Genuine leather always looks like a touch above. Think leather sofas and furniture, car upholstery and clothing. From leather boots to leather dresses, leather jackets to leather purses, leather clothing items carry off a look of fine, luxurious fashion.
Leather is a durable and flexible material created by tanning animal rawhide, mostly cattle hide. Leather can be produced at manufacturing scales ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry. Leather is produced in a wide variety of types and styles and decorated by a wide range of techniques. The earliest record of leather artifacts dates back to 2200 BC.
The Leather Manufacturing Process is Divided into Three Subprocesses:
- Preparatory Stage: This is where the hide is prepared for tanning. Processes include liming, deliming, hair removal, degreasing, bleaching and pickling.
- Tanning Stage: This process stabilizes the proteins of the raw hide so that it doesn’t putrefy, making it suitable for a wide variety of applications.
- Crusting Stage: This is the process that thins and lubricates the leather, including coloring operations. Chemicals added during crusting must be fixed in place. Crusting brings on the drying and softening process of the leather, including splitting, shaving, dyeing, whitening and other methods.
How do you keep your luscious leather garments water resistant? By applying oils such as mink oil, neatsfoot oil, or a similar material that keeps the leather supple and improves its lifespan dramatically.
I remember when I was in high school I bought myself the most gorgeous pair of knee high, burgundy leather boots. I also bought a $100 container of leather oil to apply to my beautiful boots to keep them looking lovely and new!
Various Tanning Methods Include:
- Vegetable Tanned Leather
- Chrome Tanned Leather
- Aldehyde Tanned Leather
- Brain Tanned Leather
- Alum Leather
Leather is a durable, stunning, comfortable type of clothing to wear in all types of weather.
Loving on the leather look.
Leather Fun Fact: Today, most genuine leather is made from cattle hides, which constitute about 65% of all leather produced. Other animals that are used for leather include sheep, goats, pigs, horses, lambs and kangaroos. Ostriches are now becoming known for producing ostrich leather. Of course there is also synthetic leather, which looks like the real thing but is manufactured from materials that aren’t living animals!
In addition to looking chic and trendy, leather clothing maintains excellent resistance to abrasion and wind. For this reason, leather clothing is used in many occupations. Think sturdy leather work boots, and of course the always recognizable black leather motorcycle jacket. Happening leather action for complete leather satisfaction.
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Leather Grades Include:
- Top Grain Leather
- Full Grain Leather
- Corrected Grain Leather
- Split Leather
- Patent Leather (My favorite…so shiny and fancy)
- Bonded Leather
No matter what color leather you prefer to wear, and if the hemline goes from here to there, step out in luscious leather without a fashion care.
Leather clothing truly becomes you! Fill your fashion closet with garments of leather. “I have way too much leather in my closet,” said no one ever.
Leather: An ideal fashion favorite for fall weather!
Nancy Mangano is an American fashion journalist, screenwriter and author of the Natalie North murder mystery book series. Visit Nancy on her global online fashion/style/beauty magazine Nancy Marie Mangano Style at https://nancymariemangano.com, her Facebook page Nancy Mangano at https://www.facebook.com/nancymmangano/ Twitter @https://twitter.com/nancymangano and her author website http://nancymangano.com
