What Is Semi Aniline?
Semi aniline leather usually has a light surface coating of pigment or even a light finish coating making it more durable. Aniline is the most natural and soft leather.
Shops can make this very confusing by calling semi aniline leathers, aniline leathers, they are not as they’ve had a microscopic coating applied to the surface, hence why some people have shortened the name to micro pigment. The coating is only very fine so it doesn’t hide the natural markings and pores in the leather.
With this leather type of aniline leather coating this can allow moisture and body oils to penetrate it and get into the leather, just remember you can’t Clean Out only Clean On the surface of any type of leather. Getting dirt out of leather is almost impossible.
Just remember to carry out tests in hidden areas, as once used this type of leather can trick you. Regular cleaning and protection are required with this type of finish to ensure its light surface coating does not break down quickly.
For the ultimate protection for your semi aniline leather you can apply special coatings to the surface to stop stains from ever taking place. This special coating not only protects your leather but enhances its qualities.
Semi Aniline leather is far superior in quality than pigmented leather. Semi aniline can often be sold as pigmented leather due to lack of knowledge with salespeople in store. With Semi Aniline having a natural warm feel to the touch, you should be able to tell the two apart as pigmented leather will feel much colder to the touch and have a plastic type feel to it.
Semi aniline leather is used for a multitude of trades, due to its abilities and having a slight surface coating, its used in many sectors, including clothing, shoes, handbags, jackets, skirts, belts, hats and even as a wallpaper. Semi Aniline is warm and soft to touch with a microscopic coating to help protect it unlike Aniline Leather.
With this type of leather its more durable than aniline leather but does not have as much characters as aniline leather or crust leather. (Naked leather)
To the touch it’s also different. It does not have that true silky warm feeling when touched that aniline leather has.
Semi Aniline leather skins
With semi anilines, you can also carry out a water drop test, again this will sit on the surface, so dab it back up, if left for over four minutes, this will then start to soak in to the leather surface, a slight darker patch will start to appear. Always carry out tests in small hidden areas.
Semi Aniline leather is very rarely found in cars as its not as hard wearing and as easy to maintain as pigmented leather, some luxury cars have semi aniline leather in them like Ferraris. Pigmented leathers feel firmer and colder than this type of aniline finish.
Pores can be embossed into leather to give a false impression that you have a form aniline leather, using a digital microscope to look at the leather will tell you differently and show you the correct leather type you are handling.
Semi Aniline Bag and Chair
Regulations.
All leathers are now strictly regulated by stringent standards in their country or origin. Most tanners obey by the rules laid out by their respective governments in keeping with water treatments and waste disposals within guidelines laid down by the international committees. All tanners use non carcenegenic dyes and many are using ecologically sound chemicals in their process.
Cleaning of semi aniline leather has to be done with care like aniline, its fine pigmented clear coat that’s been applied can easily be removed with the incorrect care and products, using a dedicated cleaner is imperative to ensure the coating is preserved as long as possible.