Leathers

You can choose to have any of our extensive range of dining, easy and executive office chairs upholstered in real leather in a range of shades and styles.

Genuine leather is one of the most desirable types of upholstery available today. At Residence we understand your desire to make informed decisions about your seating for your home that will suit your lifestyle.

MORE ABOUT LEATHER
Leather is one of the strongest upholstery materials known to man. Nature has created its strong physical structure by weaving an intricate network of leather fibers. This strength allows the furniture manufacturer to pull leather down tightly without fear of tearing it. Leather will not melt nor readily burn, and unlike most fabrics and vinyl, it is extremely difficult to puncture. Leather can stand up to the rigors of daily life in the home and office with minimal care.

Unlike imitation leathers, genuine leather will not become hot and sticky in summer, nor cold and clammy in winter. Because leather is a natural material, it breathes, which makes it comfortable year around.

There is no other material to match the feel and aroma of genuine leather. Over the years, leather becomes richer and suppler and will acquire a soft patina. Leather is a natural product, and as such no two pieces are alike; each has its own natural markings which make it unique.

Types of Leather
Most leather used for furniture covering is cow leather, but more exotic leathers are also available, such as ostrich skin.

Cowhides are thick enough to be split into two or three layers of leather. The outer surface of the animal's hide is separated from the lower layers by slicing it with a long knife as the hide is fed through a series of rollers.

This outer portion of the animal's skin is usually 4-5mm thick (about the thickness of the edge of a coin). The layers of leather underneath the top grain are referred to as "split hides." These are generally thicker and stiffer than the top grain and are generally less expensive.

Once processed cow leather generally is described in one or more of the following ways.

Full grain leather is the top layer of the skin that has had nothing done to alter the natural surface of the hide so that the original features of the hide are still visible – scars, insect bites and the like, which make each hide unique.

Top grain leather is full grain leather that has had the surface altered by sanding, buffing or embossing so that the natural features and inconsistencies in the leather surface are removed.

Corrected leather is a term describing both top grain leather and leather splits that have had surface inconsistencies or imperfections removed by sanding and other processing.

Full aniline leather - These are leathers which have been aniline dyed in a vat process with no colour coating added to the surface. Full aniline dyed leathers are prized for their soft, natural feel. They are the most expensive leathers to produce because of the difficulty in finding the superior quality of hides required to produce the full aniline leather. Full aniline dyed leathers may also be more susceptible to absorbing liquids because of the natural porosity of the hide. But because they don't have a top coat, the leather breathes more easily and is cooler to sit on and to wear.

Semi-aniline leather - Leathers which have been both dyed throughout and have a finish on the surface are referred to as semi-aniline dyed. This type of leather has become more popular in recent years because it incorporates much of the softness and feel of fully aniline dyed leather with the protective benefits of surface finishing. Semi-aniline dyed leathers can be compared to a painted surface which has been well primed before the finish coating is applied. By dyeing the leather to a base coloration before the final coating is applied, a very even coloration is produced with only a thin layer of finish. Thus, the leather remains softer because it is not necessary to apply a thick finish coating. Following the colour coating, a clear protecting finish is applied as on the machine finished leathers. Semi-aniline dyed leathers are available in a wide range of colours because they are not limited to the shades achievable by dyeing alone. Semi-aniline dyed leathers are also desirable because small nicks and scratches are hidden by the base colouration of the hide.

Pull-Up Leather
Pull-up leather is a type of semi-aniline leather that has an extra top treatment of oil and / or wax. These leathers are designed to become distressed or antique looking through time and use. It has properties similar to full aniline leather, but in applications where it is subject to heavy use (such as seating) the oils will be pushed away or rubbed off, leaving patches of lighter colour. The leather is also more susceptible to scratching.

Nu-Buck
Sometimes called Chaps, Stonewashed or (incorrectly) suede, these are actually aniline leathers that have had the grain surface brushed to create a texture similar to velvet. The brushing actually breaks down the leather surface, making it very soft and supple. However, it also makes the surface more absorbent and thus more easily soiled.

Suede is actually the flesh side of the skin, and like Nu-Buck it is susceptible to being easily soiled.

Bycast
Also called coated leather, bycast is produced from split leather by melting glue onto the surface and then rolling on a film of coloured polyurethane.

It is of variable quality, generally produced in darker colours and when stretched it lightens. Bycast leather also scratches easily. Originally developed and used for fashion accessories, it is increasingly being used on low quality furniture.

Leather Preparation and Processing
The steps in transforming cow skins into leather briefly are as follows:

Trimming - scraggy pieces of skin are cut off and used for glue making or other purposes.

