Leather Types And Care

TYPES OF LEATHER

The skin as it is in its original form, consists of many different "layers". During the initial processing of the leather, its layers are separated because they do not have all the same characteristics (durability, quality, texture, etc.) and also not all the layers are made for the manufacture of all products. For example a leather business bag should be characterized by high durability. Below we will describe the different "layers" of skin.

Top Grain Leather

Top Grain leather is the outer (first layer) of the skin that has been left completely intact and is the best you can find. It is the most expensive but also the leather with the greatest durability.

Full Grain Leather

Full Grain leather is all the skin intact without a layer of skin being removed, but it has not undergone any other treatment other than hair removal, ie it is the most raw leather type. Full Grain retains all the characteristics such as the texture, the natural "marks" of the original skin and the "beauty" of the raw.

Split Leather

Split Leather is the leather that has come from the inner layers of the skin after the upper "layer" has been separated, we usually find it in the construction of Suede leather. Split leather is more vulnerable than top grain and full grain leather.

Nappa

Term used to describe all types of smooth skin with natural spots. The term Nappa is used to denote the skin that comes from the outer and thinner layer of the skin. It is considered the leather with the best quality when it comes from Top Grain Leather which is considered the best and most expensive quality. Good quality Nappa leather has a very soft feel and an extremely smooth texture. One of its most common applications is to coat the interiors of luxury cars.

Ruga leather

Ruga leather is the latest fashion in leather handbags. Ruga leather is excellent quality leather, it is extremely smooth and has an impressive appearance and uniquely soft texture. It is very similar to Napa leather, but it is softer and just as luxurious. It adopts the properties of polished leather in terms of its durability, it is very soft, it has high resistance to time and stains. Ruga leather is of very good quality and impresses at first glance anyone looking for a luxurious and sophisticated bag.

Italian Polished Calf Skin Leather- Polished Calfskin

This leather is very soft, has great resistance to time and stains while it is very good quality. These exceptional properties make Polished Calf Skin ideal for all bags that need refined quality, high resistance to water and everyday stains, and luxurious texture. Due to its excellent quality and exceptional durability, Polished Calf Skin is the first choice in the manufacture of professional products, while it is also used for both men's and women's leather bags due to its quality and luxury. Due to its processing it cleans very easily even from stains, but be careful this does not mean that you should not clean it as soon as possible once you find that it is dirty. The skin that will be selected to create the Polished Calf Skin Leather must be literally flawless. This is because the only process it undergoes is sanding and organic dyeing, with the result that any skin defect is obvious and therefore makes the skin unsuitable for the specific use.

Sauvage leather

Sauvage leather is "first" layer leather and top quality. However, it has undergone a special paint treatment so that it contains two different shades of the same color. The special dye treatment includes two types of dyes. For the first time the dark shade of the color penetrates deep into the skin. The second time, a lighter shade of the same color penetrates. This process adds "depth" and "character" to the Sauvage skin and produces a discoloration - color ripple. Sauvage leather is very resistant to dirt and stains and is often preferred because it is very soft while at the same time it is very durable. It is also one of the most expensive leathers and not all leathers are suitable for Sauvage leather. Sauvage leather is very similar in texture to Suede leather.

Suede

Grinded skin on the underside (side of the animal's flesh) which gives it a velvety appearance. Suede skin comes from the inside of the skin after separating the layers of skin. Suede is a very thin and soft leather that is commonly used in the manufacture of fashion items, clothing and leather accessories. It has come after roughening the skin in order to create the feeling of velvety (fluffy) texture. It is highly durable, flexible with a refined texture. Although it is generally cheaper than Nappa leather, it is not considered inferior. While it has great resistance in terms of skin quality, it is at the same time quite absorbent, it absorbs moisture and stains to a greater extent but because of this, it "breathes" better and is therefore preferred in clothing and footwear.

