Vegetable-tanned leathers are premium materials that are used in the production of luxury home furniture. These unique leathers can serve as a customization inspiration for any designer, celebrity, or furniture store owner who wishes to produce and market a new collection of high-end furnishings.
Continue reading to discover what vegetable-tanned leathers are and how they are made. Find out why we highly recommend them as prized materials for hand-carved home furniture. Learn how to design customized furniture through a partnership with a skilled, competent wholesaler and manufacturer like Peninsula Home Collection Company.
What Are Vegetable-tanned Leathers?
Vegetable-tanned leather describes a product that is made out of full grain animal hides. These hides undergo a tanning procedure that involves the use of substances called tannins. These tannins are natural extracts that originate from vegetable sources. Some examples of plant-based sources are chestnut wood, gallnuts, quebracho wood, tara pods, and mimosa wood.
How Are Vegetable-tanned Leathers Made?
Vegetable-tanned leather is produced through a time-consuming, elaborate process. The hair is removed from the animal hides before it is limed to prepare the skin for the tanning process. The leather artisan adds the hides and tannins to a big wooden rotating vessel called a drum.
The leather is soaked in vegetable tannins for approximately three to seven weeks. In comparison, synthetically tanned leathers are only soaked for a single day.
After the hides are finally removed from the drum, the leather maker will inspect the piece so he or she will know whether to dye it, grease it, or repeat the tanning process. These three steps may be employed if they wish to adjust the texture, elasticity, or color of the leather.
Why Are Vegetable-tanned Leathers Ideal as Home Furniture Materials?
Vegetable-tanned leather is considered superior to regular leather because of several reasons:
1. Rich History
Vegetable-tanned leather is believed to be the oldest leather-making tradition that exists on the globe. The vegetable tanning method was perfected in Tuscany, Italy by generations of artisans. This special process takes approximately 28 times longer than ordinary tanning. The difference in the production time contributes to the premium price of this type of leather and the furniture that is created using this material.
2. Exclusive Availability
Vegetable-tanned leather only composes around 10% of the available leather in the market today. On the other hand, 90% of the leather is treated via synthetic tannins. As a result, home furniture that is created from vegetable-tanned leather is highly valued.
3. Supple Texture
The vegetable tanning process makes this type of leather rigid in texture. Furnishings that are made from vegetable-tanned leather can be woven or used in sling chair designs. These pieces are incredibly comfortable and supportive.
4. Water Resistant
Vegetable-tanned leather becomes water-resistant because of the tanning procedure. While home furniture made from this material is not 100% waterproof, they do have basic resistance to simple spills that they may encounter over time.
5. Long-lasting
The vegetable tanning process prevents the leather from decaying. That’s why furnishings that are made from vegetable-tanned leather tend to last longer than those that are made from synthetically tanned leather. It is a viable option for customers who wish to invest in home furniture that they can expect to use for a lifetime. The leather also naturally patinas over time revealing a beautiful natural saddle color.
Create Customized Vegetable-tanned Leather Furniture With the Help of Peninsula Home Collection Company
A furniture designer, celebrity, interior designer, or furniture store owner such as yourself are probably aware that not all sofas, recliners, ottomans, chairs, and other home furniture are created equally. One of the key factors that influence the level of their quality is the materials and components they are made from.
The use of unique leathers in the production of luxury, hand-carved furnishings will level up their value in the eyes of your customers. If you are interested in creating a new furniture collection that you can brand under your label, the Peninsula Home Collection Company can produce home furniture made from vegetable-tanned leathers on your behalf.
Call us at (949) 553-9856 or send us a message to find out how furniture customization by our wholesale and manufacturing company can boost your furniture business to new heights.
