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Laser etching is an elegant way to add pattern and texture to your leather. Designers have used etched leather for ottomans, seating, headrests in private aircraft, wall coverings in hotels, and more. Etched designs may include detailed images, geometric patterns, logos and branding, words, or just about anything that your imagination can create.

What is Laser Etching?

Laser etching is a process that uses lasers to singe designs onto the surface of leather. The singed areas can vary in size, color and thickness, depending on the artwork and the type of leather used. Laser etching  exposes the lower layers of the hide, which creates a suede-like texture. The fibers of the leather respond differently to the lasers. As a result, laser etching provides unique patterns, added texture, and varying color throughout the hide.

Avion Beechnut etched with map of Chicago designed by KOO LLC

How is Etching Done?

Laser etching begins with artwork. We require line-drawing artwork, which you may provide

Health and wellness have come to the forefront of everyone's mind. After spending weeks in quarantine, we cautiously emerge with a greater appreciation of our personal health. We have heightened concern about the wellness of our overall community. As a result, we return to work with new safety protocols in place and maintain a safe, social distance.

As we design new spaces, we are paying closer attention to the materials we choose. Leather has been used for centuries and is known for its durability and longevity. With the new challenges we face today, leather continues to be a viable option that contributes to health and wellness.

Pearlessence leather at Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida

Defend Your Health with Anti-Bacterial Protection

Many of our leather collections, including all of those with the LeatherShield designation, inherently inhibit the growth of bacteria. An independent, third party laboratory tested 19 of our leather collections using two separate methods

February is the perfect month to get cozy with one of our three types of genuine Sheepskin. Sheepskin is a great option for all seasons because it stays cool in the summer and provides warmth in the winter. With winter in full swing and cabin fever at its height, our three types of Sheepskin provide the perfect remedy for the winter blues. This versatile product is used for furniture upholstery and ottomans, pilot seats, automotive and motor coach seats, as well as throw rugs in finer residences. It is naturally flame resistant and does not require any additional treatment. As a natural product, each fleece is unique and will vary in size, shape, and texture. No two skins are exactly alike.

Straight Fleece

Sheepskin Auto Gray

• Our most popular type of Sheepskin
• Also called ironed, unclipped
• Approximate fleece length is 1 inch (25 mm)
• Average hide size is 9 square feet
• 24 colors in-stock for immediate shipment

Sheepskin Dorado | Sydney Chair by Brett Design Inc.

Curly Fleece

 Sheepskin

Our leather is a by-product of the meat industry. Meat production and consumption worldwide is at staggering levels. There are more people to feed and as incomes rise, more people can afford to buy meat.

Farmers do not raise cows to sell the hides. Beef is the primary product, accounting for an average of 60% of the animal. Leather, on the other hand, accounts for an average of just 7% of the animal. What happens to the remaining 33%? Just about all of it is used and in a surprising array of industries.

Some by-products of the meat industry are life-saving, such as insulin for diabetic patients, drugs used during surgery, and many other pharmaceutical products. Below are just a few examples of other industries using these natural by-products.

By-products of the meat industry are used in numerous ways.

What does by-product of the meat industry mean?

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a by-product is something produced in a usually industrial or biological process in addition to

More designers are embracing the versatility of leather wallcoverings. Leather vertical applications are not just for private residences. We are seeing them in corporate offices, executive boardrooms, reception areas, and restaurants. Thank you to all of the talented designers who looked beyond traditional materials and choose Garrett Leather to help create these inspirational interiors.

Microsoft Technology Center

Photographed by Michael Mandolfo

This massive 52-foot curved wall is a prominent structure in the Microsoft Technology Center in Atlanta, Georgia. The design team at ai3 used Alpine Tiles with Avion Rouge, Distressed Nutmeg, and Mystique Bistre to mimic the look and feel of a pinecone. Each wall tile has decorative stitching.

Flagship Resort

FantaSea Resorts used Alpine Tiles in Caressa White and Capelli Specialty Van Gogh White Bronze on the walls of this main lobby.

