Leather Coats and Jackets : Glossary
In order to decide what type of leather coat or jacket you want, you will first want to find out what exactly all these terms associated with leather mean. Here you will find all these types and terms laid out for you to understand.General Terms
Full Grain: Leather that is in its completely natural state. Meaning it has not been treated for its blemishes. Natural Full Grain leather still has insect bites and other imperfections on it. If the hide is premium quality leather it will have very little imperfections naturally.
Grain: The side of the hide that had hair on it ... also called the outer surface ...
Hand: This is the way leather feels, because it is a common reaction for most people to touch leather when they see it. If it is a softer hand, the cost of the leather is higher.
Hide: The whole pelt from a large animal such as cattle, horses and others. One may also use the term "skin".
Leather: A tanned hide or skin of an animal that has undergone a process to become non-perishable.
Patched Leather: When numerous small portions of leather are sewn together to make a larger piece of leather. Be careful because patch leather is sold quite often and you will want to be sure the price has been altered because the quality and price value are much less than non-patched leather.
Pelt: The hide or skin of an animal
Shearling: Three possible definitions: 1) a year old sheep that has been sheared once. 2) The skin of a shearling or of a newly sheared sheep or lamb. 3) The first wool coat of a shearling.
Sheepskin: Skin of a sheep, tanned with fleece on, or in the form of a leather.
Suede: The flesh side of a piece of leather. It is brushed to give it the surface appearance, and softness.
Leather Types
Cowhide: This leather comes from standard dairy cows. It is known to be resistant, thick, and strong. It is durable and recommended for motorcycle gear because of its strength.
Lambskin: One of the more expensive leathers. This is because it comes from a smaller animal, and has an incredible quality. It is well-liked for fashion clothing, such as pants. It is much lighter than cowhide or buffalo.
Nappa: Termoriginally used when referring to soft lambskin, now it is the term used if referring to any soft piece of leather.
Pig Skin: Most inexpensive form of leather. Sometimes Pig Skin leather is referred to as Pig Napa. If it is treated with the right finishes it has been known to be softer leather. This is the type used for fashion jackets and clothing.
Water Buffalo: Most items made with buffalo are manufactured in Pakistan, India, and China. Water Buffalo is a thicker, stronger hide than cowhide, but is just as plentiful a resource as cowhide. If you were to select a type of leather for motorcycle gear such as chaps and pants, buffalo hide is the top choice.
Leather Finishes
Aniline: A transparent dye that is used to treat leathers. Other words that refer to Aniline are: Naked, Pure, Unprotected, Natural. This is a more expensive piece of leather because without the treatment, it will naturally have fewer blemishes, making it a higher quality piece. It has also been said to be one of the softest types of leather.
Burnish: Creates a look of depth to the surface when it is finished with burnish. This finish is attained by burning the finish onto the leather using high heat such as the type caused by friction.
Distressed: This is a leather finish that is achieved by dying the leather with aniline, and a color that contrasts with the natural pigment of the hide ... then it is brushed or buffed away giving it an "aged" or worn look.
Embossing: This is the process of adding a pattern to a piece of leather by applying pressure to create a grain that is consistent.
Glazed Finish: This finish is very much like the aniline finish, but they use steel or glass rollers that press enormous amounts of pressure to the finish giving it a much higher luster than other finishes.
Nubuck: A velvety looking and feeling leather. That is after it has undergone a brushing and buffing process. This looks like suede but is a finish that has been done to the opposite side of the hide as suede. They can be confused at times.
Protected: Term used to describe a piece of leather that has been treated with chemicals to protect it from water stains and other possible damage to the surface. This leather is easier to clean and maintain ... most leather distributors will sell you a chemical to apply to your leather if it is not already this type.
Top Grain: This is what has been put on top of the piece of leather. An example would be a finish or aniline.
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