When deciding what leather to choose the first question you probably ask yourself is what color do I want? But you must also take other factors into consideration. You should probably begin by asking yourself do I want a protected leather or an unprotected leather? A protected leather is also known as a pigmented leather. Pigmented leather essentially has a layer of paint sprayed onto it and a clear protective coating applied over that. This is the type of leather commonly found in many public places, as well as automobiles. It is resistant to spills, stains, scratches, and fading. Unfortunately the story gets more complicated from here. The lines of leather we carry that fall into this category are Chestnut, Colors, Solana, and Sophia.

At the opposite end of the spectrum you can choose an unprotected leather, also known as a pure aniline dyed leather. This is a beautiful looking and feeling leather. It has been dyed for color and has little or no other treatment applied to it. As a result, it will absorb stains easily, it will scratch, and it will fade, especially when exposed to direct sunlight. These hides also reveal more of the natural markings and defects of the leather such as healed scars and stains. Many people prefer this type of leather because it is more natural and ages nicely over time, developing a patina that is a hallmark of genuine leather. The lines of leather we carry that fall into this category are Artisan, Distressed, and Rosewood.

Some aniline leathers have dyes that are not totally fixed and will actually migrate throughout the hide. This type of leather is know as a pull up leather. One moment it has a certain appearance and after you sit on it or run your finger across it the appearance changes. Many people find this a desirable quality. However, if you are not expecting it, this experience can be nightmarish. The lines of leather we carry that fall into this category are Poplar and Vintage.

Those are the extremes examples. Many leathers offer the best of all worlds with good success. Some of these leathers, which we simply choose to call Semi-Aniline leather, use a process know as micro pigmenting, which basically means spraying a light coat of pigment on the aniline dyed hide before applying a clear protective coating. This leather offers most of the protection of a fully pigmented leather and yet retains much of the natural feel of a pure aniline dyed leather. There are other processes in addition to micro pigmenting which combine the benefits of both pure aniline leathers and fully pigmented leathers. The lines of leather we carry that fall into this category are Athena, Avalon, Oxford, and Euroglazed. Please look at our website and call us if you have any questions.

For more information call: 1-800-521-4833 or Fax: 1-800-685-0955
Or send an e-mail to:rodenleather@gmail.com