Buckhead Tower Lobby

Photographed by Michael Mandolfo

The design team at Niles Bolton Associates wanted to

Clients frequently ask how leather will perform over time, especially when they are considering using it in high traffic areas. Many manufacturers conduct different abrasion tests on materials to gauge how a material will wear. Clients looking to use leather often refer to these test results to help determine what product is best for their application. Let’s compare three popular types of abrasion tests.

Wyzenbeek Testing for Fabrics

Many manufacturers use the Wyzenbeek Test to measure the abrasion resistance of fabrics. For the Wyzenbeek Test, an operator secures pieces of the test specimen onto a machine. Heavy canvas passes back and forth along the specimens. One back and forth motion equals one double rub. You will find the results for this test expressed as a number of double rubs.The test measures the maximum number of double rubs achieved before the piece of fabric shows noticeable wear, normally defined as two yarns breaking. Designers usually prefer products that complete at least

Saddle Leather is a unique product that you may use for a variety of upholstery applications. It is heavier and thicker compared to most upholstery leathers. Some people may be intimidated by its thickness, however, its thickness does not limit its use. On the contrary, it is very versatile. So, put aside your fears. Let's look into how our Saddle Leather is made and how you can use it for your next project.

How Saddle Leather is Made

We invested in thorough research to develop a product that met our high quality production and performance standards. First, we explored different raw materials. Our Saddle Leather is made from Spanish bulls from a region near Barcelona. Our research indicated that Spanish bulls provide the largest and cleanest working area and have the most consistent thickness throughout each hide. Tanneries located in Tuscany Italy purchase these superior quality raw materials. They use chestnut tannins from Eastern Europe and Mimosa from Argentina to create this full grain,

Leather grain refers to the composition and appearance of the hide. It is similar to wood grain, which refers to the texture and appearance of wood fibers.  Unfortunately with leather grain, there is a lot of misinformation. In addition to inaccurate definitions, there are false claims regarding durability. We are here to help you learn the proper definitions and gain a full understanding of leather grain.

Top grain = the uppermost layer of the hide. Period.

Top grain refers to the composition of the hide. Some people equate top grain leather with corrected grain leather. This is not correct. Top grain simply refers to the uppermost, top layer of the hide. It is the most desirable layer for leather. Why? Because the fibers of the uppermost layer of the hide are the most dense, providing the strongest durability. As you move down to lower layers of the hide, the fibers are less compact, thereby providing a less durable fiber structure. Some companies use the lower layers of the hide

Leather rug binding gives area rugs a refined finished look. Area rugs with a leather border offer aesthetic beauty, as well as excellent resistance to wear. In fact, many leathers develop a rich patina over time and will outlast the rug itself.

How Rug Binding is Made

Rug Binding begins with full hides of genuine leather. First, we calculate how many hides are required to fill the order. After we pull the leather, we cut the hides into strips using our computerized cutting machine. Each hide is laid flat on the cutting bed and secured in place with plastic to prevent the hide from moving during cutting. Next, we collect all of the cut strips and move to assembly in our workroom. It is there where we then use non-toxic, GREENGUARD certified adhesive to glue the ends of the strips together. Seams occur approximately 60 to 80 inches apart, depending on the leather. We reinforce the seams with additional adhesive on the back of the leather for extra durability. Lastly, we roll the finished

We originally developed Avion for aircraft interiors. This soft leather has a uniform grain and a durable finish. It is ideal for high traffic areas. We introduced the collection with 20 colors based on recommendations from our customers and it quickly became a top-selling product. After just two years, we more than doubled the size of the collection by adding 30 more colors. Today, Avion continues to be a customer-favorite across multiple industries for numerous reasons.

The 20 original Avion colors

Extensive Color Options 

Due to growing demand, we introduced 15 more colors this year.

The 15 NEW Avion Colors

Avion is now our largest leather collection with 80 different hues. All of the colors are based on customers' requests and some of the colors are from previous custom orders. Since we added these custom colors to our collection, you don't have to worry about long production lead times.  Now, you can receive leather right away, which saves precious time and money.

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