Soaking - removes salt and other solids, and to restore moisture lost when the skins are first dried.

Fleshing - the flesh side of the wet skins are scraped to remove any remaining traces of flesh or fat.

DeHairing - the skins are soaked in a solution and the grain side scraped to remove any hair or hair roots from the follicles. The most common solution used is lime, but other methods are sometimes used.

Bating and Pickling - this is the process of neutralising the lime by the use of enzymes to prepare the skins for tanning.

Tanning - is the process of preserving the skins by soaking them in a bath for a period of time. Tanning is carried out by using either vegetable chemicals derived from the bark of certain trees or by the use of chromium salts. Chromium tanning is by far the most widely used method around the world, since it is much quicker than vegetable tanning.

Splitting and Shaving - the outer surface of the animal's hide is separated from the lower layers by slicing it with a long knife as the hide is fed through a series of rollers, and the resultant layers then shaved to a uniform thickness.

Re-tanning and Dyeing - after splitting skins generally are re-tanned and simultaneously coloured. Aniline dyes (transparent dyes made from extracts of coal tar) in various colours may be added to the tanning drums at this stage, while the hide is absorbent. If correctly done, aniline dyes are permanent and will not rub off or "crock" after the leather is in use. Dyeing should not be confused with pigmentation or adding colour to the surface of the skin.

Conditioning or fatliquoring - is the process of replacing natural oils that have been unavoidably removed in the earlier steps, and make the leather suppler. This is an important step in tanning leather because without these natural oils, the hides will not have the same strength and flexibility.

Drying - moisture is removed from the hides by a number of methods including vacuum drying or air drying. During the drying process, the hide is stretched to remove wrinkles and create an even surface. Once the leather has been stretched and dried, it is returned to a soft, supple state by tumbling in a large drum and/or working by hand.

Finishing - After drying, leathers can be finished in a number of ways depending on the quality of the leather, the intended final use of the leather, and the desired look and feel of the finished product.

Some of the most common methods of finishing leather are:

Machine finishing - may be any one or more of a number of processes to give the desired colour or texture to the end product.

Leather may be embossed with an artificial grain to resemble the skin of a totally different animal or reptile, or to restore a full grain look to the leather. An even colouration is achieved by a series of finish coats applied by a spraying machine. When the desired colour has been achieved, a clear protective coating is applied to resist moisture and stains. The sheen of this coating can be adjusted to give a high gloss, satin or matte surface. Machine finishing is one of the least expensive and most common methods used to finish upholstery leather. It provides as durable and lasting a finish as any finishing method available.

Hand finishing and antiquing - is the same process as machine finishing except the final colour application is rubbed into the leather by hand. This technique is used to bring out the natural markings in the hide, such as healed scars and barbed wire nicks, and gives the leather a highlighting which can't be achieved by machine spraying. Hand antiqued leathers are generally more expensive than machine sprayed.

Care of Leather

Leather needs little care during normal usage, but adhering to the following simple rules will enhance the longevity of your leather and help to maintain the natural qualities for which it is renowned.

• Protect your furniture from the sun, which may dry the leather and lead to cracking. Like any upholstery material leather can also fade if exposed to direct sunlight.
• Under normal usage conditions, regular dusting and vacuum cleaning in crevices or bottoms is all that is necessary to clean your furniture.
• The use of a good leather conditioner is recommended every 6 – 12 months.

If your leather becomes dirty try the following to restore it to its natural beauty.

However, before doing any of the following try the cleaning method on a small part of your leather on a part of the surface that is less visible.

If it is not possible to remove the mark with the first attempt we recommend that you consult a leather cleaning professional.

For Spots and Spills - blot excess liquid immediately with a clean absorbent cloth or sponge. If necessary, use clear, lukewarm water and gently wipe the spill. Pat dry with a clean towel and allow to air dry. If water is used, clean the entire area where the spill occurred. For example, the entire seat cushion or entire arm. Do not dry wet areas with hair dryers, etc.

For Stubborn Spots and Stains - use a mild solution of soap and clear, lukewarm water. Apply the soap to a clean wet sponge and wash, then rinse well. Let air dry naturally.

For Butter, Oil or Grease - wipe excess butter, oil or grease off the leather with a clean, dry cloth and then leave it alone. The spot should disappear into the leather in a short period of time. Do not apply water to try to wash an oily spot. Do Not Use saddle soaps, oils, abrasive cleaners, soaps, furniture polish, oils, varnish or ammonia water on relatively new leather. The leather has already been permanently preserved in the tanning process and needs no maintenance other than the simple cleaning recommended above. i.e. regular dusting and periodic use of a good quality leather conditioner.