We classify as natural leather all kinds of animal skin (bovine, swine, caprine, or other exotic animals), that had been treated by a chemical process named tanning which fibers in its structure were modified through chemical products (natural or synthetics named tanning agents).
The leather is used since ancient time, to make clothes and mainly, shoes. Its use is so diffused that, making part of our dressing, is strongly responsible by the impression that one person transmits to another.
Its properties, as a material, are unique: due to its pores, allows the breathing of the skin, been thus permeable to the transpiration (responsible to the comfort in its use). It’s elastic and flexible, resisting to flexion (stretching) and abrasion (friction). The main consequence of the characteristic is that the shoes made of natural leather fit perfectly to changes in the feet format along the day and get back to original shape after rest.
Thanks to the different tanning processes, the resultant leather has different characteristics. This allows the fashion industry to create much more heading the comfort and appearance desired by the consumer.
Due to the conservation of all its properties and characteristics and give them a perfect appearance, all kinds of leather must receive special treatment and care.
Thanks to its unique characteristics, leather (especially those utilized in shoes) must have special care to maintain its functionality.
Leather is naturally permeable and must to be protected against moist.
The original layers of waxes and greases (responsible by its flexibility and softness) are soon removed due to its use and also by environment.
So it’s necessary: cleaning, shining and scratches retrieving, to render impermeable and retrieve the velvet touch if the colors.
In a general matter, leather can be grouped into great families, according to its characteristics:

Are used with the outside of the appearing part (named flower). They can be shining or tarnished, sandpapered or engraved, structured or soft. Its surface can get a high shine due to the application of special resins or special brushing processes. It’s important to say that, generally tanned leather may have a superior resistance to those used in its natural way, thanks to the additive used on it.

They occur to be in a tarnished look, silky and flexible, after a sandpaper process during its tonnages.
When used in the outside of the apparent skin, the resulting leather is called NOBUCK and presents a flexible and soft look. Its thickness is generally too small, resulting in articles too malleable and comfortable. When used in the insideof the apparent skin, the resulting leather is called CHAMOIS, with a soft and flexible aspect.
Due to its bigger thickness, the resulting articles are more structured. The fibers are clearly visible.

Thanks to the skin impregnation with oil and special waxes, they present a tanned look and are highly resistant to all kind of weather. They are used with the outside of the apparent skin.

Due to the application of special resins, all kinds of leather can be varnished. The common point is the final aspect in a high shine and all of them after varnished become impermeable.