind of leather that is not traditionally
used for clothes, upholstery, and other needs that require a
supple leather. The boiling process produces a hard leather, and
is most often used as a binding material for books.
Rawhide is a process where the animal hides are stripped down,
becoming thin and rough. They are then soaked in a solution
containing lime and then stretched. Rawhide is used for shoe and
other types of laces, as well as drum heads.
When you are choosing the kind of leather that you want, you
should consider the intended use. Leather is used for such a
variety of projects that it is important to recognize what type
of leather is best suited for your intended use. The kind of
leather that would be used for upholstery is very different than
the kind of leather that would be used for clothing or saddles.
Most kinds of leather originate from cow hides. There are, of
course, other, more exotic kinds of leather available. Some,
such as lamb, are relatively common, while others, such as
kangaroo, are relatively rare. Leather can technically come from
the hide of any particular animal, but when a kind of leather
other than cow hide is used it is usually for one of two
reasons.
The first is fashion. When someone wants to use a different kind
of leather, such as crocodile or ostrich, it is usually to make
a fashion statement. The wide variety of available textures and
colors mean that there are leather choices that will suit many
tastes.
The second reason that exotic or rare leathers are used is for
function. Some kinds of leather have properties that make them
appealing for specific uses. Depending on the intended use, you
may want a leather that is stronger, softer, more supple, or
more pliant. There are many different choices among species used
to manufacture leather. Making the best selection will make your
end product more effective and longer lasting.