Leather is a material created through the tanning of hides, pelts and skins of animals, primarily cows. Leather is a very important clothing material, and its other uses are legion. Together with wood, leather formed the basis of much ancient technology. Leather with the fur still attached is simply called fur.

Forms of leather

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There are a number of processes whereby the skin of a dead animal can be formed into a supple, strong material commonly called leather.

• Vegetable-tanned leather is tanned using tannin (hence the name "tanning") and other ingredients found in vegetable matter, tree bark, and other such sources. It is supple and brown in color, with the exact shade depending on the mix of chemicals and the color of the flesh. Vegetable-tanned leather is not stable in water; it tends to discolor, and if left to soak and then dry it will shrink and become less supple and harder. In hot water, it will shrink drastically and plasticize, becoming rigid and eventually becoming brittle.
• Alum-tanned leather is tanned using aluminum salts mixed with a variety of binders and protein sources, such as flour, egg yolk, etc. Purists argue that alum-tanned leather is technically "tawed" and not tanned, as the resulting material will rot in water. Very light shades of leather are possible using this process, but the resulting material is not as supple as vegetable-tanned leather.
• Rawhide is made by scraping the skin thin, soaking it in lime, and then stretching it while it dries. Like alum-tanning, rawhide is not technically "leather", but is usually lumped in with the other forms. Rawhide is stiffer and more brittle than other forms of leather, and is primarily found in uses such as drum heads where it does not need to flex significantly; it is also cut up into cords for use in lacing or stitching, or for making dog toys.
• Boiled leather is a hide product (vegetable-tanned leather) that has been hardened by being immersed in hot water, or in boiled wax or similar substances. Historically, it was used as armour due to its hardness and light weight, but it has also been used for book binding.
• Chrome-tanned leather, invented in 1858, is tanned using chromium sulfate and other salts of chromium. It is more supple and pliable than vegetable-tanned leather, and does not discolor or lose shape as drastically in water as vegetable-tanned. More esoteric colors are possible using chrome tanning.
• Brain-tanned leathers are exceptionaly absorbent of water. They are made by a labor-intensive process which uses emulsified oils (often those of animal brains) and which has not been industralized. They are known for their exceptional softness and their ability to be washed.

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#blamediddy for leather jerseys... My niggas gon pass out if they try n play in them thangs...
DiZzleLanD (Perris) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:21:01 -0000
#blamediddy for leather jerseys... My niggas gon pass out if they try n play in them thangs...
Gawker uses the online equivalent of shoe leather to report how NY corporate media covered Spitzer's prostitution problem: http://tr.im/E8FW
mfraase (Michael Fraase) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:20:58 -0000
Gawker uses the online equivalent of shoe leather to report how NY corporate media covered Spitzer's prostitution problem: http://tr.im/E8FW
Sesame Street is Uptown! (Happy B-Day)/ I'm am the leather jacket, black glasses, all american bad boy @ Upscenities! www.upscenities.com
Upscenenyc (Upscene ) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:20:35 -0000
Sesame Street is Uptown! (Happy B-Day)/ I'm am the leather jacket, black glasses, all american bad boy @ Upscenities! www.upscenities.com
Euro Style Laurence Leather Hi Filing Cabinet; Black Leather http://bit.ly/3gynm3
baiboa (Kulis Sara) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:20:32 -0000
Euro Style Laurence Leather Hi Filing Cabinet; Black Leather http://bit.ly/3gynm3
I'm wearing red xmas socks, purple slip-ons, faded blue jeans, a ripped gray tank, acid wash hoodie & leather jacket. I wish I was kidding.
jennaq (Jenna Q) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:20:23 -0000
I'm wearing red xmas socks, purple slip-ons, faded blue jeans, a ripped gray tank, acid wash hoodie & leather jacket. I wish I was kidding.
I want your Drama, the toutch of your hand. I want your leather studded Kiss in the sand. I Want your love!
jcream (Jessica) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:20:20 -0000
I want your Drama, the toutch of your hand. I want your leather studded Kiss in the sand. I Want your love!

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