Types of leather

Types of leather for seating furniture

What types of leather are there? How do you distinguish between them?
briefly and concisely explained by LCK leather experts

The most important types of leather:

Pigmentierte Glattleder

Pigmented smooth leather

Suitable for everyday use, easy to clean.

  • Light to strong pigmentation (colour top coat)
  • this protects the surface well against stains
  • little maintenance required
  • very hard-wearing
  • feels somewhat stiff and cool to the touch

Semi-Anilin

Semi aniline

Soft, easy to care for.

  • almost natural, only a very thin colour top layer
  • this offers light protection against stains
  • soft, non-slip surface
  • skin pores and natural features still partially recognizable
  • largely supple
  • €€
Rein-Anilin

Pure aniline

Natural, soft, genuine.

  • highest quality, natural smooth leather
  • Comfortable and warm
  • adapts ideally to body heat
  • changes over time - develops a slight patina
  • unfortunately very sensitive and requires intensive care
  • €€€
Vintage-Leder

Vintage leather

"Used look" finish

  • Smooth or suede leather
  • refined with a lively "effect finish" (wax layer)
  • This creates a stylish antique look
  • Very soft and non-slip
  • Sensitive and high-maintenance
  • Easily susceptible to signs of wear
  • €€ - €€€

Nubuck / suede

Velvety soft, warm, sensual

  • Very skin-friendly softness
  • absorbs body temperature quickly
  • you can see the "stroke direction" when stroking it
  • €€ - €€€

Saddle leather

Waxed and non-slip

  •  Smooth leather type
  • Very smooth, slightly waxed surface
  • pleasant, warm and waxy grip
  • susceptible to scratches and signs of wear
  • €€-€€€

Vegetable tanned

Leather tanned with plants

  • Tanning exclusively with plant parts
  • e.g. bark from trees, but also leaves or fruit.
  • Extremely sensitive and care-intensive
  • €€€

Olive leaf leather

Olive leaves as tanning agent

  • special vegetable tanned leather
  • extremely soft
  • warm and non-slip
  • easily susceptible to soiling
  • very high maintenance
  • €€€

Pull-up leather

Oiled leather, waxed leather

  • mostly nubucked surface with oil/wax finish
  • traces of use such as patina form quickly in everyday use
  • €€-€€€

PU leather

Foil-coated leather

  • Split leather coated with a polyurethane film (PU)
  • mostly glossy surface / antique look

Artificial leather

Imitation leather, synthetic

  • Synthetic material that looks like real leather but is not
  • Fabric coated with elastic synthetic materials
  • €-€€

Exotic leather

Snake, crocodile & co....

  • Leather from animal species protected by the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
  • unique look
  • €€€

Things to know about smooth leather and suede

It is not easy to find your way through the jungle of leather types. Several dozen different types of leather are used in furniture processing or in the automotive sector, not to mention the fashion industry. The types of leather range from coarse, firm natural leathers to the finest, almost delicately opaque qualities. And in between there are so many different thicknesses, surfaces and colors that it is easy to lose your bearings. It is easier if you know about the classification system of leather.

A basic distinction is made between smooth leather and suede (nubuck).
 

Smooth leather

With smooth leather, the upper side of the animal's skin is used. This remains "smooth", i.e. it is not sanded. The skin structure with the pores and individual features (e.g. mast folds, thorn cracks, etc.) remain visible. Smooth leather can be recognized by the visible skin structure, the so-called grain, which varies depending on the animal. Calfskin has a finer skin structure than crocodile leather, for example.

Why is it called smooth leather even though the skin structure is visible?

Smooth leather is the collective term for all types of leather that are made from the "grain side" of the animal's rawhide. In other words, from the upper side on which, for example, the hide of cattle grew. Even if it is called smooth leather, the appearance can be structured, grained, smooth or embossed, depending on the type of final finishing (e.g. by coating, embossing, varnishing, etc.).

Types of smooth leather

Depending on the type of dyeing and finishing, smooth leathers can be divided into three large leather groups: In addition to natural, sophisticated pure aniline leathers, there are pigmented, easy-care leathers. The golden mean is represented by semi aniline leathers, which can be described as almost natural and yet suitable for everyday use.

Suede leather

With suede leather (also known as nubuck, suede or velour), the surface of the animal skin is sanded and roughened. This is done to conceal skin damage (e.g. injuries) or to be able to use split animal skins. The soft, velvety roughened surface leaves marks when stroked, you can see the "stroking direction" as the direction of the roughened fibers changes.



Bestseller leather care

KERALUX Leather Care Set P
Perfect care combination for pigmented leather
High-quality Leather Care Set with cleaner, care lotion, sponge and cloth. Perfectly matched to pigmented leather, semi-aniline and Longlife leather.
  • Gentle and pore-deep cleaning, solvent-free
  • Rich care optimally nourishes the leather
  • Valuable moisture and optimum refatting
  • Reliable protection against drying out
  • With sun protection against colour fading
  • With valuable antioxidants for a long lifetime
  • Dermatologically tested "very good"!
200 ml KERALUX® Soft Cleaner, 200 ml KERALUX® Care Lotion P, sponge, cloth, instruction
29,10 €
incl. VAT, plus shipping
KERALUX Leather Care Set A
Perfect care combination for high-quality aniline leather

Gentle cleaning and optimum care for high-quality, sensitive natural aniline leather.

  • Special formula for sensitive aniline leathers
  • Gentle and pore-deep cleaning, solvent-free
  • Rich care optimally nourishes the leather
  • Valuable moisture and optimum refatting
  • Reliable protection against drying out
  • Refreshes the impregnation
  • With sun protection against colour fading
  • With valuable antioxidants for a long lifetime
200 ml KERALUX® Soft Cleaner, 200 ml KERALUX® Care Lotion A, sponge, cloth, instruction
32,20 €
incl. VAT, plus shipping
KERALUX Leather Care Set S
Cleaning · Care & Protection for waxed saddle leather
High-quality care set perfectly adapted to waxed saddle leather.
  • Gentle and pore-deep cleaning, solvent-free
  • Rich care optimally nourishes the leather
  • Valuable moisture and optimum refatting
  • Maintenance of the waxy surface
  • Reliable protection against drying out
  • Equalizes small scratches
200 ml KERALUX® Soft Cleaner, 200 ml KERALUX® Care Lotion S, sponge, cloth, instruction
28,90 €
incl. VAT, plus shipping
KERALUX Leather Care Set V for leather with vintage-effect
Perfect care combination for leather with vintage-effect

Gentle cleaning and optimum care for leather with vintage-effect

  • Gentle and pore-deep cleaning, solvent-free
  • Rich care optimally nourishes the leather
  • Valuable moisture and optimum refatting
  • Maintaining of the typical waxy grip
  • Reliable protection against drying out
  • With valuable antioxidants for a long lifetime
200 ml KERALUX® Cleaner V, 200 ml KERALUX® Care Lotion V for leather with vintage-effect, sponge, cloth, instruction
29,50 €
incl. VAT, plus shipping
Cleaning Glove
For regularly quick cleaning

The Cleaning Glove is suitable to remove dust regularly from your upholstered furniture. Also possible to use on smooth surfaces like plastic, synthetic material and glass.

  • Ideal for weekly dusting of upholstered furniture
  • Suitable for leather, artificial leather and fabric upholstery
  • Can be used dry or wet
  • Washable, so can be used for a long time
1 cleaning glove
10,60 €
incl. VAT, plus shipping
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