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Everything You Need To Know About Leather (And More)
Everything You Need To Know About Leather (And More)
As far as leather is concerned, it may be clear that not only fashion, style, comfort and durability are valued high. Moreover, leather made riders apparel should be able to protect the rider to its utmost best when he or she gets involved in an accident. While manufacturing motorcycle apparel, the principal of protecting the rider while providing the best comfort, durability and style is a result of years of testing and development.
Different types of leather are used in order to provide the rider with the best quality possible. In general, there are four different leather levels with regards to quality:
1) Full-grain leather is made from the finest hides and refers to those that have not been sanded, buffed, or snuffed (as opposed to top-grain or corrected leather, see 2 and 3) to remove imperfections (or natural marks) on the surface of the hide. The grain remains allowing the fiber strength and durability. The grain also has breathability, resulting in less moisture from prolonged contact. This leather is produced from the top side of the leather - that is the outside of the skin, meaning the surface will be smooth and polish able. Full-grain leather is the ultimate riding grade, the most sought after, and thus the most expensive.
2) Top-grain leather is the second-highest quality. It has the "split" layer separated away, making it thinner and more pliable than full-grain. Its surface has been sanded and a finish coat added to the surface which results in a colder, plastic feel with less breathability, and will not develop a natural patina. It is typically less expensive and has greater resistance to stains than full-grain leather, so long as the finish remains unbroken. "Top grain" is the definition that is generally used when the grain is not genuine: when the real grain is sanded away and an imitation grain is stamped into the leather. In other words, Top-grain leather has been sanded to remove scars and imperfection, then sprayed or pasted for a uniform look.
3) Corrected-grain is a type of leather produced through the sanding of the top layer of the hide, where hair and skin imperfections are found. It is any leather that has had an artificial grain applied to its surface. Most corrected-grain leather is used to make pigmented leather, as the solid pigment helps hide the corrections or imperfections. Corrected grain leathers can mainly be bought as two finish types: semi-aniline and pigmented.
4) Split-grain is produced from the hide's fibrous section. This type of leather is commonly used to make suede leather, used in bags, upholstery, accessories and shoes. It also has an artificial layer applied on its surface, which is then pressed to produce a pattern.
These four types of leather can be produced from many animals. Within the motorcycle industry, the most popular animals to use of leather are cows, buffalo's, goats and sheep. Optionally, more exotic animals used for leather are kangaroo, deer and stingray and are known for its unique features and superior strength. Kangaroo leather, or K-leather, for instance, is known for its strength, light weight and durability and therefore suits the motorcycle apparel industry perfectly.
Kangaroo leather, as recent studies have shown, has a prehistoric fibre structure, low level of weave and a low fat content, and therefore provides the rider with a superior strength against leathers from cabretta (hair sheep), goatskin or bovine (cow leather). Additionally, kangaroo leather is more flexible than its cow hide counterpart.
The fat content of the skin structure is often determined by the environment in which the animal lives. The diet of the kangaroo is generally quite poor and this, combined with the extreme heat in which they live, results in virtually no fat within the fibre structure. In comparison, cabretta or goat leather has anywhere between 5% and 8%, while bovine leather is much more variable. Ultimately, fat takes up space in the cross-section of the skin and when it is removed, "voids" are left, which can cause a reduction in strength per unit thickness. Because of the superior strength, light weight and durability that kangaroo leather has, AGVSPORT is capable of the rider with maximum comfort and protection. Due to its low fat content, the kangaroo leather used by AGVSPORT creates a product that offers the rider superior strength than many other forms of leather.
Most animals have two distinct layers in the cross-section of the skin - the grain and the corium. The majority of the strength comes from the corium, where the fibre bundles are much denser. However, on certain animals, and in particular bovine substrates, a large amount of the corium is shaved off to gain a lightweight thickness, resulting in dramatically reduced strength characteristics. However, kangaroo skin has a very thin grain layer and its thickness can easily be reduced without detriment to the strength of the final leather, owing to the fact that the natural thickness of a kangaroo skin is mainly found to be in the range of 1.0 to 1.2 mm.
Stingray is another form of leather utilized by AGVSPORT to provide a product of maximum efficiency, as the structure of Stingray leather offers unique advantages. Specifically, the fibers of Stingray leather run in all directions, as opposed to the fibers running parallel to each other. This structure makes it very difficult to tear the leather apart, meaning the leather is of great strength.