CAUTION! Due to its high absorbency, we recommend that you do not use light colored Suede leather bags or Suede shoes with clothes that you know are discolored. In the dark shades of Suede) you will not easily notice anything, but in light shades your bag or shoes will absorb color from the clothes that are fading, little by little. We suggest you to use special waterproofing products that are available in the market and protect the your favorite items.

Nubuck leather

Nubuck leather is similar to Suede. The difference is that while Suede leather is made from the inside of the skin, Nubuck leather is made from the outside of the skin, using the same roughing process to give a velvety texture, just like Suede. It is very, very soft. It is also more expensive, thicker and more durable than Suede. It is easy to scratch, and has a very high absorbency, which is why we wrote above about Suede. It is most often used in furniture upholstery.

Printed Leather

The Printed treatment is applied to the skin just before the first skin treatment is finished and in essence the Printed treatment changes the texture of the skin, the skin stops having  various natural marks, and that is what is required. Printed Leather usually feels better to the touch and does not slip on the hand. At the same time the printing process eliminates skin imperfections covering any marks. Printed leather is a favorite of the fashion industry because while it is of exactly the same quality as the best leathers, it is much cheaper than them. This is because it is very difficult to find a single piece of raw leather without a single natural mark to be used in the manufacture of a bag.

Saffiano Leather

Saffiano leather was first created in Italy, the homeland of leather. Technically, it is not a skin type but it is a way of treating the skin. Saffiano leather as mentioned in the industry, is an extremely impressive leather. Usually a product made of Saffiano leather will catch your eye as soon as you enter a store. It is sure to look luxurious, beautiful and "glamorous". It is basically a method in which the skin is stamped (printed) to look so beautiful. The "Saffiano" treatment makes the skin very durable, and very easy to clean. It is a very good choice for suitcases and business bags. This treatment is quite old but in recent years it has begun to make its appearance more dynamically in fashion. Saffiano "leather" has a textured feel, high resistance to time and dirt and is a very elegant leather. Its embossed texture is due to a machine that imprints on the skin (stamping method) these characteristic lines of the skin. Finally, its processing is completed with a layer of wax. As a result, Saffiano skin is very resistant to scratches, has durability and great resistance over time, repels water, and is very easy to clean. Its processing results in deep and intense colors that in combination with the organic dye, create bags with very intense and vibrant colors. But because it is not leather but a way of processing, special care is needed because a bag made of Saffiano can come from calf as well as from other lower quality skins, such as pork or lamb skin. Unfortunately, because this embossed style is very easy to copy, we find it not only in lower quality leathers but also in faux leather or even nylon and plastic (synthetic). We need to be very careful to make sure that the product you are going to buy is genuine leather and not synthetic leather or plastic.

Aged Effect Leather

Leather that has been treated to look like damaged - used. Usually high quality, so do not be fooled at first glance.

Leather (Faux Leather)

Synthetic skin substitute which is also called Leatherette. But there are special processes for leatherette that cost close to the skin, such as alcantara. The main advantage of leatherette is its usually low price, as well as the fact that it is completely waterproof. It is also more resistant to wrinkles, creases, overflows, etc. If you are interested in getting a bag made of genuine leather, you should avoid anything that has the inscription Faux Leather or the so-called leatherette. Faux Leather like leatherette is not leather, it is plastic. It is essentially a synthetic / artificial "leather" which is a polymer plastic "common" PVC. Technology has advanced so much that many times even experienced leather craftsmen and manufacturers cannot distinguish a Faux leather from a real one, this happens when the product is unused. Because Faux Leather from the very first months of use will show its true origin. It has nothing to do with the quality of genuine leather, with the quality of a leatherette or Faux leather and very soon a product made of this kind of "leather" will lose all vitality, will wrinkle and will not remind you of the beautiful bag you had in the beginning. Faux Leather is used not only in clothes and shoes, but also in the upholstery of houses, cars, boats, etc.

TIPS FOR CARE AND PROTECTION OF LEATHER GOODS.

