Leather Lexicon - Types of leather in bag production
Introduction to Leather: A Timeless Material
Leather has been an essential part of human civilization for thousands of years. Its natural durability, flexibility, and ability to develop a rich patina make it a timeless material. Leather can be crafted into a variety of products, but is especially prized for bags due to its durability and ability to look better over time. Numerous types of leather exist, each with unique properties that make them suitable for different bag styles.
Common types of leather and their properties
A) Leather materials by origin
Cowhide
Cowhide is the most commonly used type of leather for bag making due to its durability, availability, and versatility. It is obtained from the hides of cows and can vary in texture depending on how it is processed. Cowhide is known for its strength and durability, making it ideal for heavy-use bags such as backpacks, duffel bags, and business bags. Cowhide can be processed in a variety of ways, including full-grain, fine-grain, or genuine leather, resulting in different finishes and properties. It can be stiff and textured, making it perfect for formal, professional bags, or soft and flexible, making it ideal for casual or everyday bags. The natural durability of cowhide ensures that, with proper care, it will last for many years.
Macumba leather
For this leather type, classic full-grain cowhide is coated with oil and wax to preserve its classic grain. This gives this type of leather its unique appearance. Its characteristic texture is slightly "creased." You can find a selection of bags and accessories made from our high-quality "Macumba" leather in our shop.
sheepskin
Sheepskin, often referred to as sheepskin, is softer and more delicate than cow or goat leather. It is prized for its silky-smooth texture and light weight, making it a popular choice for luxury handbags and accessories. Sheepskin is generally more flexible than other types of leather, making it comfortable to wear, but less durable than cowhide.
Due to its softness, sheepskin leather is often used for high-quality, fashionable products such as evening bags, clutches, and soft tote bags. It is often dyed in bold colors and can be given a glossy or matte finish. Although sheepskin leather is not as durable as other leathers, its luxurious texture and light weight make it an ideal material for special occasion bags.
Buffalo leather
Buffalo leather is harder and more textured than cowhide. It's known for its thick, robust surface and visible grain, making it ideal for sturdy bags and accessories that must withstand heavy use. Buffalo leather is often used for rustic products such as backpacks and duffel bags. Despite its rough appearance, buffalo leather is pliable and softens with time and use.
Buffalo leather is a particularly robust and textured leather, characterized by its thick, durable surface and distinctive, visible grain. These properties make it an excellent choice for bags and accessories that must withstand heavy use. Due to its durability, buffalo leather is often used for rustic products such as backpacks, duffel bags, and sturdy handbags that are both functional and stylish.
The unique texture of buffalo leather not only gives the products a distinctive look, but also ensures a certain naturalness and authenticity. Despite its initially rough appearance, buffalo leather is pliable and adapts to use over time. With each use, the leather softens and develops an attractive patina that reflects its character and history.
Caring for buffalo leather is relatively easy. Regular cleaning and the use of leather care products help maintain its suppleness and protect the leather from environmental influences. Overall, buffalo leather is an excellent choice for those seeking long-lasting, stylish, and durable leather goods.
Goat leather
Goat leather is known for its light weight and supple texture, making it an excellent material for smaller bags and accessories. It has a natural grain that is less pronounced than that of cowhide, yet is still durable and strong. Goat leather is softer and more pliable than cowhide, making it easier to work with and more comfortable to wear.
Due to its softness, goatskin is often used for handcrafted products such as satchels, shoulder bags, and wallets. It has a slightly grainy texture and can be dyed in a wide range of colors, allowing for a variety of designs. Goatskin is also more breathable than cowhide, making it well-suited for bags that are worn close to the body, such as slings or small satchels.
Exotic leather
Exotic leathers come from less common animals such as crocodiles, ostriches, snakes, and even stingrays and fish. These unique leathers are highly prized for their distinctive texture and exceptional appearance. Each of these materials offers not only a distinct aesthetic but also specific properties that make them ideal for different applications.
Crocodile leather is known for its luxurious texture and characteristic scales, making each piece unique. Its robustness and sophisticated appearance make it a preferred choice for high-end designer bags, wallets, and accessories. Many designers value crocodile leather as it's ideal for exclusive collections that exude elegance and style.
Ostrich leather, on the other hand, is characterized by its fine, even texture and typical small pores. This leather is particularly soft and supple, making it ideal for making luxury handbags and fashion accessories. The combination of durability and elegance makes ostrich leather a favorite among lovers of high-quality leather goods.
Snakeskin offers a unique texture with its characteristic scales and is often found in striking designs. It adds an exotic touch to clutches and smaller accessories and draws attention with its visual appeal. Snakeskin is often used for fashion statement pieces and is ideal for those seeking something unique and eye-catching.
