Aldehyde tanning is a process that uses a combination of glutaraldehyde or oxazolidine that reacts with the hide protein to prevent putrefaction. It is typically used when chrome-free leather is specified. The hide is a cream or white color in its raw state and is often referred to as “wet-white”…
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A transparent liquid that is absorbed by leather, aniline dye is used in a tanning method in which the leather does not receive any coating of pigmented finish. This results in a porous, smooth surface that clearly displays the texture of the animal hide, giving it…
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ASTM D7255 Abrasion Resistance for Leather (Rotary Platform, Abraser Method)
The ASTM D7255 test method is a standard of the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) that measures a leather’s ability to withstand abrasion using the rotary platform abrader method. Abrasion resistance testing is one…
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ASTM E84 Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials
The ASTM E84 test is a standard of the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) that measures the burning properties, or fire resistance, of building materials that may be exposed to flames using the Steiner tunnel chamber…
Belting leather is a type of full-grain leather that was originally used for pulley belts in machinery during the Industrial Revolution. The heavyweight material—featuring a thick, firm feel with a smooth finish—can be either vegetable or chrome tanned.…
Bonded leather—also called reconstituted leather or blended leather—is produced from waste that results during leather production. The leather scraps and leather fibers are made into a pulp and stuck to a fiber or paper backing. It is then coated with a polyurethane bonding agent and embossed to give the appearance…
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Botanical is a motif depicting precise illustrations of plants that occasionally includes representations of flowers in bloom, leaves, or stems. As a favored subject in formal framed art, the imagery has also become a widespread design in printed textiles.
Photography Courtesy of James Dunlop Textiles…
The California Prop 65 List is a public index of naturally occurring and synthetic chemicals that are known to cause cancer and reproductive harm. This list was established by Proposition 65—a law officially known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986—to inform Californians about potential exposure…
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The CAN/ULC-S102 Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials and Assemblies test is the Canadian standard for the relative surface burning characteristics of interior finish materials, products, and assemblies used in building construction. Results obtained from this test are used by code officials in the acceptance of…
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CDPH (California Department of Public Health) / CHPS (Certified in Healthcare Privacy and Security) Section 01350 is a United States standard that addresses the human health and environmental impacts of building materials used by the architecture and design community. Also known as the Standard Method for…
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Chevron is a repeating pattern of a continuous V- and inverted V-shaped lines without interruption, resulting in a zig-zag-like appearance. Composed of at least one color, this pattern is often used in the design of flooring and walls, as well as textiles.
Photography Courtesy of Walker…
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Chrome tanning is a process in which hides are treated with chromium (III) salts. It is considered to be the most common form of tanning due to its fast process. In this method, a hide’s pH level needs to be increased before the tanning process begins…
COL refers to “customer’s own leather,” which is a leather style selected by the specifier that is not part of the standard offering of a furniture manufacturer. If a COL is chosen, the specifier either has to purchase the leather from the leather provider and ship it to the manufacturer…
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Corrected grain is a leather hide whose surface has been altered or corrected. During the production process, the hide is frequently sanded or buffed on the grain side to remove imperfections and obtain a more uniform surface and the leather is often coated with a semi-aniline…
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Crypton Leather, also known as Leather Powered by Crypton, is proprietary treatment produced by the company Crypton. With the partnership with Cortina Leathers, Crypton Leather treated leather is bleach-cleanable, antibacterial, and stain-resistant. Crypton Leather is designed for upholstery and wallcovering in high-traffic environments including hospitality, healthcare,…
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Embossed refers to a fabrication process of applying a raised dimensional design to a material. The process requires both male and female dies to create an offset surface, as opposed to debossing, which involves pressing into the material and only requires one die. Embossing uses both…
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Enhanced is a type of full grain leather that has a slight plating over its surface to help even the hide. This is done to improve the grain’s overall appearance.
Photography Courtesy of Foglizzo Leather…
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The FAR 25.253 is a standard
of the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) for determining the flammability of aircraft seat cushions that serves as
a source of guidance when complying with the Federal Aviation Regulations
(FAR).
