Types of Leather
Cowhide can be divided into multiple layers. The outermost layer is known as top-grain/full-grain cowhide, which is the surface layer of genuine leather. This layer is tightly connected to the fibers and hair, featuring natural textures and pores. It is extremely durable, wear-resistant, and has some elasticity.
Next is the split-grain cowhide, which is produced by removing the outer layer and processing the remaining loose fiber and hair layers through a secondary artificial coating. Compared to top-grain leather, split-grain leather has lower strength, elasticity, and breathability.
Songmont selects the finest top-tier leather for products. Through strict selection of the best leather, we preserve the natural pores, patterns, and texture of the leather. we carefully select areas with consistent patterns and tight grain on the leather surface. Approximately 65% of a cowhide is usable. A single piece of cowhide has a 40% damaged area that will not be used, such as the belly, neck, obvious growth lines, stains, insect bites, scratches, scars, etc.
✖️ Belly
✖️ Deep wrinkles
✖️ Scratches & scars
How to distinguish leathers
Look
pore, wrinkl, irregular patterns, tight cross-sectional structure, and the reverse side is typically suede
Smell
natural aromas
Pinch
excellent elasticit
Touch
have a beautiful soft and subtle touch
Timeless Qualities
We only use full-grain top-grain cowhide, and one of its timeless qualities is that as time passes, it becomes shinier and warmer to the touch. Top-grain leather comes with some natural characteristics like uneven patterns, wrinkles, and pores. This is also the biggest advantage of top-grain leather; the pattern on each bag is unique. These subtle differences are not flaws but rather natural and unique attributes.
New Bag
Tumbled leather with a natural matte finish, a subdued texture, well-supported and plump
After Use
Even softer, with an 'oily' and lustrous patina. It only gets more radiant over time.
Our Leathers
We handpick premium top-grain cowhide and subject it to over 30 shrinking processes to achieve a full, three-dimensional texture while preserving the natural feel of the leather. It has clear pores, strong breathability, and exudes a fragrant and supple quality.
Lychee grain leather is a kind of embossed leathers. It has a uniform texture and its pattern is less dimensional compared with tumbled leather.
It is a more economical option with its relatively low cost and durability, but as it is split leather, which is inferior to full grain leather, we don’t select it for our handbags.
Tumbled leather
Tumbled leather has full and structured grains, irregular patterns, and pores, with high elasticity.
Lychee grain leather
The patterns are flat and not full, regular, and the pores are not clear (most of them have been smoothed away).
Tumbled leather is done by spinning the leather in a machine with countless tiny stones. The tumbling process softens the leather and creates a more evident grain and smooth surface.
Due to the serious shrinkage of the leather, the utilization rate is greatly reduced. And due to the difference in the parts of the leather, the natural wrestling pattern has uneven properties. Every songmont bag is precious and unique.
Features: plump, bouncy, uneven and unique texture
After undergoing special manual craftsmanship, the leather is thinned to 0.6 mm, preserving the natural texture of the top-grain calf leather.
The tree trunk texture calf leather with sponge-composite is based on the first layer of calf leather, add a layer of sponge is padding between the calf leather.
Because of sponge layer has thinned the suede layer, the thickness of the leather will be thinner than the ordinary leather, but at the same time it provides a softer and curative touch.
The tree patterns on the surface are crafted through artisan-assisted embossing, ensuring that each bag has a unique pattern.
Features: Light, fluffy, retro feeling
We use full-grain top-grain calf leather, and the surface wrinkles are manually created by craftsmen using specific tools, in which the leather could transforms from a beautiful matte to a shiny gloss depending upon lighting. And it offers more stiffness and rigidity than other chrome-tanned leathers.
Features: Balance of luster and comfortable to touch, unique wear-resistant process, can avoid fingerprints, firm and elastic
Embossed leathers are leathers that have been stamped with steel engraved plates. Our embossed leathers are selected from the top layer of cowhide which are suitable for embossing, with elegant and classic crocodile patterns, the best choice for those who enjoy a structured bag.
Suede leather is a velvety leather with a unique feel and look among leather types, it is a fine product appreciated for its quality, appearance and feel. Suede is a type of split leather, is the innermost layer of the hide. We selected calf suede as the raw material, it is slightly thicker than lamb suede and more durable for a long-lasting result.