The history of Saffiano leather
This is a type of leather, used in the fashion industry. The name Saffiano comes from the cross-hatch print, pressed into the wax that covers the leather.
Saffiano leather was produced for the first time in one of the most famous fashion houses in Italy, invented by Mario Prada for many years it characterized the creations of the Maison before being exported all over the world.
Saffiano is a particular texture of calfskin leather, an icon 100% made in Italy, synonymous with beauty and luxury, which today has become a symbol of many collections of bags, belts and wallets of other top brands such as Michael Kors and Lancaster.This particular fabric is very used and requested because it is able to combine its great durability and resistance to any kind of stain in combination with a perfect elegance and class..
Origin of the name
Actually, this leather should be called Saffian, which is the name by which the material has been known for centuries, is the name by which the material has been known for centuries. Saffiano is simply the Italianization of the expression, introduced by the Prada brothers to give their products a slightly more Italian touch.
The leather is named after the Moroccan city of Safi, the material was imported from North Africa for before its complete manufacturing process became known in Europe. The French know Saffiano as Maroquin leather, the French name for Morocco.
What characterizes Saffiano leather?
The hallmarks of this leather are its stain and scratch resistance and its water repellency.
The range of color choices for this leather is very wide, available in both vibrant and dark tones.
The choice of color does not stop only at the solid color but you can opt for two-tone effect. This can be obtained by applying a solid color to the entire leather and then embossing by applying a second color only in the embossed areas; however, it is important to pay particular attention in this case because due to the shape and the embossing, the secondary color on the reliefs will be more delicate and more exposed to wear, being the first point of contact.
How to take care of it
Saffiano leather is durable and taking care of it to preserve it at its best is not so difficult.
Inside each belt, wallet, briefcase, bag, shoulder bag, Saffiano leather accessory you will find a label that will list and explain how to take care of the object of craftsmanship, with manufacturing strictly Made in Italy.
First it will be necessary to empty our object, in order to remove light stains, small or little invasive will be possible to proceed to cleaning with a simple cloth in soft fabric slightly damp and pass it on the affected area very gently and carefully.
Dirt, however, could also creep into the grain, so using a simple soft brush and also slightly damp you can go to gently scrub. The important thing is not to apply too much pressure in this step to avoid damaging the luster and grain pattern.
If there are more important stains it is advisable to use a stain remover specialized for that type of stain.
Usually this type of leather goods, due to their well-known delicacy, are sold with a dust bag, i.e. a special cloth bag to protect them from dust.
When not using the product it is advisable to put it in the bag described above.
You should also pay attention to the place where you store the object, it is advisable to store it in places away from direct sunlight and excessive changes in value.
If you don’t store it in this recommended way, the object could change its aesthetics and durability, the color of the leather could fade and the leather itself could deform.
It is useful to use a specific balm for this type of leather every now and then to keep it soft and preserve its original color and shine.
Recognizing the true from the false
Although Saffiano leather is uniquely recognized, each luxury brand adopts its own production and finishing methodology.
Nowadays there are many fraudsters who try to deceive by trying to recreate this particular plot; in order to understand and analyze a product, to accept that it is not counterfeit it is necessary to pay attention to the smallest details.
For sure this kind of craftsmanship is produced only in Italy: the production and treatment processes are very complicated and are kept by the tanneries of the Toscano district.
What makes it a luxury material is not so much the leather itself but the manufacturing process, with the unique finishing of one leather at a time through 12 finishing steps.
Observe if there is a multi-tone effect that makes the surface optically in relief and not flat through the different coloration that the tips assume with respect to the furrows of the weave.
The machine called mille punte takes care of ensuring this effect.
