Leather is known all around the world for its quality, smooth finish, rich look and the lovely smell. It is used to make many articles, from clothing to accessories, any product that needs a bit of luxury touch to it, will have leather. It is used even in book bonding.

A wide range of leather is produced, in different types. It comes in different styles, and decorative techniques. The first use of leather dates back to 22200  BC. The place of origin for leather is Italy. They are known and trusted for their leather quality.

Vegetable Tanned Leather 

Historically, the Italians have always done a fantastic job with tanning perfectly. Over centuries, the meaning of this has been the use of vegetables tanning the leather and taking care of it moving forward. This dedication of the Iltalians towards the care of the leather, and their traditional techniques of leather tanning is how they earned their reputation for being the finest leather manufacturers in the fashion world.

In the modern era, many have been after this sorted reputation of the Italian leather industry by getting the finishing done in Italy, and stamping it with the italian leather logo. The definition was even stretched inclusive of the chrome-tanned and various other types of leather. The vegetable tanning technique on leather lasts way longer than the chrome tanned leather. If noticed carefully, even after a few years of use, the leather will seem brand new.

The process of vegetable tanning takes upto 40 days as it is a conscientious manufacturing process that is rooted in the tradition. This is the primary reason as to why Italian leather is as expensive as it is compared to chrome tanned leather that takes only 14 to 15 days for the same tanning process. The natural chemicals used in this process are not as effective as heavy metals, which results in the reason behind why the time consumption is more. The longer the time frame of the tanning process, the higher the cost of the finished product.

With Love, Made In Italy!

If there is a stamp of the genuine ‘Made In Italy’, it means that every step from the sourcing of the hide to tanning and dyeing process to dyeing and manufacturing has taken place in Italy. These ‘Made In Italy’ leather, are commanded to be of premium price among the many well-heeled and style-conscious buyers which also means almost hundreds and thousands of dollars. Among the most exquisite craftsmanship, comes Italian craftsmanship, that can be purchased.

Italian leather may be one of the best and outstanding in the world, but it is  still just the raw material. For the leather to be put on top shelves with premium pricing, it must first be a purchasable product to the customer. This is where the designing and production of Italian craftsmanship comes into play. The fashion products manufactured in Italy are fan favourites for those who are willing to pay a lump sum money to be a part of the best dressed in an occasion or party.

Milan, as many are aware, is the fashion capital, with Italy’s high fashion brands that are among the crème de la créme of haute couture. Italian has many attributes that have been absorbed, for instance, high quality, high fashion and good taste.

Tuscany Leather 

Tuscany leather is known and popular around the globe for its handcraft leather products, such as bags, belts, shoes, jackets, wallets, and other accessories. The region between Pisa and Florence, is the biggest leather manufacturer in Italy. That is the reason, leather shops are found almost everywhere and sometimes, can overwhelm choices.

Before choosing the leather, it is important to know the quality that is required. There are five qualities in leather:

1. Full Grain Leather
2. Top Grain Leather
3. Genuine Leather
4. Bonded Leather
5. Imitation Leather

The difference between these five leather qualities is the fineness of the grain and the manufacturing process. It is not necessary that higher quality always means higher price range, sometimes the pricing of the product is also dependent on the taste and the kind of leather product that is required.

Understanding The Quality Of Leather

There are some things that need to be considered when looking for leather, to ensure that the price is worth it.

• Stitching: one of the most important rules of checking leather quality, is making sure that the stitching of the product is done correctly, in tight, small and is sewn closely. This rule is applicable to any handmade goods. The stitching is what holds the product together, if done incorrectly, is not worth the investment made.

• Flexibility: The leather should not feel rigid, and rather smooth and soft. The more flexibility, the better.

• Smell: The fragrance of leather will give away the details of whether it is of a good quality or not. If the fragrance that comes out of the leather is more chemical and pungent, then the leather is treated with these chemicals, only to seem valuable, but is not. The aroma of the lather should be completely natural.’

• Color: Color of leather is also one of the most important factors to look into when looking for quality leather. For instance, the dye in which the leather was colored, can mask any imperfect or low quality grain. But yet again, this is completely dependent on the individual’s taste and preferences. Although, if chosen to purchase it, then do check if the color has penetrated into the leather to the core of the fabric.

If these above-mentioned quality checks for a consumer are followed and taken into consideration, then the process of picking leather is easier and quicker. It is all about trusting and learning from the process.

Protecting Leather

Protecting leather is a concept that does not require too much investment on time. The basic rule to keep the shelf life of leather, is to keep it away from water, that is, not soak it in any kind of liquid and avoid the presence of direct sunlight on the leather. It is best to store the product in a cool or dry place.; and requires to be wrapped around a soft clean cloth.

Leather is popular among many fashionistas, buit Italian leather will always hold a special place and respect in every fashionista for their burst of quality. Leather has never been restricted to the fashion aspect alone, it has a wide spread even to the interiors department. Adding a leather couch to a simple room can make a lot of difference. At JD Institute, whether it is an interior designing course or fashion designing course, the lecturers are motivated to teach the aspiring designers all kinds of materials along with their uses and qualities, so students can then push themselves to use all natural resources to create wonderful and eye-catching designs.

Leather: Italian Leather Never Goes Out Of Style!