You want to invest in a leather accessory, but you are not sure you understand the difference between this and that leather.
Don't panic, at JULES & JENN , we have a real passion for leather and beautiful materials, and we're going to enlighten you on the subject!
We're sure you've ever felt helpless when a saleswoman praises a " full-grain " or " vegetable-tanned " bag? Even if the bag seems like a simple product, our knowledge of the subject sometimes struggles to keep up...
To help you find your next purchase, JULES & JENN offers a brief overview of the different types of leather, tanning methods and even appellations, giving you the opportunity to see (a little) more clearly and buy consciously!
Leather, a noble material
Leather is the result of transforming animal skin, which has become rot-proof through the tanning process. Mainly used in clothing, decoration, and saddlery, leather comes in a multitude of forms. But be careful, there are several types of leather, each with its own characteristics.
Besides exotic leathers – which come from animals raised specifically for their skins – all leathers come from animals raised for their meat or milk.
Calfskin comes from six-month-old cattle. Their skin is therefore particularly fine and has fewer imperfections than that of adult animals. Generally, it is a naturally smooth leather.
Cowhide leather comes from young cows, and is also quite smooth.
Buffalo leather is a very durable leather, most commonly used for sofas, travel leather goods, and shoes. It is recognizable by its thickness and natural grain, which has a veined appearance.
Bull leather comes from young bulls. With a more finely grained appearance, it is highly regarded for its few defects and its high durability. It is particularly used in the manufacture of high-end leather goods.
Goat leather provides a soft, durable, slightly grainy leather. It can be made into bags, shoes, gloves, or bookbinding. Thanks to its very soft feel, it is ideal for high-quality shoe linings and soles.
Lambskin is the most delicate and silky leather to the touch. And the smaller the animal, the softer the skin.
The different types and colors of leather in our workshop in Porto, Portugal.
Leather & traceability
Today, consumers are increasingly concerned about knowing the origin of the product they are about to purchase. This phenomenon is spreading beyond the food industry and is also gaining momentum in fashion. Consumers want greater transparency : they want to make informed purchases.
When it comes to leather, everything that happens in an animal's life shows on its skin: the scar from a barbed wire snag, the small holes caused by disease, the wrinkles marked by malnutrition, etc. In Europe, farmers and transporters are therefore being raised awareness. For example, they are being encouraged to vaccinate their animals against ringworm, in order to limit its impact on the animal's weight and the quality of its skin.
Leather tanning
Tanning is the process that transforms animal skins into unalterable leather.
After selecting their hides, the tanners, who process the large hides—calf, cow, buffalo, young bull—and the tawers, who process the smaller hides—goat, lamb, exotic skins—move on to the cleaning process. They soak the hides—known as "river work"—and remove the hair and excess material. Then comes the actual tanning process, which makes the leather rot-proof. Following the same principle as the washing machine, the hides are tumbled with water and tanning agents in large barrels called drums. Finally, the hides must be dried in ovens or in the open air, using the more traditional method.
What is vegetable tanning of leather?
There are two tanning techniques: mineral tanning using chemicals, such as chromium salts, and vegetable tanning, using plant substances, such as quebracho bark.
Vegetable tanning is a process inspired by nature and respects the environment. Vegetable-tanned leather does not contain any toxic substances harmful to humans. The use of natural tannins for leather processing ensures a low environmental impact. Like all leathers, vegetable-tanned leather can be recycled.
Vegetable tanned leather, a unique material
The signs of time reveal the true nature of leather. The colors of the tannin give the leather a warm tone, becoming increasingly brighter over time. Like a fine wine, vegetable-tanned leather matures over time, absorbing the traces of life. However, this natural aging does not compromise the leather's strength; quite the opposite: the resulting leather is harder and much less supple than mineral-tanned leather. Ideal leather for making belts, this is the option we naturally chose for JULES & JENN belts.
Vegetable tanning and mineral tanning
Mineral tanning accounts for 85% of global production because the tanning process is faster. Transforming a hide into leather takes only a few days using chromium salts, while it takes 30 days to tan leather with vegetable-based substances. In addition, mineral tanning produces more supple leather and offers a much wider range of colors than vegetable tanning , which is limited to natural and dark colors.
The choice of tanning therefore depends on the desired objective and the desired leather texture for the product. Thus, vegetable-tanned leather cannot be used to make soft products or to produce pastel colors.
Vegan leather, vegetable leather, what does it mean?
Vegan is, by definition, that which has no animal origin. Hence the misuse of language that constitutes vegan leather or vegetable leather ! Especially since the use of the word leather is regulated by Decree 2010-29 of January 8, 2010, which stipulates that it is forbidden to use the word leather to designate "any material other than that obtained from animal skin."
But then, what is “vegan leather”, or rather “vegan material”, should we say…
