Upholstery Leather

Abstract

Upholstery leather manufacture , like many other branches of the industry, is in a rapid state of flux at this time. Although the manufacture of upholstery leather has been characterized for years by rocker tannage, with vegetable extracts, the majority of the industry has shifted or is in the process of shifting to lime-split drum-tanned upholstery leather. At times mineral salts such as chrome or zirconium may be used alone or in combination with the vegetable tannins. The primary purpose of such usage is to achieve certain leather effects such as softness but also to “tie-down” the excess vegetable tannins and thus prevent migration which might lead to a colour change of light coloured finishes.