Leather Lingo

Here is a short glossary of leather-working terms:

Blue Split - Blue split comes from the hide that has been split into several layers and treated with chromium during the tanning process, which gives it a bluish color. 

Buffing - The process of removing/sanding the top grain layer via an abrasive or bladed cylinder often carried out by a machine. 

Case Leathering - A general term used to describe the leather used in travel bags and suitcases. 

Cattle Hide - A hide is animal skin, which is treated for human use, for example, to make leather. Cattle hide is the skin that comes from cattle/cows. 

Center Cut Suede - A suede split, which is trimmed and bent around the edges, leaving the best and most usable part, or the center of the hide. 

Corrected Grain Leather - Corrected grain refers to the hide having its top grain layer sanded down to minimize flaws. It is then pigmented and embossed with an artificial grain and sprayed with a sealer topcoat. 

Crock - The coloring matter that rubs off poorly dyed leather. 

Crust - Leather that has been tanned but hasn’t been finished; such leathers are described as being “in the crust”. 

Double Butt Suede - often used as another way of saying center cut suede.  

Embossed - a fancy or geometric pattern that is pressed into the leather.  

Grain - The grain, in terms of leather, is the outside or the skin/hide that has the pores, wrinkles, marks, etc. These make up the organic texture of the leather. 

Hand - A term used to describe the texture/feel of leather e.g. softness or fullness. 

Hide - An animal skin tanned or dried for human use.  

Imitation Leather - Also known as “Fake”, “Faux”, "Vegan" or “Synthetic” leather, imitation leather is a material that may look or feel like leather but isn’t – it is a false copy made to look like the real deal. 

Leather - A material made from the skins/hides of animals, most commonly cattle. 

Nubuck Leather - Like suede but of a higher quality; it is buffed or brushed on the grain side to create a velvety, napped surface. 

Patent Leather - Leather that has been given a glossy finish to give it a shiny, lustrous surface 

Patina - A patina is the sheen and change in colour that forms after time and use of a leather product. It is known to be a hallmark of quality leather and is highly sought after because it adds character to the product. 

Reconstructed Leather - Also known as “bonded leather”, reconstituted leather is made from scrap leather or leather fibres that are glued together with polyurethane. 

Skive - A term used to describe splitting or slicing the leather into a thin layer – commonly done with goatskin or calfskin. 

Snuffed Leather - Usually done through the process of abrasion, if leather is snuffed it means that it has had its top surface removed. 

Splitting - Cutting leather into multiple layers or into side leather prior the tanning process.  

Sueding - The process of raising the fibers on the hide to create a velvety texture, this is also called the napping process. 

Tanning - The method of making putrescible, decomposable raw hides into leather.  

Top Coat - A clear, protective coating applied to the surface of the leather, which may give the leather a luster or sheen. 

Weight - Leather is measured in ounces per square foot.  

Wick - The action of absorbing or dissipating moisture and heat through the fiber structure of the leather.  

Yield - The amount of useable leather produced from a hide.