FINISH - A surface application on the leather to color, protect, or mask imperfections.  More specifically, all processes administered to leather after it has been tanned.

FULL GRAIN - The term used for the outside original skin or hide which has had the hair removed, but otherwise has not been corrected or altered.  Full-grain leather possesses the genuine original grain of the animal.

FULL HAND - Leather which is full-bodied, such as some combination tanned leathers and fine vegetable-tanned upholstery leather.  Also called round hand.

GLAZED FINISH - Similar to an aniline finish except that the leather surface is polished to a high luster by the action of glass on steel rollers under tremendous pressure.

GLOVE LEATHER - A term used to describe soft leather used for gloves, which is normally lambskin.  The term is also used by some to define soft leather.

GRAIN (LEATHER) - The outside of the hide or skin consisting of the pores, wrinkles and other characteristics which constitute the natural texture of the leather.

GRAIN CHARACTER - The natural markings on the surface of the leather.

GRAIN, EMBOSSED - An artificial grain pressed into the surface of top grain leather from which the original grain has been removed.

GRAINED LEATHER - Any leather on which the original natural grain has been changed or altered by any method, process or manipulation; also top grain.

GRAIN SUEDED - A process of sueding the grain side of the skin to achieve a buffed or sueded condition.  See "Snuffed."

HAND - A term used in the leather industry to describe the feel, i.e., softness or fullness of upholstery leather.

HEAVY LEATHER - A somewhat indefinite term, generally understood to include vegetable-tanned sole, belting, strap and mechanical leathers made from unsplit cattlehides.

IMITATION - A variety of materials which have been made to resemble genuine leather.  The great bulk of these are rubber or plastic-coated fabrics.  It is unlawful to use terms connoting leather to describe imitations.

LEATHER - An animal skin which has been preserved and dressed for use.

LEATHERETTE - A manufactured product which imitates leather.

LEATHERY - Tough.

MATTE FINISH - A flat or dull finish.

MINERAL TANNED - Leather which has been tanned by any of several mineral substances, notably the salts of chromium, aluminum, and zirconium.

NAKED LEATHER - A leather with no surface, impregnated treatment of finish other than dye matter which might mask or alter the natural state of the leather.

NATURAL GRAIN - A leather which retains the full original grain.

NUBUCK - A brushed, grain-sueded leather.

OAK TANNAGE - Originally, the tannage leather occurred almost entirely with oak bark, later the term applied to tannage with a blend containing oak tannin.  Now it is loosely applied to any tannage of leather with vegetable extracts.

OIL TANNED - Leather tanned with certain fish oils.  Produces a very soft, pliable leather such as chamois.

PATENT LEATHER - Leather with a glossy impermeable finish produced by successive coats of drying oils, varnish, or synthetic resins.

PATINA - A surface appearance of something grown beautiful, especially with age or use; an appearance or aura that is derived from association, habit, or established character.

PERFORATED - In leather, the process of die cutting small holes to form a pattern.  The holes can very in size, density and pattern.

PIGMENTED - A process of coloring and coating in the leather surface with colored pigments dispersed in film-forming chemicals called binders which can be tailor-made to produce surfaces that are highly resistant to wear, fading, etc.  Leather that has been sprayed with a pigmented, opaque finish.  This is usually done to cover imperfections in leather.

PLATING, PLATED LEATHER - Pressing leather with a heated metal plate under high pressure.  Most furniture leather is usually sanded, pigmented and plated to cover imperfections.

PRODUCTION RUN - Cheaper, ungraded leather sold to manufacturers for use on furniture.

RECONSTITUTED LEATHER - Material composed of collagen fibers obtained from macerated hide pieces, which have been constructed into a fibrous mat.

RETAN - A modifying secondary tannage applied after intermediate operations following the primary tanning.

ROUND HAND - A full-handed leather, usually slightly swelled as with vegetable tanning.

SADDLE LEATHER - Vegetable-tanned cattlehide leather for harnesses and saddles, usually of a natural tan shade and rather flexible.

SHRUNKEN GRAIN LEATHER - A full, natural-grain leather which is shrunken to enlarge and enhance the grain of the leather.

SHOULDER LEATHER - The thickest part of the hide from the shoulder area of the cow.

SIDE - Half a hide cut along the backbone.

SIDE LEATHER - Grain leather which has been cut in half, forming two "sides" in order to better accommodate tannery equipment.

SKIVE - To shave, slice or divide, to peel into a thin layer.

SNUFFED - The grain surface is abraded with brushes, emery wheel or sandpaper.  Leather is snuffed for the purpose of removing defective grain, or for sueding the surface of the leather.

SPLIT LEATHER (SPLIT) - Skin sliced in layers to give uniform thickness to the piece (grain side).  Split leather (inside) is trimmed and finished as suede.  Cheap leathers are sometimes pigmented splits with embossed imitation grain.

SPLITTING - Cutting leather into two or more layers, or cutting leather into two sides preparatory to tanning.

SPREAD - The size of a skin measured by machine in square feet.

STRAP LEATHER - Heavyweight vegetable-tanned leather used for industrial purposes, or to support seats and backs on certain types of seating.

SUEDE - Leathers that are finished by buffing the flesh side (opposite the grain side) to produce a nap.  Term refers to the napping process, and is unrelated to the type of skin used.  See "Split Leather."

SUEDING - The process of raising fibers on the grain side of a hide or skin to give a velvet nap effect.  This is generally called "nubuck" or "grain suede."

TABLE DYEING - The application of dyestuff to leather with a brush, the leather being laid on a table.  Also called brush coloring.

TABLE RUN - Leathers which are not graded.  See "Production Run."

TANNIN - Any various solvents; astringent substances of plant origin used in tanning leather.

TOP GRAIN - The term intended to define genuine grain lather, as opposed to split leather which has been pigmented and embossed with a new grain.  In reality, top-grain leather usually has had the original grain removed and an imitation grain embossed into the surface.

TRIM - The removal of parts of a skin or hide not suitable for making leather, such as portions on the outer edges.

UNFINISHED LEATHER - Normally defines aniline-dyed, naked leathers with no additional application intended to finish, color or treat in a way that would alter the natural characteristics of the leather.

UPHOLSTERY LEATHER - A general term for leather processed for use in furniture, automobiles, and airplanes.

VAT DYEING - An older method of dyeing leather sometimes confused with drum dyeing.

VEAL CALFSKIN - An upholstery leather skin averaging 30 square feet of premier quality.

VEGETABLE TANNING - The conversion of rawhide into leather with a greater body and firmness than the more general method of chromium tanning.

WEIGHT - The weight of leather is measured in ounces per square foot.

WICK - To absorb and dissipate moisture and heath through the fiber structure of the leather.