A useful leather spec states thickness, tannage, finish and how colour will be matched between batches, not just grade and price per square foot. Ask for these before you order, so a swatch photo does not become your specification.
How thick should the leather be?
Leather thickness is often quoted in ounces. In the leather trade an ounce is a measure of thickness, not weight, and one ounce is roughly 1/64 inch, or about 0.4 mm. A 3 oz hide is therefore about 1.2 mm.
Ask for thickness in millimetres, with the tolerance, and ask whether the figure is an average or a range across the hide. We have not given a single “right” thickness here, because the correct number depends on the product, the backing and the supplier’s process. What you can do is state the thickness you need in your RFQ and ask the supplier to confirm it in writing.
Which tanning process was used?
Tanning is the step that turns a hide into leather. Chrome tanning is the most common method: a research paper from India’s CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute puts it at 85 to 90 percent of global leather. Vegetable tanning, which uses plant extracts, is the main alternative.
Both are legitimate. They give different results in feel, firmness and ageing, so tannage is a specification question, not a style one. A supplier who cannot say which process a hide went through cannot tell you how it will behave in your product.
Which finish should you specify?
Finish describes how the surface is protected. A furniture retailer’s guide sets out the three common families:
- Aniline: dyed with soluble dyes that penetrate the hide, with every natural marking visible. It is described as more susceptible to staining, fading and scratching.
- Semi-aniline: dyed through and given a light protective finish, so much of the grain stays visible.
- Pigmented: a surface coating with pigment, giving a more even colour and better resistance to stains and fading.
These are different durability promises. Match the finish to how the finished piece will be used, and be clear about the trade-off with your own customer.
How consistent will the next batch be?
Leather is a natural material, so colour and grain vary between hides and between dye lots. For a single order this rarely matters. For a reorder, an addition to an existing piece, or a phased fit-out, it does.
Ask how the supplier handles matching for repeat orders, whether they record the batch or lot, and what they can commit to in writing. This is a buying question, not a promise from any one source.
What should an RFQ state?
- Grade, by name, and the finish
- Thickness in millimetres and the tolerance
- Tannage, if it matters to your product
- Quantity and unit, and the colour reference
- Whether you will need the same material again, and over what period
Grade and price per square foot are the least differentiating numbers on the sheet, since any supplier can quote them. Grade names are not standardised everywhere, so ask what a given term means. How Hides Are Graded Before They Are Called Full-Grain explains the grading behind them.
How does Hausbarn fit in?
Hausbarn sources, grades and supplies fine leathers and technical textiles to furniture makers, upholsterers and lifestyle brands across India, including full-grain, top-grain and aniline hides and performance ranges such as Ocean and Frisco. Trade pricing is shared privately on enquiry. Start on the Premium Leather Trading page, or contact us with your specification.