The main determining factor of a grade of leather is the origin of the raw hide. Hides from the Southern Hemisphere are more abundant and tend to show more of the natural characteristics of leather. They are less supple than hides from the Northern Hemisphere. Generally speaking, the higher grades of leather come from hides raised in the Northern Hemisphere. Hides come from all over the world, and are classified into categories based on their origin. Then they are sorted by the amount of natural characteristics that are present on the hide. Since hides with fewer characteristics are rarer, they usually are more expensive, and require less processing to complete the leather. Hides from the Southern Hemisphere usually represent the majority of the Protecta family of leathers. However, we do use some hides from the Southern Hemisphere in our Natural collection. These hides, by their origin, have more natural characteristics and will show more variation in color. This is not a defect.
|
