Leather comes from various skins and sources from around the world. It is sold as a global commodity. The price reflects its quality which is defined by desirable characteristics as well as the technique in which it's dressed. Garment leathers are usually from fur bearing animals such as cows, lambs or goats. Leathers from reptiles, birds and fish are beautiful accents for handbags, belts and shoes but as a general rule they are stiffer skins. At Jacques Ferber we understand the quality standards for leathers. In general, leather can be understood as napa, the hide’s smooth exterior, and suede, the hide’s textured interior or underside. |
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Napa can be buffed to look like suede; this is what is referred to as nubuck. Napa can also take on a number of finishes, such as polishing and shellacking. It can even be embossed to resemble exotic skins, shrunken to create texture, or waxed and crack finished. The porous suede, on the other hand, absorbs prints and dyes beautifully. It has a fabric like matte finish that readily embosses into patterns and textures. Suede affords many design possibilities.
The cost of leather skins is determined by a variety of factors. One is the uniformity of the surface area meaning no damage, consistent tightness of pores and overall smoothness. The next component is the actual quality of the entire skin - not just its surface but its structural layers as well. Critical factors are suppleness, weight and sponginess, a term which refers to the openness of the cells in the skin which absorb tanning emollients and color additives. Commercial leathers are often stiff or "plastic like." The leather's cells are usually flattened and the finish sprayed on. At Jacques Ferber we choose quality hides that are capable of accepting tans and dyes on a cellular level, in order to make leather that is truly supple and deeply tanned.
At Jacques Ferber we know that the best leathers and suedes need to be drummed, tanned and dressed. This is a lengthy process that puts the tanning ingredients and dyes into each pore. Therefore the beauty is throughout the skin not just on top, as in chrome dyed garments.
The integrity of the skin is important to the wear and desirability of the final leather garment. Full skin garments are best. A full skin garment is one which includes both the leather and suede. Many manufactures make their garments from split skins; skin that has been torn between the layers of its epidermis. Full skin refers to the full depth of the leather including its suede. Skin splitting is a technique in which a skin is actually torn between the layers of its epidermis. The result is a lighter skin with twice the surface area, but with its structural integrity compromised. These garments may feel like a superior lamb skin but in actuality they tear and sag as they are worn.
Jacques Ferber is selective in the leather garments that we offer. We select drummed dyed lamb skin garments, and, as with our furs, we stand behind what we sell.