Leather is a very durable material, but at the same time it is a natural and living material that we must take care of throughout its life. Your leather bag can last for several years, as long as you take care of it and protect it from natural factors that can damage it. After all, it is very beautiful to see the younger generations holding leather goods that they have inherited from their parents and look like new. Let us not forget that the leather product has been established as an absolute must of timeless value regardless of the fashion trends that change every year.

To protect your leather goods (bags, backpacks, wallets, etc.), it is good to be careful not to come into contact with perfumes, makeup, hair and body sprays and other artificial, chemically harmful products because they can cause stains. or alter the texture of the skin and cause damage. Daily and continuous use in all conditions such as strong sun, exhaust, rain and dust, can also bother your leather product.

What we generally recommend is, in the case of daily use, to apply once a month a slightly damp and clean cotton cloth. Do not use soaps, hard cloths, or any other chemical. It can scratch or damage the surface of the skin and even cause permanent damage, destroying it. Something as simple as that is usually effective, but if you want to take even more care of your leather product, there are aloe vera creams and lotions on the market that are very good for the skin and can be applied once every six months. We recommend that you use only branded products and apply them to your leather product after first trying on a very small area, such as the handles of a bag so that you can see the effects of the product you used without spoiling the whole bag. Use small amounts, do not overdo the use considering that the more, the better the care. Avoid Vaseline or other commercial oily moisturizers that are not intended for use on leather products, because in addition to causing damage and blemishes to the skin, oil-based products tend to stick to dust, hairs or small particles. exhaust gas on your product. Do not use solvent cleaning methods, as it is more likely to cause permanent damage and discoloration of the paint.

As for the storage of your leather product, whether it is a bag or a wallet, we recommend that you store them in the cases we offer you or any other cotton fabric, so that they are well ventilated, but at the same time protected from dust. For your belts, we suggest that you keep them hanging (open) and not as many people usually wrap them as we give them to you from the shops due to space. Do not use plastic because with temperature changes it may stick to the skin and leave stains. It is advisable to store your product in a well-ventilated cool and dry place, away from exposure to excessive heat or humidity that can cause cracks and mold, or strong sun that can fade its color.

Important Tips for cleaning your leather bag:

1) Cleaning of oil stains, liquids, etc.

Protect the leather product from contact with cosmetics such as make-up, food and oil stains. If oil or other liquid that you suspect may stain your leather bag falls, you need to remember that the speed which you deal with the problem is of major importance. The less fluid is absorbed by the skin, the easier it is to clean. If several hours pass before you decide to clean your bag, then you will not be able to completely remove the stain, because it will now be absorbed and completely dry. So deal with the problem as fast as you can.

Pour enough talcum powder on the spot where the liquid fell. Talc is excellent at absorbing moisture and will immediately "pull" any liquid that has fallen into your bag. Remember not to be stingy in the amount you throw. If you do not have talc, then flour and baking soda also do a good job. Leave it for about 1 hour and then remove too much Talk from the bag and then clean the last Talk residue with a cloth. See how the problem has improved. If it is not completely gone then put talc again and leave your bag overnight with it. In the morning the problem will be gone or it will be subtle.

2) Heavy rain

Avoid exposing your bag to rain, especially heavy rain for a long time. No leather will be permanently affected by the rain and no leather likes it. Some skins like Suede are very sensitive and will change color from the rain. Do not panic, as soon as the leather dries, it will return to its original appearance. If your bag has been wet for a long time, do not try to dry it in a radiator, hair dryer or other heat source! The sudden heat will do a lot of damage to the leather, just wipe it with a clean cloth.

3) Chewing gum

If chewing gum sticks to your bag which you can not remove by hand, then please do not use sharp objects because all you will do is scratch the leather, get a cleansing cream especially for such cases.

4) Scratches

If your bag has been scratched too much by a sharp object resulting in an obvious and serious problem, then get a color correction cream or contact us for advice. If you decide to use the color correction cream yourself, please try applying the cream in a place that is not visible.

For any information about the care and care of your leather goods do not hesitate to contact us to advise you appropriately!