Characteristics of various leather materials for notebook customization.There are many types of leather. Using different raw hides and tanning methods, leathers suitable for various uses can be produced. Common leathers used in genuine leather products have the following characteristics:

1. Characteristics of Cowhide Leather

Cowhide leather includes ox leather, yak leather, and buffalo leather.

Ox leather has a fine grain, thick cortex, high strength, fullness, and good elasticity, making its products beautiful, comfortable, and durable. Ox leather is primarily used for clothing, shoes, luggage, and ball products.

Yak leather has a slightly less polished grain than ox leather, but its other properties and uses are generally similar.

Buffalo leather has a rougher surface and coarse, looser fibers, and is slightly less strong than ox leather, but its other properties are similar. Buffalo leather is primarily used for sofas, luggage, and is also commonly used in leather shoes.

2. Characteristics of Pig Leather

Pig leather differs significantly from cow and sheep leather, primarily in its rough grain, dense and full fibers, and poor elasticity. However, its strength is similar to cow leather and stronger than sheep leather, resulting in durable products, but less aesthetically pleasing.

Pig leather can be used to make a variety of leather products.

3. Characteristics of Sheep Leather

Sheep leather is divided into goat leather and sheep leather.

Goat leather has a fine, beautiful grain and excellent softness, but its durability is inferior to that of cow leather. Goat leather products are aesthetically pleasing and comfortable, but their surface resistance and durability are average. Goat leather is primarily used in the production of high-end women’s leather shoes, clothing, gloves, and handbags.

Sheep leather is more flexible than goat leather, but its durability is inferior. Sheep leather products are more aesthetically pleasing and comfortable to wear, but their durability is less. Sheep leather is primarily used in the production of clothing and gloves, but is also used in high-end leather shoes and soft bags.

4. Characteristics of Full-Grain Leather

Full-grain leather refers to leather that retains the original surface of the animal hide (the hairy side) and is also called face leather. Some full-grain leathers are used unfinished, but most undergo a beautifying finish.

Full-grain leather requires high-quality raw hides with minimal damage and high processing requirements, making it a premium leather. Because the surface of the raw hide remains intact, it exhibits excellent fastness. Generally speaking, full-grain leather is unfinished or has a very thin coating, which preserves its softness and good breathability. The grain of the genuine leather is used to enhance its natural beauty, making it comfortable and aesthetically pleasing.

Full-grain leather is often colored with dyes, so the industry generally refers to full-grain leather with dyes as the primary colorant in the coating as aniline leather (or full aniline leather). This type of leather is evenly dyed and has a distinct grain. It is finished without any concealing film-forming substances, leaving the grain intact. After finishing, only a thin, colorless, transparent layer remains, allowing the natural grain to be clearly visible.

Full-grain leather is used for all high-end leather products. When cleaning and caring for this type of genuine leather, care should be taken to preserve its unique style and feel.

5. Characteristics of Semi-aniline Leather

This type of leather has some shallow scratches on the grain surface. To cover these scratches while preserving the natural grain, the leather is lightly sprayed with a small amount of pigment, adhesive, film-forming agent, and dye. This creates a thin, semi-hidden coating, leaving the grain subtly visible.