Several kinds of leather commonly used for manufacturing safety shoes

Genuine Leather

Genuine leather is derived from the hides of animals such as cows, sheep, pigs, horses, and deer. After tanning and processing in a leather factory, these hides become materials with various characteristics, including texture, strength, color, and patterns. They are essential components in modern leather products. Among them, cowhide, sheepskin, and pigskin are the most commonly used types in leather manufacturing. The dermis is divided into two layers: the top layer and the second layer.

(1) The top layer of the skin, which includes cowhide, sheepskin, and pigskin, has a natural grain surface. This layer often contains visible scars, blood marks, and occasional knife wounds that occur during processing. The utilization rate for this layer is generally low. Imported hides and domestic cattle also have specific markings. Full-grain leather can be identified by the size and density of its pores. There are several types of cowhide, including beef, grazing cows, bullskins, and castrated bulls. In China, you'll find yellow leather, buffalo leather, and yak leather. Buffalo hides have coarser and sparser pores, while yellow leather has finer and denser ones. Sheepskin has smaller, denser pores that are slightly slanted. There are mainly two types of sheep and goat skins. Pigskin has a unique pattern with 3 to 5 hair roots per pore, making it easy to distinguish. It's commonly made from farm-raised pigs or wild boars, such as the South American wild boar. This type of skin has distinct pores and grain features, thanks to its special collagen structure, which allows it to be processed into soft garments or gloves, giving it high value. Other exotic leathers include ostrich, crocodile, lizard, snake, frog, fish (such as shark, eel, and pearl), and freshwater fish skins, along with furs like silver fox, blue fox, wolf, dog, and rabbit skins. These are easily identifiable and cannot be used for second-layer processing.

The first layer of skin comes directly from raw animal hides or thick sections of cattle, pigs, and horses. These are split into upper and lower layers, with the tighter fibrous tissue on top being processed into top grain leather.

(2) The second layer of skin consists of looser fibrous tissue and is coated with chemical materials or films like PVC and PU. To differentiate between the top and second layers, one can observe the fiber density in the longitudinal section. The first layer has dense fibers and a slightly looser overlayer, offering good strength, elasticity, and workability. The second layer only has loose fibrous tissue and requires chemical treatments or polishing before use. While it retains some natural elasticity, its strength is weaker, and its thickness is more uniform. Despite variations in the production process, the identification method remains consistent across different types of leather.

Recycled Leather

Recycled leather is made by crushing various animal hides and leather scraps, then processing them with chemicals. Its surface treatment is similar to that of leather trimmings and embossed leather. It has a neat edge, higher utilization rate, and is more affordable, but it tends to be thicker and less strong. It’s typically used for budget-friendly items like document cases, drawstring bags, club covers, and flat belts. The internal structure is uniform, and you can see the coagulation effect of mixed fibers.

Leatherette

Leatherette, also known as imitation leather or synthetic leather, is a general term for artificial materials like PVC and PU. It is produced on a base of textiles or non-woven fabrics and undergoes foaming or lamination processes. It can be customized for different levels of strength, wear resistance, cold resistance, color, gloss, and patterns. It offers a wide range of colors, waterproofing, clean edges, and cost-effectiveness compared to real leather. However, most artificial leathers lack the feel and flexibility of genuine leather. When cut vertically, you can see small bubbles, fabric layers, or dry synthetic fibers. Leatherette has been popular for a long time and is widely used in leather products or parts of leather materials. With advanced production techniques, it is increasingly used in the processing of two-layer leather.

Copyright Notice: This article is reproduced from online media and represents only the author's opinion. It has nothing to do with this site. If news articles or comments infringe your legal rights, please contact us and we will handle it in a timely manner.