Dark blue Lamb / Mutton leather Ink with Monochrome Smooth effect

Different types of leather tanning

Tanning is the process by which animals' skin is transformed into a non-decomposable and ennobled material through dozens and dozens of millenary processes. Different types of tanning can produce leathers with diverse characteristics and finishes. Below you will find a shortlist of the main types of tannings and their resulting features.

• Vegetable tanning: Vegetable-tanned leather employs only organic products, such as tree tannins, flowers, and other plants. It is the oldest tanning method, rich in history and traditions. This process gives the leather beautiful shades of color and a usually warm tone. With time and daily use, vegetable-tanned leather will become more precious. It will let its typical natural features emerge, thus giving your product a seasoned, unique, and unrepeatable look.
• Chrome tanning: Chrome tanning is a more recent type of processing and is also the most used method in leather processing. Chrome tanning uses a mix of minerals, salts, and chemicals to treat the leather and give it a homogeneous appearance and greater resistance. Chrome-tanned leathers are more versatile, as they can have a wider range of colors, including very bright ones.
• Oil tanning: Oil-tanned leather typically has a "pull-up" effect. By pulling or bending the surface of the leather, it will create folds and streaks of different shades (usually lightening) of color compared to the main one. Thus, it will have a worn and seasoned look with a great visual impact.

Thickness: Choose the right one for your needs.

To make the hides thickness uniform, these are passed through a machine called a "splitting machine" that separates the grain of the leather (the most valuable part) from the substrates. But each animal is different, and there are always variations in thickness even within the same leather. Below we have divided the different thicknesses of the leather and their common uses. You can use this information as a guide to choosing the right leather:

• 0.4 - 1.2mm: The perfect thickness for light accessories such as skirts, jackets, clothing but also wallets, purses, and other accessories that need to be very light and soft.
• 1.0 - 2.0mm: The perfect thickness for accessories, furniture, and coverings that need a slightly more rigid hardening like wallets, sofas, car interiors, tables, poufs, etc.
• 2.0 - 3.5mm: The perfect thickness for bags, chairs, crossbody bag, straps, and belts but also horses' saddles, motorcycles' saddles, etc.

Leathers' tanning: Choose the one that suits you.

• ANILINE: The most natural of dyes. Aniline leather is created by immersing the leathers in a transparent dye, which permeates it, and without applying any corrective finish on their surface. The aniline processing allows the natural beauty of the leather to show itself through the color, which often contains slight variations in tone. As there is no corrective finish, the aniline leather will show imperfections. These are often the most beautiful part both to the eye and to the touch. Furthermore, this type of dye emphasizes the naturalness of the leather, giving it a superior value. However, the leathers treated with this type of dye require careful care and attention.
• SEMI-ANILINE: created by immersing the leather in a dye that permeates it. Unlike aniline leather, when this process is completed, a protective finish is added to the surface of the leather to reduce imperfections and give it better protection. This process shows the natural characteristics of the leather while providing it a longer duration.
• PIGMENTED LEATHER: created by using pigments that cover the surface of the leather. The dyeing process covers the imperfections on the leather surface and gives it a uniform color. Pigmented leather is the most durable type of leather, which makes it perfect for upholstery.

Average leather size: How much leather do you need?

Calculating how much leather you need for your project can be tricky. If you need help, you can contact our customer service to get a clearer idea. You can contact us by phone or by chat/email. For small quantities of leathers, to facilitate the purchase, we sell the entire leather. If you need large quantities of leather, the unit of measurement used for the sale is ft2 (square foot).