BOVINE HIDE CHARTDEFINITIONS
Aniline: Dyes and finishes that contain no pigment. When used on leather they provide a rich, clear stain that allows the natural character of the article to be seen.
Cementable: Refers to leather(s) that can be glued as a means of final attachment during the construction of leather goods.
Combination Tanned: Leathers that are tanned using both chrome and blends of vegetable extracts along with emulsified or unrefined oils and waxes.
Corrected Grain: Leather that has been sanded to make its surface more uniform.
Emboss: To give a flat piece of leather a pattern or texture that stands out in relief through pressing with tremendous pressure.
Fat Liquored: Leather that has been nourished and conditioned with emulsified oils.
Full Grain: Leather that has its surface left completely intact, showing all natural characteristics of the hide.
Hand Glazed: Leather that has been polished with a glass rod.
Hot Stuffed: Leather that has been nourished and conditioned with unrefined oils and greases. This is achieved without the use of water and emulsifiers and gives a much richer feel. Hot stuffed leathers typically exhibit pull-up and good water resistance.
Mill-Dyed: Leather that has had dyes introduced during retannage. Also referred to as drum-dyed.
Pasted: Leather that has been dried by fixing it to large glass or ceramic plates. Pasted leathers have very little stretch and smooth grain character.
Pull-up: The temporary lightening of certain leathers when folded. This is caused by displacing oil and waxes.
Retan: To impregnate and condition preserved hides with tanning liquors and extracts. Retan formulations at Horween Leather Company are proprietary and developed in house.
Shell: A dense fiber structure found only in the hindquarters of equine animals.
Toggled: Leather that has been air-dried after being stretched on a metal screen and clamped into place.
Vegetable Tanned: A tanning method that employs vegetable liquors derived from tree barks. This method of tanning is very traditional and takes longer to achieve than chrome tanning.
Weight: Also referred to as thickness or substance. Leather is generally sold in ounces or millimeters, and in increments of 1/2 oz or 0.2 mm, respectively. For example, 5 – 5 1/2 oz (or 2.0 – 2.2 mm) is a typical footwear weight produced.
Wet Stuffed: Similar to Fat Liquored, Wet Stuffed leathers are nourished and conditioned with emulsified heavier oils and waxes.