| Material made out of the tanning of hides, pelts | | | | Motorcyclists favor lightweight Kangaroo skin. |
| and skins, of animals, are known as leathers. | | | | Exotic skins are considered beautiful. Certain |
| Leathers with the furs still attached are called furs. | | | | snakes and crocodiles continue to be hunted for |
| This together with wood formed the basis of | | | | the exotic. At a certain point in time farming of |
| much ancient technology. | | | | ostriches for feathers became popular and thus |
| There are various forms. Some of the forms are | | | | the availability of Ostrich skin. |
| vegetable-tanned, alum-tanned, rawhide, boiled, | | | | Rugged occupations, cowboys, and leather clad |
| chrome-tanned, and brain-tanned, are mainly of | | | | aviators have been synonymous. With the |
| three types namely Full-Grain, Corrected-Grain, | | | | invention of motorcycles, heavy animal skin |
| and Suede. | | | | jackets and trousers to protect the body from |
| The Full-Grain type are made from the finest raw | | | | road rash came about to be used. |
| material, are clean natural hides. The natural state | | | | Footwear, baggage, and other accessories are |
| allows strength and durability. The ability to | | | | commonly used. Knife cases, guitar straps, gloves, |
| breathe, and furnish with comfort are features of | | | | and coasters are also common. Purses and |
| this form. The natural Full-Grain surface wears | | | | wallets, business card holders, and credit card |
| better. Furniture and foot wear are made from | | | | holders are indeed popular. Portfolio bags, brief |
| Full Grain. | | | | cases, executive duffle bags, backpacks, and tote |
| Corrected-Grains are fuzzy on one side and | | | | bags are other important things today. Gifts of |
| smooth on the other. Hides made from inferior | | | | accessories are also not uncommon. |
| quality raw materials have an artificial grain applied. | | | | Some sections of society particularly animal rights |
| Suedes are an interior split of the hide, fuzzy on | | | | activist are against the use of leather. This section |
| both sides, and are less durable. | | | | considers the wearing of skins as not only |
| Other uncommon forms include Patent, Shagreen | | | | unnecessary but also vulgar. Yet the use |
| and Buckskin. Glossy hides are known as Patent. | | | | continues. |
| The modern patent usually has a plastic coating. | | | | People for the ethical Treatment of Animals have |
| The rough and grainy types are known as | | | | urged the British high commissioner to end the |
| Shagreen and were formerly made from the | | | | killing of Canadian black bears for the headpieces |
| back of a horse, or that of a wild ass. Skins of | | | | of Royal Guards headpieces and to switch to faux |
| sharks and rays are now common in the making | | | | fur instead. Canadian rocker Peaches wants |
| of Shagreen. | | | | Canada to can the bloody seal hunt. Ralph Lauren |
| The tawing technique uses animal brains or other | | | | has announced a decision to stop using fur in any |
| fatty materials to alter hides. Supple suede-like | | | | apparel or home collections. |
| hides are usually smoked heavily, and are known | | | | A synthetic form made out of plastic called |
| as Buckskin. | | | | Pleather or plastic leather has now found uses as |
| Animal skins and hides commonly used in the | | | | an inexpensive substitute. Lighter and warmer, the |
| manufacture of briefcases, wallets and luggage, | | | | use of this form as an alternative to animal skin |
| are made from Belting, and Napa. | | | | has increased. Pleathers are made out of |
| Beltings are full grain animal skins that were | | | | polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride. An animal rights |
| formerly used as pulley belts and in other | | | | activist might like this. Talk about Pleather spiked |
| machinery. Found on the surface of briefcases, | | | | dog collars and the the animal has bigger bark |
| portfolios, and wallets, Beltings have a thick, firm | | | | that the bite. |
| feel, and smooth finish. Napas or Nappas are | | | | The most well known pleathers are Naugahyde |
| extremely soft and supple, and are commonly | | | | made from a fictional animal called the Nauga |
| found in higher quality wallets, and other | | | | whose hides are supposedly the natural source of |
| applications. | | | | all the Naugahyde manufactured. According to the |
| Bicast and Bonded are not true leathers, but | | | | story the Naugas are nocturnal aquatic mammals |
| contain similar material. Bicast contains some | | | | without hair that live in the Naugatuck River, and |
| amount of animal skin. The Bonded type are a | | | | can be made to come to the surface at night by |
| combination of ninety percent to hundred percent | | | | shining a flashlight into the water. The Naugas are |
| fibers bonded together with latex binders. | | | | then captured and sorted to make Naugahyde. |
| Most leathers are made out of cowhide. | | | | The seams between the Naugas disappear |
| Lambskins are used for soft materials in | | | | resulting in a seamless, leather-like Naughyde. The |
| expensive apparels. Kangaroo hides are also used | | | | save the Naugas campaign continues. |
| to make strong but flexible motorcycle gloves. | | | | |