Fish leather, on the other hand, is enjoying increasing popularity due to its sustainability and unique structure. This leather is obtained from various fish species and offers an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional leather. Fish leather is not only lightweight and flexible, but also has a fascinating texture, making it an interesting choice for fashionable products. It is increasingly being used for bags and accessories that are not only stylish but also sustainable.
Overall, exotic leathers offer a multitude of possibilities for designers and consumers seeking unique, high-quality, and stylish products. They combine elegance, functionality, and sustainability in a way that conventional leathers often cannot.
We at myBagFactory would like to emphasize at this point that we DO NOT use such types of leather (including protected wild animals).
Vegan leather
Vegan leather, also known as faux leather, is a synthetic material that mimics the look and feel of real leather without the use of animal products. It can be made from a variety of sources, including plastic polymers like PVC or more environmentally friendly materials like cork, pineapple leaves, or apple peels. Vegan leather is a popular choice in sustainable fashion and is often used for fashionable bags, clutches, and shoes. While it lacks the durability and patina development of real leather, it offers a cruelty-free alternative that appeals to environmentally conscious consumers.
Not all leather is the same
Leather is a wonderful, living material that accompanies us for many years, which is why our experienced partners take care to process the material carefully and gently when manufacturing our bags.
The many different types of leather can generally be divided into two groups: smooth leather and suede. Smooth leather uses the surface of the hide, allowing the leather's texture, such as pores or wrinkles, to remain visible. Smooth leathers are therefore more natural than suede and, despite the designation "smooth," always have some degree of texture and grain. The extent to which the leather's natural texture is still recognizable depends on the final finishing process.
Suede (also called nubuck or suede), on the other hand, is sanded (roughened) before further processing.
smooth leather
Vachetta leather
Vachetta leather is a type of vegetable-tanned leather that is untreated and, when new, has a light, creamy color. Over time, Vachetta leather develops a patina that darkens and lusters through contact with light, oils, and moisture. This aging process is prized by many, especially among luxury brands.
Smooth premium leather
This is gently smoothed cowhide of outstanding premium quality. This is a particularly high-quality, natural leather type that is gently drum-dyed and has a classically elegant style.
A selection of bags and accessories made from our high-quality smooth leather "Smooth" can be found here .
Vintage crinkled leather
This is a smooth leather type produced similarly to our "Smooth." A subsequent finishing process creates a special "creased" look that is particularly unusual and unique.
You can find a selection of bags and accessories from our high-quality "Vintage Knitter" in our shop
Aniline leather
Aniline leather is one of the most beautiful and luxurious types of leather. During the processing of aniline leather, the hides are dyed throughout, preserving the leather's natural look and characteristic features. This is why it is also referred to as "full-grain leather." The name aniline comes from the dyes used in the coloring process, which are often plant-based.
You can find a selection of bags and accessories made from our high-quality aniline leather in our shop.
Pull-up leather
Pull-up leather is a type of waxed leather known for its distressed, vintage appearance. When the leather is bent or stretched, the waxes and oils used in the tanning process cause the color to lighten, giving the leather a unique, worn appearance. This characteristic makes pull-up leather a popular choice for casual, rugged bags that are meant to look aged and weathered over time.
Vintage
It is a particularly natural and very high-quality type of oiled leather, refined solely with wax and oil. The processing of this leather quality is particularly valuable because of its naturalness, which only enhances its robustness and makes it even more durable. The oils and waxes beautifully emphasize the soft shading in the leather, creating elegant, subtle color variations. Characteristic of "vintage" leather is the slight lightening of the leather over time, as well as the visible signs of wear that become apparent through bending and stretching. This creates a wonderful, unique patina.
You can find a selection of bags and accessories from our high-quality "Vintage" range here .
Nappa leather
Nappa leather is one of the softest and most luxurious types of leather. It is typically made from the hides of younger animals, such as lamb or calf, which gives it a particularly smooth and buttery texture. Nappa leather has a fine grain and a soft, almost silky feel, making it a popular choice for high-quality bags and premium fashion accessories. It is often used for products that require a sophisticated, elegant appearance.
Floaters
This is full-grain cowhide with a naturally fine grain. It's one of the most common types of leather, commonly known simply as nappa leather. Nappa leather is a type of smooth leather processed using pigmentation. This type of processing offers many advantages – the leather is very easy to care for and offers a virtually limitless variety of colors.
A selection of bags and accessories from our high-quality "Floater" range can be found in our shop.
