Ellington's Signature Types of Leather | Ellington Leather

ELLINGTON’S signature materials
	Ellington ECO Leather Ellington ECO Leather is made in an award-winning environmentally responsible tannery that uses efficient processes to reduce water consumption, energy use and CO2 emissions. Our ECO Leather comes in a variety of finishes. The Joni Collection features a supple full-grain leather that is drum dyed to create rich hues. The distinctive pebbled texture of the leather is achieved using a milling process. Flat, smooth-grain leather is loaded into a large wood or metal drum; then natural waxes are added while the leather is turned in the drum—or "milled"—for many hours. This process transforms the smooth grain into a soft, pebbled surface. Click here to see the Ellington ECO Leather handbag assortment.
	Ellington Matte Italian Leather Ellington Matte Italian Leather comes from a small family tannery located in the city of Vicenza in northern Italy. The tannery is famous for the natural furniture leathers it produces—but our designers, inspired by the vintage character of the material, could see this soft leather had hidden handbag potential. The tannery starts with high quality hides that are tumbled for a soft, supple hand-feel. The leather is then aniline dyed, which creates deep colors without obscuring the leather's natural grain or subtly pebbled texture. Over time the leather will continue to soften and develop a rich, polished patina. Click here to see the Ellington Matte Italian Leather handbag assortment.
	Ellington Glossy Italian Leather Ellington Glossy Italian Leather has a unique surface -texture that provides a complementary contrast to the glossy finish. The tannery begins with natural full-grain hides that are aniline dyed to create vibrant, "naked" color that doesn't cover up the leather's natural grain. After the hide has been dyed, the glossy finish is achieved by a process called smooth plating: the leather is placed between two mirror-smooth metal plates which, with the application of heat and pressure, create a high-gloss finish (similar to glazed leather). The tanners then handle the leather, breaking up the smooth-grain surface into small, organic patterns. This leather will continue to grow even softer with use. Click here to see the Ellington Glossy Italian Leather handbag assortment.
	Ellington Glazed Italian Lamb Leather Ellington Glazed Italian Lamb Leather is 100% vegetable tanned—the compounds used in the tanning process are all derived from natural plant sources. Drum dyeing creates deep colors, which are accentuated by highlights that are applied by hand. The leather is then hand-glazed for an understated gloss with a lightly washed character. The natural grain of the leather is unaltered, so each piece has unique variations in texture. Click here to see the Ellington Glazed Italian Leather handbag assortment.
	Ellington Washed Nylon Twill Ellington Washed Nylon Twill has the durability of a synthetic fabric but the soft, pleasing hand-feel of a natural fiber. The softness is created naturally using a special washing technique, while a light, water-resistant coating adds to the fabric's durability. Click here to see the Ellington Washed Nylon Twill handbag assortment.

Ellington's Glossary ANILINE DYED: Leather colored with a transparent dye that is applied by immersing the hide in a dye bath. Because the finish is transparent and shows the natural markings of the leather, only the best hides can be used. DRUM DYED: The process of coloring leather by immersing it in dye and then tumbling it in a rotating drum. This method allows the color to penetrate the leather for a deep dye. FULL-GRAIN LEATHER: Leather with a natural, unaltered grain. The most genuine type of leather, as it retains all the authentic texture and markings of the original hide. GLAZED LEATHER: Aniline-dyed leather which has been polished to a high luster by passing through glass or steel rollers under great pressure. GRAIN: A word used to describe the textural characteristics of the leather. HAND, HAND-FEEL: A word used to describe the tactile quality of a material. MATTE FINISH: A flat or dull finish. NAKED LEATHER: Leather with no treatment or finish other than the dye. The natural characteristics of the leather, such as the grain, are preserved throughout the tanning process. NATURAL GRAIN: The original, authentic grain. PATINA: The luster that develops in a quality piece of leather as it ages. PULL-UP: Describes the behavior of leather that has been treated with oils, waxes and dyes in such a way that when the leather is pulled the finish becomes lighter in the stretched areas. Considered a mark of high quality. TUMBLED: Leather that has been rotated in a drum to create a soft hand-feel and pebbled texture. VEGETABLE TANNING: A method of tanning that utilizes organic materials, such as extracts from bark, rather than traditional tanning chemicals.