Moreover, stingray leather is known for its exceptional strength and is by many called as the most durable leather in the world. The skin of stingrays consists of thousands of tiny rock-hard pearls or scales and is fire, water, tear and cut resistant. The reason of these features lies in the structure of the leather. In regular leather, the fibres of the leather run parallel to each other, whereas in stingray leather the fibres run in all directions. In addition, all tiny pearls with their roots are grown into the bottom layer of the leather, to the effect that you can neither tear the leather apart, nor cut it easily with the knife. It is therefore, that stingray leather is often used in the motorcycle apparel industry in order to provide the rider with the best protection possible. Besides its protectiveness, stingray leather is also considered as good looking and thus highly valued by the rider.
After the animal died and its hide or skin is obtained, it can be transferred into leather. In order to do so, a process needs to be followed. The process of producing leather is divided into three stages: preparatory stages, tanning, and crusting. The preparatory stages are the periods in which the hide or skin is prepared for tanning. This may include a variety of actions, such as soaking, liming, preservation, fleshing, splitting and various other possibilities.
Tanning is the next process in producing leather. Tanning involves converting the protein of the raw hide (skin) into a stable material which will not decay. Hides and skins have the ability to absorb tannic acid and other chemical substances that prevent them from decaying, make them resistant to wetting, and keep them supple, yet also durable. Tanning makes the skin stable and rot proof without sacrificing its structure and strength. There are many different tanning methods which can be used, but the choice usually depends on how the leather will be applied. The material most commonly used for tanning is chromium, which leaves the leather with a pale blue color after tanning. At this point, the product is called "wet blue" and is ready to be immersed in a float containing the tanning liquor. The hides are then soaked, as the tanning liquor gradually penetrates through the full substance of the hide. While this occurs, it is important to observe the degree of penetration by frequently cutting a cross-section of the hide. After an even degree of penetration has been reached, a process called basification occurs. In this basification process, the tanning material is fixed to the leather and as more tanning material is fixed, the leather increases in hydrothermal stability and shrinkage temperature resistance.
Crusting is the final stage in the production of leather. This is the process through which the hide is thinned, re-tanned, and lubricated. One sub-process which is typically a part of the crusting stage is a coloring operation. The conclusion of the coloring operation involves drying and softening. There are varieties of other operations that may be included in the crusting process. For instance, some leathers require the application of a surface coating. Otherwise known as finishing, the surface coating operation may include oiling, brushing, padding, buffing, spraying, and an assortment of other actions.
After the final stage of the leather production process is conducted, the leather can be transported to manufactories that sew the leather in its desired design and product. This happens for instance in Pakistan, Vietnam, China but in European countries such as Italy as well.
The design of motorcycle apparel is, once again, focused on protection but should provide the rider with aerodynamics, breathability, comfortable fit, durability, flexibility, light weight and is to be water resistant. Production is based on both mass-production as well as on custom production, at which specific rider's needs, demands and requests are honored to produce the best possible product a rider can think of.
AGVSPORT makes their products using many different types of leather in order to offer maximum comfort, durability, and protection for the rider. AGVSPORT uses leather from different animals, such as cows and goats and more exotic kangaroos and stingrays. The leather from each of these animals provides unique features, allowing AGVSPORT to produce superior leather products. The leather used by AGVSPORT offers the rider a level of protection, comfort, and durability not seen anywhere else.
In a speed demanding world, the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) while riding a motorcycle has never been as important as it is today. Not only is leather motorcycle apparel extremely good-looking, but it provides riders with the maximum level of protection as well.
Research conducted by MAIDS (Motorcycle Accidents In-Depth Study) has revealed that, after the examination of over 900 motorcycle accidents in five different European countries, the riders that wore PPE not only had a bigger chance of surviving the accident, but often survived the accident without injury as well. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that wearing a helmet only reduces the chance of injury by 50 percent.
In addition, MAIDS states that the level of protection rises enormously when wearing other kinds of Personal Protective Equipment such as leather: 92% when wearing a Kevlar leather jacket, 96% when wearing Kevlar leather pants, 90% when wearing motorcycle boots and 95% when wearing leather gloves, and it is therefore highly recommendable to wear leather apparel at all times in order to enjoy riding to the utmost best.
