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