Characteristics of shrink leather and how to care for it
What is shrink leather?
Shrink leather is leather that is tanned by exposing it to a special chemical, which naturally shrinks the surface of the leather and creates a unique grain pattern.
Each piece of leather is different in terms of the size and depth of the grain, allowing you to enjoy the "look" of leather that can only be found in natural leather.
Characteristics of Shrink Leather
Shrink leather is a type of leather that features beautiful natural grain created by the shrink (shrinkage) process of chrome tanning. Depending on the part, the grain can be large or deep, resulting in a variety of looks.
The greatest appeal of shrink leather is that each piece is unique, and you can enjoy the individuality of natural leather, which has no two pieces that are exactly the same.
The striped patterns and long streaks on the surface of the leather, and the blood veins that look like lightning bolts on the surface of the leather are proof that it is natural genuine leather. They are popular as natural markings that can never be seen on synthetic leather and are unique to genuine leather.
Benefits of Shrunken Leather
The advantage of shrunken leather is that it is particularly elastic, scratch-resistant, and can be enjoyed in a beautiful state for a long time among many leathers.
Even if a small scratch occurs on a shrunken leather item, the scratch is less noticeable thanks to the "grain," and it is durable enough that shallow scratches can be plumped up and restored.
The soft texture and luxurious feel that you will want to touch forever are unique to shrink leather.
Disadvantages of shrink leather
The disadvantage of shrink leather is that dirt easily accumulates in the grooves of the unique grain.
By regularly brushing and applying a water-repellent coating, you can maintain the beautiful new condition for a long time.
Aging of shrink leather
Compared to conventional oil leather, shrink leather ages more slowly.
Also, because the leather has a grain on its surface, the depressed parts of the grain age more slowly than the raised parts, while the raised parts age faster.
By taking good care of it, you can develop a more luxurious texture.
How to care for shrunk leather
Shrink leather has unevenness on the surface due to the grain. A characteristic of this leather is that fine dust and dirt easily accumulate in the grooves.
The trick to caring for this leather is to brush it off frequently to remove surface dirt.
The key to caring for this leather is to wipe off the leather cream more thoroughly than with other leathers. Wipe it off so that the cream does not accumulate in the grooves of the grain.
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BONAVENTURA's Shrink Leather and Tanners
We use shrink leather from Perlinger, a long-established tanner founded in 1864, and Weinheimer, one of Europe's leading tanners.
■Perlinger's Shrink Leather
Nano glass coating (water-repellent treatment) is applied during the leather manufacturing process. The leather itself repels moisture and is resistant to dirt and stains. You can enjoy its beautiful condition for a longer period of time.
■Weinheimer's Shrink Leather
The highest quality of Weinheimer's shrink leather is called Odessa leather. Odessa leather is characterized by its fine and uniform grain, which is the result of shrink processing during chrome tanning. A process called "Easy Care" is used in the leather manufacturing process. This process makes it difficult for moisture and dirt to adhere to the surface, and even if it does get dirty, it can be easily cleaned by wiping it off.
Summary
We have introduced in detail the characteristics of shrink leather and how to care for it.
The unevenness of the grained leather creates a natural leather-like appearance. The softness and luxury of shrink leather are unique to it.
Please come to a BONAVENTURA store and experience the texture of the leather for yourself.
Recommended shrink leather products
・Bags (shrink leather) are available here
・Wallets (shrink leather) are available here here
・Smartphone cases (shrink leather) are here
・Leather accessories (shrink leather) are Here
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