A Quick Look At Some Of The Materials Used To Make Personalized Leather Bracelets

By Mallory Goodwin


The Industrial Revolution was characterized by an increasing use of machinery to produce goods, as opposed to production based on a mishmash of small cottage businesses. Items were standardized to make mass production possible, which in turn made things cheap to produce. Personalized leather bracelets are part of a trend that is a throwback to the days when small businesses dominated the scene.

This drive for customized items is being driven by consumers who want things that reflect their uniqueness. They provide a way to stand out. Such demands have presented special challenges to manufacturers and suppliers, but they have responded with aplomb. These goods allow them to do what many businesses have sought with limited success throughout history; the ability to sell things at high prices without losing customer loyalty.

There are many types of processed animal skins, and these are used in a wide range of products and applications, with bespoke wristbands being one of them. How the hides are processed depends a great deal on what the end application will be. For instance, the material used to make luxury couches is totally different from that used to make hats.

This is a high grade material which is very pliable and soft. No coatings are applied to it; the hide simply goes through the normal treatment processes. It is valued for its looks and malleability. Aniline has to be made out of the best skins possible, as it does not hide scratches and other flaws very well. It is expensive, with prices hovering at around five hundred dollars a hide.

Semi-aniline skins are not as high quality, and are the result of relatively high grade leather being coated lightly with special materials in order to enhance its looks and improve resistance to abuse. The process also imbues it with a uniform appearance, which is highly valued in some applications. The coatings also give these hides the ability to resist stains.

Pigmented hides are made using a similar process as semi-aniline ones. The coating in this case is made of special chemicals which give the material increased resistance to abuse, making it extremely durable. The covering is also imbued with pigments used to give the material a desired color. The coating's thickness can be varied depending on what the hide will be used for.

The material can be covered with the polymer without making any changes to the underlying skin. However, this is not common; the coating generally contains pigments to change the color and hide any flaws. Sometimes, the hide is abraded to remove significant blemishes, and then smothered with the synthetic covering. Patterns can also be embossed on the skin in order to give a unique appearance to the finished product.

Bicast is made from reconstituted finely ground cutoffs that are a by product of the tanning process. These are bonded under pressure using glue, and then coated with a polyurethane layer. That coating is the source of this material's strength, and care should be taken to avoid damage to it. The thickness may be varied depending on the final application. These are some of the hides that a craftsman considers when deciding what to use when making personalized leather bracelets.




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