I.M.Kelly Automotive are not a tannery but offer these facts on hides and leather production.
To most people ‘leather is leather’. However if you think about the different uses for leather you will realise that the leather used for a handbag would be very different from the leather used in a luxury car. Even the leather used on furniture is unlikely to have the intensive wear and environmental challenges required of automotive leather.
Automotive leather has to withstand the wear and tear of clothing plus the effects of skin oils, sweat and even hair preparations in addition to the different temperatures and climate conditions across the world.
The development and production of automotive leather is a specialisation, and different types of leather are required for each type of vehicle. Leather used for a sports model with a firm seat that grips the driver is different from a luxury limousine. Automotive leather requires a high degree of knowledge and craftsmanship to transform it from a natural product into a high quality interior.
