Aniline leather

Aniline leather is in a bath with aniline dyes coloured leather. Aniline leather is porous smooth leather without a pigment based surface finish. On aniline leather the natural texture of the skin material is recognizable and is usually high-priced and high-graded leather. Because of the missing pigmented colour layer on the surface, aniline leather feels natural, soft and worm.

The pores of the skin must be clearly identifiable in aniline leather. Maximum, an aniline leather is allowed to receive a finish with a hydrophobic treatment, but pigments are not allowed as component of the finish.

Aniline leather without any finish and completely porous is called pure aniline leather or just pure aniline. Soft aniline leather is also called napa leather.

Also leather with velvet-like surfaces like suede and nubuck belong to the group of porous leather.

Which type of leather can be called aniline leather, is regulated by national and international norms, regulations and standards. In Europe the term is ruled by the standard: DIN EN 15987 "LEATHER - TERMINOLOGY - KEY DEFINITIONS FOR THE LEATHER TRADE" (July 2015). Accordingly to this norm, an aniline leather is a smooth leather, were the pores of the hair is well and clearly visible. An applied finish is not allowed to be thicker then 0,01 mm and is not allowed to contain pigments.

Aniline leather is used for all kinds of leather products. It's used as furniture leather, as handbag leather, for shoes or for clothing. Seldom is car leather, as leather in cars is expected to be easy to leather cleaner and care which can only be achieved with a |pigmented coating on top of the leather.

Structure of the leather coloring and finish. Without finish = aniline leather.

For aniline leather only absolutely flawless hides can be processed because the surface structure of the leather is completely visible. Leather with damages on the skin surface which emerge disturbing in the main areas like visible scares, insect bites and fire-brands are not first choice. Because flawless hair is rare, aniline leather is generally more expensive than pigmented leather. Tanners talk of less than 5% of the delivered skins, which can be processed as aniline leather because of impeccability.

Aniline is porous grain side leather. When you do a water rubbing test, a drop of water would sink into the surface and darken it. Aniline leather is therefore highly susceptible to water marks and grease stains, as for the fading caused by sunlight. Aniline leather generally has a warm and waxy grip and a matt degree of gloss. Because of the softness of the leather aniline leather is also called napa leather or occasionally as soft leather.

Picture 1 shows a drop of water on a pigmented cowhide. The drop does not sink in. Next to it, the drop sinks into the porous smooth leather.

Smooth leather, which has a low pigment coating and where the pore structure of the leather surface is still clearly visible is called semi-aniline. Since January 2016 there is a new leather term for a type of leather which is between aniline leather and semi-aniline leather (RAL 061 A1 - Germany). It`s called Aniline leather refined (use optimized). Refined aniline leather is allowed to have a very fine pigmentation. Pure aniline leather is not allowed to have any pigments on the surface.

Video about different kinds of smooth leather.

Micrograph of the surface of an aniline leather. The open pores of the skin can be clearly identified, which are not covered by a finish.

Aniline leather is used in all areas: Leather clothing, car leather, bicycle saddle, furniture leather, shoe leather, handbags and suitcases

Aniline leather is sensitive: grease stains - fading - water marks

Criteria of differentiation

Pure aniline leather - Leather hair pores are completely recognizable and no finish is on the leather.

Semi-aniline leather - Leather hair pores are clearly visible, but a thin layer of paint is on the leather surface.

Leather hair pores are hardly recognizable. A stronger colour layer is on the leather surface. Only a consultant for leather can investigate whether this leather still may be referred as semi-aniline leather.

Pigmented smooth leather - Leather hair pores are no longer recognizable. A thick layer of paint is on the leather.

Sometimes leather is offered as aniline leather, which is not aniline. Since aniline is particularly sensitive sometimes it gets a gentle finish. Such leather is then no longer aniline, but refined aniline leather or semi-aniline leather or sometimes even only pigmented leather.