Types Of Leather

Types of leather
The classification of leather is quite complex, and different classification standards will lead to different classification results. The following are several common categories of leather:

Natural leather
Natural leather refers to the skin obtained directly from the animal and formed after a series of processing. Depending on the source, natural leather can be divided into the following types:

Cattle leather: Cattle leather is one of the most common types of leather, and it can be further divided into yellow cattle leather, buffalo leather, yak leather and Pien cattle leather according to the type of cattle. Cattle leather is characterized by fine grain, thick skin, high strength, and its fullness and elasticity are also good. The surface of buffalo leather is rough, the fiber is coarse and loose, and the strength is lower than that of yellow cattle leather. The grain surface of yak leather and Pien niu leather is worse than that of yellow leather, but other properties are roughly similar.
Sheep leather: Sheep leather usually includes goat skin and sheep skin. The grain surface of goat skin is fine and beautiful, and the softness is good, but the firmness is not as good as cow leather. The softness of sheep skin is better than that of goat skin, but the firmness is less 2.
Pig leather: Pig leather is characterized by rough grain surface, compact fiber, fullness, slightly less elastic, and similar strength to cow leather. The finished product is durable, but the aesthetic is poor.
Horse leather: The structure of horse leather is similar to cow leather, but the fiber is slightly thicker. Horse leather is commonly used to make high-end leather goods and footwear products.
Other animal leather: In addition to the above common leather, there are some other animal leather, such as deer leather, snake leather, crocodile leather and so on. These leathers are often used to make high-end leather goods and footwear products because of their special appearance and texture.
Substitute leather
Substitute leather refers to leather substitutes made from materials such as chemical fibers and plastics that mimic the texture and appearance of natural leather. Common substitute leather includes:

Recycled leather: Recycled leather is the leather scraps and waste after grinding, adding plant fiber adhesives and other additives, by pressing the way to make. Regenerated leather has certain moisture absorption, water permeability and air permeability, but it also has some shortcomings such as low strength and poor tearing performance.
Artificial leather: Artificial leather is mainly a synthetic resin based on textile or knitting materials, and the coating material is mainly PVC resin, which has the characteristics of bright luster, bright color and variety. However, due to the absence of scar marks on the surface, it lacks the natural feeling of dermis.
Synthetic leather: Synthetic leather is usually made of non-woven fabric as a base and is coated with a new type of resin material. Synthetic leather has good moisture absorption and air permeability, the coating is a new material polyurethane, feel good, wear resistance, bending resistance, strength is better than artificial leather.
PU leather: PU leather is a synthetic leather with polyurethane (PU) resin as the main component. PU leather appearance coating simulation is strong, can be pressed out a variety of patterns, bright and beautiful color. However, the hygroscopicity is poor, it is greatly affected by temperature, the tearing is poor, and it is easy to expand when there is a incision.
To sum up, when buying leather products, it is very important to understand the characteristics of different kinds of leather. This can help consumers choose the best leather product for their needs and budget.