Everything You Need To Know About Leather (And More)
As far as leather is concerned, it may be clear that not only fashion, style, comfort and durability are valued high. Moreover, leather made riders apparel should be able to protect the rider to its utmost best when he or she gets involved in an accident. While manufacturing motorcycle apparel, the principal of protecting the rider while providing the best comfort, durability and style is a result of years of testing and development.
Different types of leather are used in order to provide the rider with the best quality possible. In general, there are four different leather levels with regards to quality:
1) Full-grain leather is made from the finest hides and refers to those that have not been sanded, buffed, or snuffed (as opposed to top-grain or corrected leather, see 2 and 3) to remove imperfections (or natural marks) on the surface of the hide. The grain remains allowing the fiber strength and durability. The grain also has breathability, resulting in less moisture from prolonged contact. This leather is produced from the top side of the leather - that is the outside of the skin, meaning the surface will be smooth and polish able. Full-grain leather is the ultimate riding grade, the most sought after, and thus the most expensive.
2) Top-grain leather is the second-highest quality. It has the "split" layer separated away, making it thinner and more pliable than full-grain. Its surface has been sanded and a finish coat added to the surface which results in a colder, plastic feel with less breathability, and will not develop a natural patina. It is typically less expensive and has greater resistance to stains than full-grain leather, so long as the finish remains unbroken. "Top grain" is the definition that is generally used when the grain is not genuine: when the real grain is sanded away and an imitation grain is stamped into the leather. In other words, Top-grain leather has been sanded to remove scars and imperfection, then sprayed or pasted for a uniform look.
3) Corrected-grain is a type of leather produced through the sanding of the top layer of the hide, where hair and skin imperfections are found. It is any leather that has had an artificial grain applied to its surface. Most corrected-grain leather is used to make pigmented leather, as the solid pigment helps hide the corrections or imperfections. Corrected grain leathers can mainly be bought as two finish types: semi-aniline and pigmented.
4) Split-grain is produced from the hide's fibrous section. This type of leather is commonly used to make suede leather, used in bags, upholstery, accessories and shoes. It also has an artificial layer applied on its surface, which is then pressed to produce a pattern.
These four types of leather can be produced from many animals. Within the motorcycle industry, the most popular animals to use of leather are cows, buffalo's, goats and sheep. Optionally, more exotic animals used for leather are kangaroo, deer and stingray and are known for its unique features and superior strength. Kangaroo leather, or K-leather, for instance, is known for its strength, light weight and durability and therefore suits the motorcycle apparel industry perfectly.
Kangaroo leather, as recent studies have shown, has a prehistoric fibre structure, low level of weave and a low fat content, and therefore provides the rider with a superior strength against leathers from cabretta (hair sheep), goatskin or bovine (cow leather). Additionally, kangaroo leather is more flexible than its cow hide counterpart.
The fat content of the skin structure is often determined by the environment in which the animal lives. The diet of the kangaroo is generally quite poor and this, combined with the extreme heat in which they live, results in virtually no fat within the fibre structure. In comparison, cabretta or goat leather has anywhere between 5% and 8%, while bovine leather is much more variable. Ultimately, fat takes up space in the cross-section of the skin and when it is removed, "voids" are left, which can cause a reduction in strength per unit thickness. Because of the superior strength, light weight and durability that kangaroo leather has, AGVSPORT is capable of the rider with maximum comfort and protection. Due to its low fat content, the kangaroo leather used by AGVSPORT creates a product that offers the rider superior strength than many other forms of leather.
Most animals have two distinct layers in the cross-section of the skin - the grain and the corium. The majority of the strength comes from the corium, where the fibre bundles are much denser. However, on certain animals, and in particular bovine substrates, a large amount of the corium is shaved off to gain a lightweight thickness, resulting in dramatically reduced strength characteristics. However, kangaroo skin has a very thin grain layer and its thickness can easily be reduced without detriment to the strength of the final leather, owing to the fact that the natural thickness of a kangaroo skin is mainly found to be in the range of 1.0 to 1.2 mm.
Stingray is another form of leather utilized by AGVSPORT to provide a product of maximum efficiency, as the structure of Stingray leather offers unique advantages. Specifically, the fibers of Stingray leather run in all directions, as opposed to the fibers running parallel to each other. This structure makes it very difficult to tear the leather apart, meaning the leather is of great strength.
