Embarking on the Leather Adventure: A Guide to Leather Lingo

Welcome to the wild and wonderful world of leather crafting! As you dive into this journey, you'll stumble upon a treasure trove of terms that have added flair and fun to leather's storied past. Knowing these key terms will help you navigate your next project like a pro.

Aniline Dyed
Think of this as the VIP treatment for leather hides. They take a luxurious dye bath without pesky pigments, showing off all their natural beauty. Only the best hides get this spa day!

Armour Leather
Channel your inner medieval knight! Heavy veg-tan leather is perfect for crafting shoe soles and reenacting epic battles with homemade armor.

Belly
No, not yours after a big meal. This is the part of the animal's underside and upper legs. Now you know!

Buffed
This leather has had a top-notch exfoliation, removing the surface grain with an abrasive or a bladed cylinder. Sometimes, it’s even done by hand for that personal touch.

Calf
It's leather from a young bovine, light and fresh, ready to impress.

Chrome Tanned
This process uses chromium salts to tan the leather, making it ideal for garments, footwear, and upholstery. Think of it as leather with a chrome-plated personality.

Combination Tanned
Why choose just one? This leather is tanned with a blend of different agents for the best of both worlds.

Corrected Grain
This leather had a little makeover, with its grain layer buffed away and a new surface embossed. It’s the leather version of a facelift.

Cowhide
Straight from the cow to your hands, this leather is as genuine as it gets.

Crocking
That annoying moment when color transfers from leather due to rubbing. Think of it as leather leaving a mark to remember it by.

Crust
Leather that's been tanned but still needs to be finished. It’s like dough waiting to become bread.

Distressed Leather
Leather with an attitude dyed with one colour over another for a rich, aged look. It flaunts its scars and wrinkles with pride.

Flesh Side
The underside of the hide. For veg-tanned tooling leather, it’s the rough and tough side.

Drum Dyed
Leather gets tumbled in dye inside a rotating drum for deep, even coloring. It’s like a tie-dye party for leather.

Full Grain
Unaltered leather that’s proud of its natural texture and markings. This is the top-tier, most durable layer of the hide.

Finish
The grand finale in leather manufacturing, giving it the final touch.

Good Hand
Soft, supple leather that feels like a hug from an old friend.

Grain
The natural pattern and texture formed by the animal’s pores, visible after hair removal. It’s leather’s fingerprint.

Hand Antiquated
Artisans hand rub contrasting colours to give the leather a unique, aged appearance. Each piece is one-of-a-kind.

Hand
Describes the leather’s softness and feel. It’s all about the touch.

Hide
The cured skin of a fully grown, large animal. The bigger, the better.

Kidskin
Soft, luxurious leather from a young goat. 

Hair Cell Grain
Visible hair pores on leather. It's like seeing the animal's past life.

Latigo
Cowhide leather ready for the great outdoors. It’s rugged and ready for adventure.

Leather
The star of the show, created by tanning animal rawhides, primarily from cattle.

Milling
The tumbling process in drums with heat and water misting to soften the leather or enhance its grain. It’s like a spa day for leather.

Natural Grain
Unaltered grain showing its authentic, natural appearance. No filters here.

Nubuck
Leather sanded or buffed on the grain side for a velvet-like surface—smooth operator.

Oil Tanned
Leather treated with oils for an ultra-soft, pliable finish. It’s leather that’s been pampered.

Patina
A natural, lustrous coating that forms over time on pure aniline and nubuck leather. It’s like fine wine, getting better with age.

Pigment Finish
Leather with a finish full of fine pigment particles. It's got that extra pop.

Pebble Grain
A surface pattern resembling small pebbles, adding some texture to your leather.

Printed
Leather with a pattern produced by embossing or silkscreen printing. It’s leather’s version of a tattoo.

Protected
Leather with a surface pattern usually produced by embossing or silkscreen printing. It's all about the design.

Pull-up
Leather that changes colour when pulled, leaving a distressed look. It’s leather with a surprise.

Pure Aniline
Hides coloured only by dyes, showcasing their natural markings and characteristics. Pure and simple.

Rawhide
Preserved hide that hasn’t been tanned. It’s the raw deal.

Re-tanned
Leather that gets an extra round of tanning for good measure.

Semi-Aniline
Leather that’s aniline dyed with a hint of pigment, still showing its natural beauty.

Shrunk(en) Grain
Specially tanned leather with a shrunken grain layer, creating a unique surface of folds and valleys. It’s all about that texture.

Side
Half a hide, including shoulder and belly. It's leather in portions.

Suede Split
Leather made from the flesh split of hide finished with a velvet-like nap. Soft and stylish.

Suede
A velvet-like nap finish on leather, achieved by abrasive action. Fancy and fuzzy.

Tanning
The magical process of turning raw hides into durable, non-rotting leather. It’s alchemy at its best.

Top Finish
A final coating giving leather unique properties like gloss and water resistance. It’s the cherry on top.

Top Grain
The top layer of a hide after splitting, either natural or embossed. It’s the cream of the crop.

Temper
Describes the pliability and softness of leather. How bendy is it?

Vegetable Tanned
Leather tanned with natural extracts from veggies. It’s the green choice.

Water-Resistant (Repellent) Leather
Heavily greased leather that laughs in the face of water.

Wax(ed) (Waxy) Leather
Upper leather finished on the flesh side, vegetable tanned, and full of hard grease. It's not necessarily wax, but it's close enough.

Enjoy your leather crafting adventure with these terms in your back pocket. You’re ready to talk leather like a seasoned pro!