RIVERS LEATHERS

Rivers use mainly full grain, naturally tanned leathers in their shoes. Under natural tanning conditions the hides have excellent breathability and a true softness in the leather unlike those leathers sprayed with paints, gunk or lacquer to enhance appearance.

Naturally tanned and dyed leathers often vary slightly in colour from one pair of shoes to another, or have varying shades through a particular shoe. This can be seen as a plus as it is as easy method of identifying a soft yet durable, premium quality leather. The variations that occur in leathers are due the high quality of leather that Rivers use. Each skin of leather can vary greatly due to the thickness of the skin, the scars and hair follicles that are a natural part of each hide and the area of the coat at the time.

Rivers understand that the colour of their leathers may have an uneven appearance. They sacrifice this perfect, yet unnatural looking leather for supreme quality leather as they believe that customer satisfaction is achieved through the long term benefits of their shoes. Rivers insist on using the highest quality leather, and this means that they source leathers that have NOT been gunked or painted. In this way, the look of the shoes can differ slightly, but this only advertises the high quality of the leather, which insures the breathability, durability add quality of Rivers shoes. However, there is NOT always a variation, it only occurs sometimes.

TANNING

Tanning is the first stage in treating leather, and is the process of taking the skin and preserving it so that is does not rot. There are two different types of tanning.

Chrome Tan
This is the more modern method of tanning. This is where the skins are tanned in large barrels. Skins that have been chrome tanned are much stronger and less prone to tearing.

Veg Tan
This is the older method of the two. The result of this method is a nicer looking leather that is more prone to tearing. Cheaper shoes form India and China are often 100% veg tanned.

Rivers Method
Rivers mostly use a combination of the two. The 75% chrome is for the strength while the 25% veg is for the looks.

FINISHING

Finishing is when the tanned skins are taken and then processed to give them colour and finish. It is typically drum dying, or spray painting, or a combination of the two. Rivers mostly use leathers that have been drum dyed and dyed through. This gives a superior finish as the dye is absorbed throughout the leather.

Drum dying is when the prepared skins are put into a drum barrel and then left to soak up a natural dye. It is left for a period before being 'tumbled' in the barrel to ensure softness and durability. Drum dying is a completely natural finishing process, with no paint being used. It is during this process that the leather will absorb the dye that will give the finished product its final result. Consequently variations may occur due to the dye being absorbed at different rates by the leather.

Leather absorbs the dye as different rates in different parts of the skin and between different skins, giving the leather a variation in colour. Rivers does not use painted or 'gunked' leather , so a natural look is preserved. Cheaper shoes are often heavily gunked to hide defects. This gives the leather an even appearance, but it will have a cheap, hard surface which will not breathe as well and is more prone to marking.

The uneven colouring of Rivers shoes ensures the customer is getting a 'pure' leather that will:
    - Breathe better
    - Be more comfortable
    - Be more durable

COMMON LEATHER TYPES

Full Grain Leather
Full grain leathers are made from the outer of the cowhide and are natural and earthy in appearance. Most Rivers leathers are naturally tanned and finished.

Milled or "Floater" Leather
This is a full grain, naturally drum dyed leather, of approximately 2.2mm thickness. Once it has been completely finished, it is put into a "dry drum," with no chemicals and tumbled to soften the fibres within the skins. This is known as "dry drum tumbling" and is an old tanning technique. The tumbling softens the leather and gives it a "milled" effect, which is seen as patterns in the leather. Due to the process, and the natural diversity of skins, there can be variations in the milling effect of the leather. 90% may be fine, but sometimes the milled effect is not as strong. This is completely natural and shows the pureness of the leather being used.

This type of leather is extremely pure, natural leather, and the pattern effect has not been printed. It is strong, durable, soft and very flexible, while looking rugged.

"Glove" Leather
This is an extremely soft, flexible lightweight leather. It has been produced for Rivers to give the wearer greater comfort in a dress shoe. It is a natural drum dyed full grain leather, slightly thinner than normal (1.4-1.6 mm) which makes it a thinner, lighter weight leather, that has all the properties of the thicker leather. It is as strong and durable as the normal leather Rivers use. It has been dry drum tumbled, but for a short period of time which ensures the super soft silky feel and the main benefit is the comfort that it provides the wearer.

Suede
Suede is the back, or inside cut, of the cowhide and is therefore cheaper than normal "full grain" leather . Suede is more susceptible to staining and tearing than other leathers. Rivers have very few styles in suede. To get this appearance, the leather is split, so this process is often referred to as suede split.

Nubuck/Roebuck
Nubuck is the full grain front of the cowhide that has been "snuffed" or sanded on the surface to produce the peach finish similar to suede. Roebuck is also the full grain outer of the skin that has been "snuffed" or sanded similar to nubuck, though not as heavy. It is then re-oiled which makes it more earthy in appearance and a better wearing leather for the Australian lifestyle.

Drizabone
This is the name only for a variation in finish on suede. It contains more oil as it is subject to more snuffing than suede.

Oil or Waxy Leather
These leathers have a high fat/oil content, which makes the leather soft and supple and more water resistant. Rivers typically use leather with a 12% fat/oil content, unless the shoes are of a stitched or moccasin construction, when the content can be up to 25%.

Analine Leather
This is the description used for pure leather and the slight variation in colour caused by the hair follicles in the hide picking up dye at a different rate than the surrounding skin.