From the earliest civilizations right up until the present time, people throughout the world have held leather in high esteem. Supporting this fact is the large number of articles that are made out of leather, from upholstered furniture to baseball gloves, and smart looking clothing for men and women.

Nature's products, by their inherent beauty, affect our senses and our emotions. It is indeed a timeless fashion, and destined to continue as such. Just the sound of the word "leather" immediately conjures up pleasant thoughts that alert the senses. The scent, the sight, and most of all the feel of a leather article accelerate the desire to own it.

Leather furniture is one of the products that has contributed to the growth in the industry. Over 20% of all furniture sold today is leather, and studies show the trend continues. Consumers are quickly realizing the many benefits of leather:

• Leather is more durable than fabric, so it lasts longer
• Leather breathes and adjusts to body temperature, making it very comfortable to sit on
• Leather is usually easier to clean and care for
• Leather has the reputation of style and class
• Because of leather's many unique qualities, manufacturers can create a rich look to compliment a formal room, or a rustic, worn look for a mountain cabin or vacation home

When you choose leather for your upholstery, you get more than exceptional value; you get to enjoy leather's luxurious "hand" when you touch it, and total comfort when you sit or lie down. It takes nature, skill, and time to create quality goods with appeal; this is why articles made of leather give lasting pleasure and satisfaction.

No two hides are alike. There are scratches, scars, wrinkles, and more that can affect the look of the hide. These are not flaws, but natural markings, which add to the beauty of one of the best products that nature has to offer.

FULL ANILINE: Full aniline leather (many times referred to as a naked leather) is without a doubt one of the softest leathers available in upholstered furniture. The hand is extremely soft, as there are hardly any chemical products on the surface of a full aniline leather. Consequently, the leather has very little protection, and is extremely sensitive to exposure to sunlight and soiling. Since the fibers in the hide are varied, when dyed the dyestuff will penetrate unequally into the leather, resulting in color shading within the hide. This type of tannage should only be sold to the discerning buyer who has a good understanding of leather.

SEMI-ANILINE: The base for a semi-aniline leather is the same as for the full aniline leather. The semi-aniline leather also is a soft leather; however, it has a transparent finish or slight pigmentation to minimize the shading of color. This process improves the leather against fading and soiling. Technically speaking, a semi-aniline is a leather that has had any type of finish applied to the surface.

PIGMENTED LEATHER: Pigmented leather, sometimes referred to as "painted leather" is a hide which has been covered heavily with a pigment dye. This category of leather can be:

1. Full grain pigmented
2. Slightly buffed and pigmented
3. Buffed, embossed and pigmented

NUBUCK LEATHER: This leather is a full aniline leather. It may have a light protective coat or a paraffin finish on the surface. A nubuck has a low tolerance to sunlight, and clearly shows nature's markings. Nubuck differs from other leather types in one significant way; the hides are brushed to create a nap, which gives the leather a velvet feel. However, this makes the leather extremely absorbent, especially to body oils. This makes a nubuck leather the most sensitive and difficult to clean of all leather types.

TOP GRAIN: The outermost layer of the hide or the hair side, which is left after the splitting of the hide. It is the strongest and most breathable part of the hide; it is also the part of the hide that will show the life of the animal through natural markings. Top grain leather is the preferred choice for upholstery leather.

CORRECTED GRAIN: A corrected grain leather is a hide which has been mechanically altered, either through minor buffing, or sanding and/or embossing. This leather generally has a pigment coat, and is classified as a protected leather. This results in consistent shades on the same hide.

PULL UP: Pull up leather refers to a leather that derives its colors from dyes, waxes and/or oils. When this leather is pulled during upholstering, the oils/waxes dissipate and become lighter in the areas which are pulled tight. Used as an upholstery leather, it gives a worn weathered appearance or distressed look.

SAUVAGE: A two-tone affect which gives the leather depth and dimension. It also adds an antiqued look to the leather. This look can be achieved by hand rubbing for contrast of color, or by machine spray, or by roller print.

FULL ANILINE LEATHER (NAKED LEATHER): For normal use, dust or vacuum regularly, and keep away from direct sunlight or direct exposure to heating vents. In the event that you would need to clean this product, moisten a soft cloth or sponge with mild soap (Castile or Ivory) and luke-warm water. Gently apply to the soiled portions of the leather. Remove the lather by blotting with a clean, damp cloth. Blot dry with another soft cloth. Allow the remaining dampness to dry naturally at room temperature. >br> If an oil base liquid is spilled on the leather, gently blot the spill with a sponge. If the oil has penetrated the leather, do not attempt to remove this (oil) stain. It should dissipate over a period of time, due to the fat content, which is in the tannage of the leather. NEVER use cleaning fluids, solvents, or detergents to clean a soiled area. Any one of these products may cause smears, color streaking and/or damage to the leather surface.

NUBUCK LEATHER (SUEDE): For normal use, dust or vacuum regularly. Keep away from direct sunlight or direct exposure to heating vents. In the event you should need to clean this product, moisten a soft cloth or sponge with mild soap (Castile or Ivory) and luke-warm water. Apply gently to all the soiled portions of the leather. Remove the lather by wiping with a clean damp cloth. Blot dry with another soft cloth. Allow the remaining dampness to dry naturally at room temperature. To restore the nap after cleaning, be sure that the area is completely dry, and brush the surface with a brass bristled brush. This brush can be purchased at shoe shops. Gently brush the matted area to restore the nap. If an oil base liquid is spilled on the leather, gently blot the spill with a sponge. If the oil has penetrated the leather, do not attempt to remove it. The oil stain should dissipate over a period of time due to the fat content, which is in the tannage of the leather. NEVER use cleaning fluids, solvents or detergents to clean the suede leather, as any of these products may cause smears, color streaking and/or damage to the leather surface.

PROTECTED LEATHER (PIGMENTED): Pigmented leathers are the easiest of all leathers to clean and to care for. All that is generally required for protected leather is to dust and vacuum the surface of the furniture. If there is a spill, wipe the area clean with a soft cloth or a sponge. The liquid should remain on the surface and not soak into the leather. Should the spill be a solid, such as food, dampen a soft cloth or sponge and wipe the area of the spill. If needed, you can clean the leather with luke-warm water with a mild soap (Castile or Ivory) and a soft cloth or sponge. NEVER use cleaning fluids, solvents or detergents on a pigmented leather to clean a soiled area. These products will cause smears, color streaking and/or damage to the finish of the leather.