LEATHER DEFINITIONS
Grafton is a buffed leather that has a distinct pull-up (Averages 5-5.5oz/2.0-2.2mm, 22sqft). This firmer leather would lend itself well to shoes, boots, or belts.
Aniline/Semi-Aniline- Sides that have no pigment finishes, just dyes making a very natural product.
Dull- Sides that have finish, but have very little shine.
Milled/Pebbled- Sides that have a soft subtle feel as a result of tumbling in drums. They often have a "pebbled"/textured look.
Oily/Wax- Sides that have had oil or wax applied to the surface or flesh to aid in the “pull up” feature and to help soften the leather.
Pull Up- Original color of the side bursts through the oil/wax application when manipulated.
Shiny- Sides that have finish applied and have a glossy top.
Suede/Nubuck- The grain surface has been removed by an abrasive to smooth imperfections and improve the surface.
TR Grade- TR stands for Tannery Run. These sides have been presorted by the tannery and not resorted here for Premium & Low Grades. They are sorted by the tannery for production shipment.
Unique- These sides have unique characteristics and are usually in limited supply.
Veg-Tan- Veg-tanned leather means that the leather has been tanned in all plant-based ("Vegetable") materials during the tanning process. Veg tanned leather is generally used for tooling and comes in a natural color that burnishes, dyes, etc well.
Chrome-Tan- Chrome-tanned leather has a bad rep, but is natural and regulated (it uses Chromium IV-a mineral, not the dangerous Chromium VI). Chromium leather comes pre-colored, cutting out the dyeing step in the process, and comes with a variety of finishes (see above).
Re-Tanning- Re-tanning refers to what the tannery does when they get the Chrome tanned leather and re-tan it in the drum. They either re-tan it with a veg or chrome base.
The leathers we currently have available for veg-retanned are:
Harvest
Oldtown
Freeport