Leather Industry Glossary - A collection of frequently used terms, abbreviations and jargons used in the Leather Industry with their definition and meanings.

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Vacuum Drying

A method of drying leather taking advantage of the fact that moisture evaporates more quickly under vacuum. The wet leather is laid out on a wet steel plate (often slicked, a form of hand setting out) and the vacuum head brought down. After retanning and fatliquoring the leather can be dried to either 30% and then hang dried or in some circumstances fully dried direct. Drying only takes two to five minutes. A newer use of vacuum drying involves using a rubber base instead of stainless steel. While the leather is under vacuum this rubber base expands outwards, stretching the leather out from its centre. I have seen a page of newspaper pulled into jigsaw-sized pieces by this machine. It is not so good for taking out large amounts of moisture but good for the drying after conditioning and staking of soft leathers. Avoid using it just for area gain.

Vellum

Vellum is practically the same thing as parchment but is made of calfskin. The word is derived from the Latin vitulus, a calf, whence our word veal. Drum leather is a specialised form variety of vellum, made nowadays in diminished quantities for the purpose indicated by its name. (11)

Wet Blue

Chrome tanned leather. Chrome tanning creates a blue colour in the leather and there is a natural safe resting stage just after tanning when the leather is both wet and blue. A significant stage in which leather is traded semi-processed worldwide.

Wet White

Hides and skins with the hair or wool removed and preserved after a light aluminium tannage. More stable than pickle. Increasingly used as an intermediate stage for transporting and selling hides and skins.

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