The premium leather that Italy is renowned for is the full-grain, vegetable-tanned kind. Removed from the outermost layer of the animal's skin — the most durable part of the hide — full-grain leather has an unaltered grain structure and is subsequently extremely robust.
One of the reasons Italian leather hides are superior to others, is that they use all-natural items such as vegetable and plant-based extracts to dye their leather (e.g. tree bark, vegetable tannin) and this results in a much stronger and longer lasting leather product.
Italian leather is known as the very best in the leather industry. This is the result of its lineage and consistent quality. In the fashion industry, luxury brands like Gucci and Louis Vuitton only use Italian leather because it is recognisable as a mark of quality.
One of the hallmarks of good quality Italian leather is that they use full grain hides and process them in a way that produces a softer, more pliable leather than other methods of vegetable tanning.
Full grain is the longest lasting, highest quality grade of leather available. It holds the pattern of the animal's skin and has a soft, natural look and warm feel. Because it comes from the top layer of the cow's hide, full grain leather is stronger and more breathable than others.
Generally speaking, leather is divided into five different grades: Top-grain leather, full-grain leather, split-grain leather, genuine leather and bonded leather.
Meet the shell cordovan
The most expensive exotic leather in the world is from the shell cordovan, a leather derived from the flat muscles underneath the hide on a horse's rump. As you can imagine, not many places in the world raise horses for leather.
Vachetta leather is a very high quality leather, of Italian origin and made from calf skin. Its reputation is due in part to its use by major brands, including Louis Vuitton, which have propelled it into the world of luxury leather goods.
Many vintage Gucci products were constructed with pigskin, calf and exotic leathers imported from different parts of the world. Today's Gucci leather is the ultra-luxurious Guccissima leather, meaning “the most Gucci” in Italian.
Manufacturers get leather products made overseas with chemical tanning ingredients for cheaper prices, but then get them finished in Italy, purely so they can say it was made in Italy. As a result, we cannot say that Italian Leather is expensive because of any supposed quality.
If cared for properly, Italian leather will last for years due to its durable nature. The material is resistant to scratches and stains, this lessens the amount of maintenance needed for your Italian sofa. If you're looking for a luxury material that will last through the ages, Italian leather is your best option.
If you're looking for authentic Italian leather goods,
Real Italian leather has a distinctive and unmistakable smell, a quite strong one actually. If you have two objects in your hands, one in real leather and the other one in faux leather, just smell them, you will immediately realize the difference.
Leathers treated with a wax finish, like our Tuscan Leather, will show surface scratches fairly easily.
China is the largest producer and exporter of leather and leather products. Approximately 4 billion square feet of leather is produced by the Chinese leather industry every year, which is more than two times the production of Brazil.
The short answer: leather smells good is because it is designed to. Leather tanneries use a combination of perfumes, chemicals, oils, and waxes to give leather its unique smell. The long answer: Scent is one of our most powerful senses and is strongly linked to memory.
The reason leather goods peel is because they are constructed of fake leather or bonded leather, which is a low-quality form of natural leather. With time, synthetic leather splits, peels, and fades. Natural leather that has been attached with adhesives might peel with time.
Through a rigorous selection process, calfskin and cowhide leathers are chosen for their refinement, suppleness and silky touch. To meet Louis Vuitton's highest quality standards, only the best hides are selected.
1 Answer Louis Vuitton's leather is sourced worldwide and manufactured in France, Spain and the U.S. The high-fashion retailer has pledged to source responsibly as part of its sustainability program.
Yes, nearly all Louis Vuitton bags are genuine leather at least along the handles and trim. The remainder of their coated canvas bags is PVC-coated cotton canvas, but leather is the sole material used to make some Louis Vuitton handbags, wallets and luggage pieces.
Hermès only uses full-grain leather, which is the top layer of the hide. As it has not been embossed, the leather preserves its natural durability. Only the finest natural animal hides processed with impeccable century-old craftsmanship can become the renowned Hermès heritage leathers.
The majority of Michael Kors handbags are made of saffiano leather. It has become almost a trademark of Michael Kors bags. This type of leather is extremely durable. It is both water-resistant and scratch-resistant.
Though this makes Vachetta especially susceptible to skin oils, sunlight, dirt, and water, it also allows it to age naturally. In a process known as patina, Vachetta leather darkens from a very soft, creamy beige to a deep caramel or brown over time.
In other words, much more straightforward synonyms to the term “Genuine Leather” would be “True Leather”, “Real Leather”, or “100% Leather”. In short, genuine only means that something is actually made of leather but does not infer high quality.
Faux leather is cheaper than real leather, but will cost a little more than bonded leather. Faux leather is easier to manufacture compared to real leather. Bonded leather is the cheapest of all leathers because it's the thinnest, made up of scrap leather and adhered to a thin paper backing.
If you see “100% leather,” “full-grain leather,” “top grain leather,” or “genuine leather,” you're headed in the right direction. (Learn more about the different types of leather).