Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Letter to all Designers and Salesmen
Leather colors are very important but equally important is the type of leather we are selling to the customer. We need to make sure the type of leather fits the amount of use the furniture is going to receive. We have a detailed list on our web site to make sure your customer is satisfied not just when they receive the furniture but years later because we have recommended and sold them the right product. http://www.pureleathercare.com/Site/C_Res_Rec.html
Thursday, January 20, 2011
What Leather Do I Sell?
There are five primary types of leathers tanneries create. Every tannery has there own unique way of creating these effects and the quality also varies. Understanding these primary leathers will help you understand first what you are selling, it will also help you to understand what leather you should sell to which customer to create the perfect fit.
Here are the basics...
Every tannery will create these basic leather types then modify them to create their own specialty leathers.
ANILINE: Pure aniline finished leather has been soaked in aniline dye, but does not have any subsequent pigment or clear coat finishes applied. Only the cleanest hides which are relatively free from imperfections can be made into aniline finished leather. They are soft, pliable and considered the premier grade of leather.
Recommended Use: Occasional Use
This leather has a soft feel and its pores are open and susceptible to dirt and oil transfer. It is Leather Techs recommendation that this leather be for occasional use. Heavy use will cause this leather to darken over time and spot.
Recommended Care: Use Leather Techs Pure Leather Cleaner and Conditioner. For additional protection use our Pure Leather Protector.
SEMI-ANILINE: The term used to describe aniline dyed leather which has only a small amount of clear or pigmented finish. It is a premium product which allows the hide's natural character to show through.
Recommended Use: Every day or Occasional Use
This leather is soft to the touch but is more durable than pure aniline leather.
Recommended Care: Use Leather Techs Pure Leather Cleaner and Conditioner. For additional protection use our Pure Leather Protector.
PULL UP: Pull up leather is one that when pulled tight produces a burst of color, used as an upholstery leather it gives a worn weathered appearance or a distressed look. Pull ups are full-aniline leathers that have an oil and/or wax application. When the leather is pulled, the oil and/or wax separates causing the color to become lighter.
Recommended Use: Every day or Occasional Use
This leather is soft to the touch but is more durable than pure aniline leather.
Recommended Care: Use Leather Techs Pure Leather Cleaner and Conditioner. For additional protection use our Pure Leather Protector.
NUBUCK: Nubuck is a pure aniline product that has been abraded on the surface to create a slight suede type nap resulting in a very soft hand.
Recommended Use: Occasional Use
This leather has a soft feel and its pores are open and susceptible to dirt and oil transfer. Heavy use will cause this leather to darken over time and spot.
Recommended Care: Use Leather Techs Pure Leather Cleaner, Conditioner and Protector. Pure Leather Protector is highly recommended for the ultimate protection.
PIGMENTED: Protected aniline leather is less expensive and more common than pure aniline or semi-aniline leather. Its coloration is more consistent because it has been coated with protective pigments which also make the leather's natural markings less noticeable. These protected leathers are more heavily pigmented than semi-aniline leather and are easier to clean than pure leather because surface pigments repel water and stains...standing up well to heavy use.
Recommended Use: Every day
This leather has a stiffer feel but is very durable. It can withstand heavy traffic or use.
Recommended Care: Use Leather Techs Pure Leather Cleaner and Conditioner.
Hopefully you found this useful. This has been our Leather Tip of the Day.
Here are the basics...
Every tannery will create these basic leather types then modify them to create their own specialty leathers.
ANILINE: Pure aniline finished leather has been soaked in aniline dye, but does not have any subsequent pigment or clear coat finishes applied. Only the cleanest hides which are relatively free from imperfections can be made into aniline finished leather. They are soft, pliable and considered the premier grade of leather.
Recommended Use: Occasional Use
This leather has a soft feel and its pores are open and susceptible to dirt and oil transfer. It is Leather Techs recommendation that this leather be for occasional use. Heavy use will cause this leather to darken over time and spot.
Recommended Care: Use Leather Techs Pure Leather Cleaner and Conditioner. For additional protection use our Pure Leather Protector.
