The Natural Characteristics of Leather

Real leather is a natural product. It breaths, is warm and has individual characteristics, which make each hide unique. Leather will always bear the marks of its natural origin and these characteristics can show as healed scars, growth marks, areas of differing fiber density and hair pore structure. These hallmarks in no way detect from the wearing qualities of the leather. They are signs discerning owners cherish when buying leather. With the passing of time and use, it develops a patina which enhances its beauty.

Grow Marks and Veins – These are an indication of age of animal and that respect are similar to the graining on a peace of timber. They range from often quite pronounce marks in the neck area to subtle band across the hide perpendicular to the backbone. Heavy growth marks are often placed on the outside backs of seating.

Scars – These forms usually as a result of barbed wire damage or by the horns of other cattle. In their healed form the new skin is as strong as the reminder of the hide but unhealed damage should be avoided as tension on these parts may cause the leather to split or burst.

Grain Variation – The fiber texture varies greatly form being loose in the belly and flanks areas to being relatively tight across the backbone. The looser areas consequently have more stretch.

The variation in hair pore structure is particularly noticeable in untextured leathers where clusters of open pores can sometimes be seen.

Shade Variation – No two hides are alike and due to the varying grain structure mentioned above the dyes and finished penetrate to differing degreed in different parts of the hide to give an attractive variation. Whilst every attempt is made to achieve uniformity, this is not always possible and sometimes not desirable.

Physical Properties of Upholstery Leather

The physical properties which make leather a unique and valuable material for upholstery purpose are:

- High tensile strength
- Resistance to tear
- High resistance to flexing

During foot development, it is important for bones, muscles, blood vessels and nerves to have room to grow without restriction.

As the beginning walker stand up and takes his first tentative steps, the muscles of his feet grip the floor and the toes separate to help the child have better balance and control. If her/his feet are confined within a rigid shoe, the toe cannot operate in this way, nor can the muscles of the foot and ankle develop the strength necessary to hold her upright.

In lifetime, foot health depends upon the flexibility of the structures involved. This begins in infancy and continues as we grow. Wearing rigid shoes, the bones cannot move freely, resulting eventually in crippling arthritis. From a Chiropractic point of view, spinal health is connected to foot health. Inflexible feet affect all the joints above, including the spinal column. Many times, pelvic imbalance originates in foot distortion such as fallen arches or dropped metatarsal bones.

Every step a person takes translates into either stability or instability for all structure above. This process begins with that first step.