It is safe to assume that everyone knows what is leather and most of us have at least one item of clothing or accessory that is made of leather. Derived from the hide of animals, leather is one of the oldest materials known to man and is used for making clothes, shoes, accessories, furniture and other kinds of products. From a vintage article of clothing, to an important component of the styles of fetish groups, gothic and rock bands, leather has come a long way.

Animal hides have been used to make clothes and accessories since the Palaeolithic age. We all have read about the ‘early man’ who hunted wild animals for food and used their skin to cover himself.

The first basic leather tanning process is mentioned in the Assyrian texts and Homer’s Illiad. The methods included formaldehyde tanning (found in the vapours produced by burning green leaves and branches), vegetable tanning and alum-based tanning.
Historians have discovered several written documents and wall paintings that point to the manufacturing and use of leather in the early Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Greek and Roman civilisations.

In the 8th century, Spain produced ‘Cordovan’, a type of leather that remained popular throughout Europe for centuries. By the 15th century, leather tanning became widespread in Europe. The Industrial Revolution gave a boost to the process of manufacturing leather and made it more sophisticated. The introduction of powerful machines and the use of chrome salts, instead of natural tanning agents, resulted in a faster and easier turnaround.

The production and use of leather has continued well into the modern times. India is the third-largest producer and exporter of leather in the world.

Types of leather

Leather is produced according to the following grades

Top-grain leather : This includes the outer layer of the hide which has finer and more densely packed fibres. This gives the leather strength and durability. Depending on thickness, it may also contain some of the more fibrous under layer, known as the corium. Types of top-grain leather include:
• Full-grain leather is considered the highest quality leather and is often used to make furniture and footwear.
• Corrected grain leather is treated to obtain a more uniform appearance. This usually involves sanding, dyeing and embossing the surface.
• Nubuck is top-grain leather that has been sanded or buffed on the grain side to give a slight nap of short protein fibres, producing a velvet-like surface.

Split leather : It is created from the corium left once the top-grain has been separated from the hide. The process is called drop split. Splits are often used to create suede. Split leather can be coated with polyurethane or vinyl layer and embossed to give it the appearance of a grain. This is known as bicast leather and has a more consistent texture.

Patent leather : This is the leather that has been given a high-gloss finish by the addition of a coating.
Bonded leather, also called reconstituted leather, is a material that uses leather scraps that are shredded and bonded together with polyurethane or latex.

Advantages of leather

• Durable
• Abrasion resistant
• Water and fire resistant if treated
• Flexible
• Timeless

Disadvantages of leather

• Expensive
• Not cruelty free
• Not eco-friendly
• Poses health hazards to the tanners due to the use of chemicals