Okay, and what about the finishing?
The term "finishing" is used in the leather industry to describe a whole series of processes and operations which improve the properties and appearance of the leather and finally turn it into that exquisite material in which "Vogue" models look so stunning.
It is the finishing that gives leather its luster, its color, its feel, its "handle", in some cases even its surface structure – in short, its whole appearance. The purpose of the finish, therefore, is to enhance the leather by treating it with dyestuff solutions, pigment preparations, top coats and lacquers and by subjecting it to mechanical treatment such as plating, embossing or dry-drumming.
The basic rule is: the fewer blemishes on the raw hide, the less finish has to be applied. So what do you do with leathers where the grain layer is damaged? You simply buff off this layer completely or partially and give the leather a new coating, i.e. you apply a finish in several stages and thus build up a film layer to replace the natural grain.
Finishing is an art which calls for considerable skill. However, there is a whole range of auxiliaries and chemicals available to make the finisher's work easier, or in some cases to make it possible at all. Without them, for example, it would not be possible to produce super-elastic, non-flaking coatings for patent boots.
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