Leather for automotive interiors comes mostly from cattle. The age and heredity of the animal and environmental conditions can affect the hide. Leather is a by product of cattle reared for the beef industry and would otherwise be wasted.
HIDE TYPES AND FINISHES
Pure Aniline
Pure Aniline is considered to be the finest hide available. Over the years Pure Aniline develops a patina which makes it desirable amongst leather aficionados.
Full Aniline
These are also some of the finest hides. The difference is that there is a smaller selection of hides available. To increase serviceability a slight protective finish is applied by roller or in the tannage to give the leather increased life .
Semi Aniline/Aniline Plus
These leathers have a little more processing. They are dried by aniline dying in large drums and then have a surface finish. Colour pigment sprays are applied to camouflage natural occurring imperfections.
Semi Aniline/Aniline Plus leathers are light and scratch resistant and are easily cleaned.
Corrected Grain Leather
These leathers undergo more processing including sanding, buffing, embossing and pigmenting, to cover natural imperfections. Barbed wire scrapes, insect bites etc, are removed to form a uniform thickness by sanding. Top grain leather is from the top 0.9 mm to 1.5 mm of the outer of the leather hide.
Top Grain Leather
This is not ‘top’ is the usual sense of the word. Top grain leather had the surface sanded away and a new grained surface is embossed onto surface.
Full Grain Leather
This leather retains the natural markings and grain patterns from the animal. Transparent aniline dyes are used to provide colour whilst still showing the natural grain. Full grain leathers are usually soft and supple and used in high quality upholstery.