Moreover, stingray leather is known for its exceptional strength and is by many called as the most durable leather in the world. The skin of stingrays consists of thousands of tiny rock-hard pearls or scales and is fire, water, tear and cut resistant. The reason of these features lies in the structure of the leather. In regular leather, the fibres of the leather run parallel to each other, whereas in stingray leather the fibres run in all directions. In addition, all tiny pearls with their roots are grown into the bottom layer of the leather, to the effect that you can neither tear the leather apart, nor cut it easily with the knife. It is therefore, that stingray leather is often used in the motorcycle apparel industry in order to provide the rider with the best protection possible. Besides its protectiveness, stingray leather is also considered as good looking and thus highly valued by the rider.
After the animal died and its hide or skin is obtained, it can be transferred into leather. In order to do so, a process needs to be followed. The process of producing leather is divided into three stages: preparatory stages, tanning, and crusting. The preparatory stages are the periods in which the hide or skin is prepared for tanning. This may include a variety of actions, such as soaking, liming, preservation, fleshing, splitting and various other possibilities.
Tanning is the next process in producing leather. Tanning involves converting the protein of the raw hide (skin) into a stable material which will not decay. Hides and skins have the ability to absorb tannic acid and other chemical substances that prevent them from decaying, make them resistant to wetting, and keep them supple, yet also durable. Tanning makes the skin stable and rot proof without sacrificing its structure and strength. There are many different tanning methods which can be used, but the choice usually depends on how the leather will be applied. The material most commonly used for tanning is chromium, which leaves the leather with a pale blue color after tanning. At this point, the product is called "wet blue" and is ready to be immersed in a float containing the tanning liquor. The hides are then soaked, as the tanning liquor gradually penetrates through the full substance of the hide. While this occurs, it is important to observe the degree of penetration by frequently cutting a cross-section of the hide. After an even degree of penetration has been reached, a process called basification occurs. In this basification process, the tanning material is fixed to the leather and as more tanning material is fixed, the leather increases in hydrothermal stability and shrinkage temperature resistance.
Crusting is the final stage in the production of leather. This is the process through which the hide is thinned, re-tanned, and lubricated. One sub-process which is typically a part of the crusting stage is a coloring operation. The conclusion of the coloring operation involves drying and softening. There are varieties of other operations that may be included in the crusting process. For instance, some leathers require the application of a surface coating. Otherwise known as finishing, the surface coating operation may include oiling, brushing, padding, buffing, spraying, and an assortment of other actions.
After the final stage of the leather production process is conducted, the leather can be transported to manufactories that sew the leather in its desired design and product. This happens for instance in Pakistan, Vietnam, China but in European countries such as Italy as well.
The design of motorcycle apparel is, once again, focused on protection but should provide the rider with aerodynamics, breathability, comfortable fit, durability, flexibility, light weight and is to be water resistant. Production is based on both mass-production as well as on custom production, at which specific rider's needs, demands and requests are honored to produce the best possible product a rider can think of.
AGVSPORT makes their products using many different types of leather in order to offer maximum comfort, durability, and protection for the rider. AGVSPORT uses leather from different animals, such as cows and goats and more exotic kangaroos and stingrays. The leather from each of these animals provides unique features, allowing AGVSPORT to produce superior leather products. The leather used by AGVSPORT offers the rider a level of protection, comfort, and durability not seen anywhere else.
In a speed demanding world, the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) while riding a motorcycle has never been as important as it is today. Not only is leather motorcycle apparel extremely good-looking, but it provides riders with the maximum level of protection as well.
Research conducted by MAIDS (Motorcycle Accidents In-Depth Study) has revealed that, after the examination of over 900 motorcycle accidents in five different European countries, the riders that wore PPE not only had a bigger chance of surviving the accident, but often survived the accident without injury as well. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that wearing a helmet only reduces the chance of injury by 50 percent.
In addition, MAIDS states that the level of protection rises enormously when wearing other kinds of Personal Protective Equipment such as leather: 92% when wearing a Kevlar leather jacket, 96% when wearing Kevlar leather pants, 90% when wearing motorcycle boots and 95% when wearing leather gloves, and it is therefore highly recommendable to wear leather apparel at all times in order to enjoy riding to the utmost best.