SEMI-ANILINE: The term used to describe aniline dyed leather which has only a small amount of clear or pigmented finish. It is a premium product which allows the hide's natural character to show through.
Recommended Use: Every day or Occasional Use
This leather is soft to the touch but is more durable than pure aniline leather.
Recommended Care: Use Leather Techs Pure Leather Cleaner and Conditioner. For additional protection use our Pure Leather Protector.
PULL UP: Pull up leather is one that when pulled tight produces a burst of color, used as an upholstery leather it gives a worn weathered appearance or a distressed look. Pull ups are full-aniline leathers that have an oil and/or wax application. When the leather is pulled, the oil and/or wax separates causing the color to become lighter.
Recommended Use: Every day or Occasional Use
This leather is soft to the touch but is more durable than pure aniline leather.
Recommended Care: Use Leather Techs Pure Leather Cleaner and Conditioner. For additional protection use our Pure Leather Protector.
NUBUCK: Nubuck is a pure aniline product that has been abraded on the surface to create a slight suede type nap resulting in a very soft hand.
Recommended Use: Occasional Use
This leather has a soft feel and its pores are open and susceptible to dirt and oil transfer. Heavy use will cause this leather to darken over time and spot.
Recommended Care: Use Leather Techs Pure Leather Cleaner, Conditioner and Protector. Pure Leather Protector is highly recommended for the ultimate protection.
PIGMENTED: Protected aniline leather is less expensive and more common than pure aniline or semi-aniline leather. Its coloration is more consistent because it has been coated with protective pigments which also make the leather's natural markings less noticeable. These protected leathers are more heavily pigmented than semi-aniline leather and are easier to clean than pure leather because surface pigments repel water and stains...standing up well to heavy use.
Recommended Use: Every day
This leather has a stiffer feel but is very durable. It can withstand heavy traffic or use.
Recommended Care: Use Leather Techs Pure Leather Cleaner and Conditioner.
Hopefully you found this useful. This has been our Leather Tip of the Day.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Buyer Beware
You just purchased a new leather chair... or did you. There has been a growing market in selling Bycast Leather instead of a true top grain leather. It makes me want to scream. Bycast is not leather. It is vinyl with a few leather fibers glued to the back of it.
That isn't fare to the customer who doesn't know the difference and is trusting the salesman to know what they are talking about. It also isn't right that the salesman can claim ignorance. My money is made through you salesmen and I also put my trust in you. I understand that stores need to make a profit, we all do, but you have to understand Bycast will only last a year or two at best. Then the coating starts to crack and break.
That loyal customer instead of feeling the love for his/her new furniture is now mad, angry and will never shop at your store again. We want customers to be loyal. We want them to tell other customers about us in a positive way. We want them to come back... Happy.
So I write this blog urging store owners and salesmen to make the customer aware of what they are buying and to shout a warning as loud as I can to customers. BEWARE!
That isn't fare to the customer who doesn't know the difference and is trusting the salesman to know what they are talking about. It also isn't right that the salesman can claim ignorance. My money is made through you salesmen and I also put my trust in you. I understand that stores need to make a profit, we all do, but you have to understand Bycast will only last a year or two at best. Then the coating starts to crack and break.
That loyal customer instead of feeling the love for his/her new furniture is now mad, angry and will never shop at your store again. We want customers to be loyal. We want them to tell other customers about us in a positive way. We want them to come back... Happy.
So I write this blog urging store owners and salesmen to make the customer aware of what they are buying and to shout a warning as loud as I can to customers. BEWARE!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Leather Tips of the Day
One of the most commonly asked questions I get asked is about ink. How do I get ink out of leather?
Believe it our not this is not a simple question. Here are the basics:
1) What type of leather is the ink in. This will determine what method of cleaning you or a professional should use. To figure out you leather type visit our web site www.leathertechs.com.
2) The proper technique for the right leather.
If it is a protected or pigmented leather and the ink is fresh you will have the most success by using a tube of ChapStick. ChapStick has a level of petroleum that will emulsify the ink and lift most if it out of the leather. You must go back and use our Pure leather cleaner afterward to remove any resedue of the petroleum when you are done but the results are better than doing nothing.