Suede
Suede
Suede is a type of leather made from the underside of animal hide, giving it a soft, velvety texture. Unlike other types of leather, which have a smooth or shiny surface, suede has a plush nap that gives it a distinctive look and feel. Because it's made from the inner layers of the hide, suede is less durable than full-grain or fine-grain leather and can be more susceptible to stains and water damage if not treated properly. Suede is a type of rough leather. This collective term encompasses two different ways of processing animal hides. If the underside of a hide or a layer of the split hide is used, this type of rough leather is called velour. However, it is also possible for the top side of the leather to be roughened and further processed into suede. This is technically known as nubuck.
Suede is characterized by its velvety-soft feel. Compared to smooth leather, suede is more sensitive to moisture, but can be well protected with proper care and waterproofing. You can find a selection of bags and accessories made from our high-quality suede here .
Nubuck leather
Nubuck leather is often confused with suede, but there are some important differences. Like suede, nubuck leather has a soft, velvety texture, but is made from the outer surface of the hide, making it more durable. Nubuck is sanded or buffed on the grain side to give it a light nap, similar to suede but with a finer texture. This luxurious, matte finish is highly prized.
patent leather
Patent leather is a type of leather that has been given a high-gloss finish by applying a lacquer or plastic coating. This process results in a shiny, reflective surface often used for formal or evening accessories. Patent leather is highly resistant to water and stains, making it a popular material for clutches, handbags, and shoes.
saddle leather
Saddle leather is thicker and stronger than other types of leather, making it ideal for making shape-retaining bags. Our saddle leather is fine-grained vegetable-tanned cowhide.
Suede
Distress or also called Hunter
It's a sanded leather that's processed and dyed in a similar way to suede. The result is a rustic-looking leather with a firm, velvety feel that develops a natural patina after just a short period of use.
The rough surface comes from the fact that it's a sanded leather. It's processed and dyed similarly to suede. The result is a rustic-looking leather with a firm, velvety feel that develops a natural patina after just a short period of use.
You can find a selection of bags and accessories from our high-quality "Hunter" range here .
In the production of this suede, a thick animal hide is split into several layers and then dyed. This process gives the leather an open, rough texture and the typical, interesting antique effect.
You will find a selection of bags and accessories from our high-quality "Distress" in our shop
After tanning
Chrome-tanned leather
Chrome-tanned leather is the most commonly used type of leather due to its quick processing time and versatile properties. Tanned with chromium salts, it is soft, flexible, and water and heat resistant. Chrome-tanned leather can be dyed in a variety of colors, making it a popular choice for fashionable bags. This method is faster and more cost-effective, making it widely used in the leather industry.
Advantages:
- Speed and price : The chrome tanning process is significantly faster than vegetable tanning and can be completed in just a few days. This allows for faster production of leather goods.
- Stain and water resistance : Chrome-tanned leather often has greater resistance to water and stains, making it suitable for everyday items and bags that are subject to heavy wear. This type of leather typically has a uniform surface and appearance, which is appealing to many consumers.
Areas of application:
Chrome-tanned leather is often used in the mass production of bags, clothing, and other accessories. Due to its durability and relatively low price, it is a popular choice for products requiring high functionality. In leather production, a distinction is mainly made between two forms of chromium: chromium(III) and chromium(VI) . Here are the differences and their impacts on health and the environment:
Vegetable tanned leather
Vegetable-tanned leather develops a deep patina and is considered environmentally friendly because no harsh chemicals are used. This type of leather is often associated with artisanal craftsmanship.
Vegetable-tanned leather is produced using natural tanning agents from plant materials such as tree bark, leaves, and fruits. This traditional method has been used for centuries and is often considered the more environmentally friendly option.
Characteristics:
- Environmental friendliness : Because vegetable tanning eliminates the use of synthetic chemicals, it is generally more environmentally friendly. The leather is biodegradable and leaves a smaller ecological footprint.
- Patina and Aging : A distinctive feature of vegetable-tanned leather is the development of a beautiful patina over time. This patina lends the leather character and uniqueness and is appreciated by lovers of high-quality leather goods.
- Breathability : Vegetable-tanned leather is generally more breathable, making it more comfortable, especially in the form of clothing or bags worn directly on the body.
- Applications: Vegetable-tanned leather is often used in high-quality handbags, furniture, and shoes where appearance and feel are paramount. It is often used in products that are intended to be not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing.
Here you can see an example of such leather in the form of a leather bag.
Our comprehensive leather glossary provides valuable information about the different types of leather and their applications in bags. Leather remains a timeless material that combines both quality and style. Use our knowledge to find the perfect leather bag for your needs.