What is Patina?

Have you heard of the word patina? Do you know what it means? Don’t worry, Tanner Leatherstein will help you understand what patina is. In this video, we will answer the following questions:

• What is patina?
• How do you achieve a patina look?
• Which types of leather most often develop a patina?

Let us know about your thoughts and questions. You can comment them down below or directly on the YouTube video. We’ll see you again next time. A quick reminder to be authentic, be leather-savvy!

TRANSCRIPTION / WRITTEN ARTICLE

Hi, everyone! This is Tanner with another practical tip to help you become leather-savvy. Today, I want to talk about the word “patina.” Some of you may have seen this word but may not understand completely what it means.

When we say patina in the leather industry, we’re talking about the layer formed on the top of the leather or leather goods by usage or interaction of human hands. As soon as you start using leather craft, the oil in your hands will start to form that beautiful character and aged look on your craft. That is actually the unique identity that most people are looking for when they’re seeking authentic leather goods but it will only come as you use it because it’s only possible with human interaction and touch. So, what happens is when you get the leather goods (especially if it’s a wallet or a bag), the places you touch, such as the handle and the opening spots, will absorb the oils in your hands and fingers, and then it will develop that darker, aged look shaping into a beautiful craft as days go by.

Some leathers develop a better patina than others such as vegetable-tanned, full-grain, aniline, or some distressed leathers because of the minimal finish on top of those grains which makes it very open to reaction from the oils in your hands. This develops that aged patina looks quicker and in a better format than some other top grain and more protectively finished leathers.

In summary, patina is the layer formed on top of the leather grain by usage, the interaction from human hands, and the oils from your hands. It only makes your crafts beautiful as long as you use them. Some leathers form better patina than others – vegetable-tanned and full-grain leathers being the best.

I hope this helps you to navigate the space better next time you’re shopping for leather goods.