Technique: Lightly rub the ChapStick over the effected area in a circular motion, using a dry rag to continually remove the build up and excess. Only use our cleaner when you are done. Then follow up with the Pure leather conditioner to moistureize and protect the hide.
If it is an aniline or unprotected leather Do Not Use any form of ChapStick. The petroleum will darken the leather, it will not remove any ink, and will only worsen the damage. Only use our Pure leather cleaner and most of the remaining ink should dissipate over time into the leather. Keep in mind this may take many months to years but it will slowly fade.
These techniques are geared to improve the damage from the ink but over many years of repairing leather without fail I have to re-dye the damaged area to completely remove the eye sore of ink. I always recommend getting a referral from a friend or store you trust in your area and make sure the tech sounds like he knows what he/she is talking about.
Hopefully this helps. If you have further questions call or email us. We are here to help.
Believe it our not this is not a simple question. Here are the basics:
1) What type of leather is the ink in. This will determine what method of cleaning you or a professional should use. To figure out you leather type visit our web site www.leathertechs.com.
2) The proper technique for the right leather.
If it is a protected or pigmented leather and the ink is fresh you will have the most success by using a tube of ChapStick. ChapStick has a level of petroleum that will emulsify the ink and lift most if it out of the leather. You must go back and use our Pure leather cleaner afterward to remove any resedue of the petroleum when you are done but the results are better than doing nothing.
Technique: Lightly rub the ChapStick over the effected area in a circular motion, using a dry rag to continually remove the build up and excess. Only use our cleaner when you are done. Then follow up with the Pure leather conditioner to moistureize and protect the hide.
If it is an aniline or unprotected leather Do Not Use any form of ChapStick. The petroleum will darken the leather, it will not remove any ink, and will only worsen the damage. Only use our Pure leather cleaner and most of the remaining ink should dissipate over time into the leather. Keep in mind this may take many months to years but it will slowly fade.
These techniques are geared to improve the damage from the ink but over many years of repairing leather without fail I have to re-dye the damaged area to completely remove the eye sore of ink. I always recommend getting a referral from a friend or store you trust in your area and make sure the tech sounds like he knows what he/she is talking about.
Hopefully this helps. If you have further questions call or email us. We are here to help.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Tip of the day...
Everyone would agree it is better to prevent a problem than it is to try to repair or fix it. I propose the same when it comes to leather, anything leather. Whether it is a new pair of shoes, a purse or a new sofa you are better off protecting it when it is brand new than trying to fix the damage that has now occured.
Pure Leather Protector does just that. It places a protective barrier on your leather keeping most water, oil and alcohol based stains out by bonding to the poors of your leather keeping them safe. One of the benefits of our Pure Leather Products is that you don't need to know what type of leather you own our products work on all leather types. Another benefit is that our products were created to break down with normal use allowing you to effectively clean and condition you leather again. Most products that provide a barrier ar so strong you are not able to break through to replenish the nutrients it needs. The leather will then dry out and fade with time and the investment of your leather item is lost.
For tees reasons we argue the side of prevent damage rather than repairing later.
Good Luck
Everyone would agree it is better to prevent a problem than it is to try to repair or fix it. I propose the same when it comes to leather, anything leather. Whether it is a new pair of shoes, a purse or a new sofa you are better off protecting it when it is brand new than trying to fix the damage that has now occured.
Pure Leather Protector does just that. It places a protective barrier on your leather keeping most water, oil and alcohol based stains out by bonding to the poors of your leather keeping them safe. One of the benefits of our Pure Leather Products is that you don't need to know what type of leather you own our products work on all leather types. Another benefit is that our products were created to break down with normal use allowing you to effectively clean and condition you leather again. Most products that provide a barrier ar so strong you are not able to break through to replenish the nutrients it needs. The leather will then dry out and fade with time and the investment of your leather item is lost.
For tees reasons we argue the side of prevent damage rather than repairing later.
Good Luck
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
