Cuts Of Hide
1. Whole Hide
Description: The entire hide of the animal.
Uses: Ideal for large-scale projects such as upholstery, car interiors, and large leather garments. Offers versatility for cutting various smaller parts needed for multiple projects.
2. Side
Description: One half of a whole hide, typically includes parts of the shoulder, belly, and back.
Uses: Commonly used for medium to large projects like handbags, jackets, and upholstery. Provides a good balance of size and usability.
3. Double Shoulder
Description: Both shoulders of the hide, without the belly.
Uses: Known for its strength and thickness, making it perfect for belts, straps, harnesses, and craft items that require durability.
4. Single Shoulder
Description: One shoulder of the hide.
Uses: Suitable for smaller projects such as belts, small bags, and craft items. Offers good quality leather at a lower cost compared to larger cuts.
5. Bend
Description: The section from the middle back to the upper rear of the hide.
Uses: Highly prized for its strength and consistent thickness. Ideal for heavy-duty items such as belts, soles of shoes, and industrial leather goods.
6. Double Bend
Description: Both bends from the rear part of the hide.
Uses: Provides a larger piece of uniformly thick and strong leather, perfect for large projects requiring durability like saddles, harnesses, and heavy-duty straps.
7. Belly
Description: The lower sides of the hide, generally softer and more flexible but with more stretch and less uniform thickness.
Uses: Good for less critical parts of projects where flexibility is beneficial, such as linings, practice pieces, and budget-friendly leather goods.
8. Single Butt
Description: The rear part of the hide, covering the rump area.
Uses: Known for its dense fibers and strength, making it ideal for high-quality belts, straps, and other items requiring robustness and minimal stretch.
Leather Terminology
Hide
The treated pelt of an animal used for various leather products.
Full Grain Leather
One of the most highly valued leathers, it is the outermost layer that has not been altered or corrected, with only the hair removed; it is durable and well sought after.
Aniline Dyed
Leather dyed all the way through with a transparent dye. Because the finish is transparent and shows the natural markings of the leather, only the best quality hides can be used.
Chrome Tan
This process uses soluble chromium salts, primarily chromium sulfate, to tan leather. It is most commonly used for garments, footwear, and upholstery.
Chrome Free
Also known as aldehyde-tanned leather, this type is referred to as wet-white leather due to its pale cream or white color. It is used in infant shoes and automobiles.
Distressed
Aniline-dyed leather with one color over another to create highlights and an aged appearance. Also called antiqued leather.
Drum Dyed
The process of coloring leather by tumbling it in a rotating drum immersed in dye to allow maximum dye penetration.
Embossed Leather
Leather that has been stamped with a design or artificial texture under very high pressure. It can be altered with patterns to mimic full grain leathers like alligator or decorative floral designs.
Flesh Side
The underside of the animal’s hide. When looking at a piece of vegetable-tanned tooling leather, this will be the rough side.
Grain
The outer part of the hide with wrinkles, pores, marks, and other natural characteristics.
Glazed Leather
A high gloss, smooth finish made by polishing leather with glass or steel under high pressure.
Latigo
A combination-tanned leather that is both chrome-tanned and vegetable-tanned, frequently used in tack.
Milled
Leather that has been tumbled in large machines to soften and relax the fibers.
Nubuck
Top grain leather that has been brushed to produce a soft, fuzzy texture that remains durable and long-lasting.
Oil-Tanned
Despite the term, this is leather that has had oil added to the hide after tanning. It tends to be more supple than chrome tans, is well hydrated, and is more water and dirt-resistant.
Patina
The way leather naturally ages, changing colors and adopting a sheen that adds character and beauty over time.
Pull-Up Leather
Finished leather treated with oils, waxes, and dyes that lighten in color when pulled or stretched.
Suede
A type of split leather with a fuzzy, napped texture, similar to nubuck.
Temper or Hand
Refers to the pliability of finished leathers, ranging from stiff to supple and everything in between.
Veg-Tan
Conversion of rawhide into leather through vegetable-based tanning agents or extracts to enhance or modify the hide. It is the only leather that can be stamped, tooled, and wet-formed by hand.