The purpose is to
establish maximum burn rate for materials used…
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The FMVSS 302 test is a standard of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) for evaluating flammability of materials as conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA, a faction of the U.S. Department of Transportation). Results obtained from this test are used by…
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Full grain is a type of leather whose natural grain markings have not been corrected or altered in any way. It often displays natural characteristics and subtle markings that occurred during the life of an animal like insect bites, scars, and scratches. Full grain leather will…
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The GREENGUARD Certification Program—previously known as the GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certification—recognizes products and processes that meet standards for safe levels of chemical and particle emissions in indoor spaces. GREENGUARD is a third-party assessment program created by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Environment to support manufacturers in producing…
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GREENGUARD is a third-party assessment program created by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Environment to support manufacturers in producing safe products designed for indoor spaces, in accordance with strict VOC emissions standards. GREENGUARD Gold is even more rigorous, permitting no more than 1/100 of currently published ACGIH Threshold…
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Haired hide, or hair-on hide, is a type of leather that has the original hairs intact. Unlike other kinds of leather, the hair is left on during the tanning process. It is typically used for its natural colors and appearance but can also be dyed. This…
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Houndstooth is a two-toned textile design consisting of a ground of broken checks, with notched corners resembling the canine teeth for which it was named. Originally popularized during the 1930s in wool-tweed jackets and suits—primarily in combinations of black and white—the pattern has since broadened to…
The International Living Future Institute (ILFI), established in 2009 by members of the Cascadia Green Building Council, is a non-profit advocating for a socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative society. As the umbrella organization tasked with managing the Living Building Challenge, the Living Product Challenge, the Living Community Challenge,…
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Living Building Challenge (LBC) Red
List Approved
is a
status indicating that a product is in compliance with the requirements of the
LBC Challenge, but that compliance is dependent on one or more exceptions. It
is one of three declaration possibilities (Red List Free and Declared…
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Living Building Challenge (LBC) Red List Free is a status indicating that a product contains none of the harmful chemicals listed on the Red List. It is one of three declaration possibilities—Red List Approved and Declared are the other two—on the International Living Future Institute’s (ILFI)…
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Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED) is a third-party certification system and global standard for green
buildings and communities. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC),
LEED is the world’s most widely used green building rating system. It provides
the tools for building industry…
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Low-emitting or low volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are reduced concentrations of chemical contaminants in manufactured goods that, at significant levels, can be harmful to human health and the environment. VOC emissions can be released from household products like paints, solvents, carpets, wood composites, and cleaning products,…
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Nubuck is a type of top-grain leather that has been sanded or buffed on the grain side of the hide, resulting in a soft and velvet-like feel, which is similar to suede but more durable. The material has a fine pile, which can be recognized when…
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Perforated refers to materials that have been pierced with holes, typically with uniform profiles and spacing. Perforations can be applied to a variety of materials including metal, plastic, paper, leather, textiles, and wallcoverings. Depending on the type of material, perforating can add a host of performance…
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Plaid is a fabric pattern featuring horizontal and vertical lines that intersect at 90-degree angles to form variously sized squares or checks in alternating or multiple colors. Common varieties include tartan plaid, originating in the Scottish Highlands of the 1700s; glen plaid, a twill pattern of…
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Post-consumer recycled content is material waste generated after the consumer-use phase of an item’s life cycle that is used to manufacture new products. To claim post-consumer content, manufacturers must disclose the percentage of recycled materials used, according to the item’s total weight. Use of either kind…
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Post-industrial recycled content, also known as pre-consumer recycled content, is material waste generated during mass production that is later used to manufacture new products. Unlike post-consumer recycled content, post-industrial material has been recycled before entering into contact with consumers and being sent to a landfill. In…
Rawhide is a type of leather that has not been exposed to tanning. It is the original animal skin that has been cured and removed of fur, meat, and fat. This results in a natural look that is lighter in color than other kinds of leather. It is typically stretched…
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The Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) is a European Union law instated in 2007 to regulate harmful chemicals across all industries. It aims to protect human health and the environment from risks caused by exposure to chemicals. Managed by the European Chemicals Agency…
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Recycled content, as opposed to virgin stock, is material that has been diverted from a landfill and subsequently used in the manufacturing of new product. Defined by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to prevent false marketing claims, recycled content can be supplied from industrial or consumer…
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SCS Indoor Advantage is a certification program developed by SCS Global Services that appraises the VOC emissions of furniture and interior building materials. SCS offers two certifications: Indoor Advantage, for furniture; and Indoor Advantage Gold, for furniture and building materials—including coatings, paints, sealants, adhesives, wallcoverings, floor…
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emi-aniline dyed refers to a process in which leather is aniline-dyed or stained, incorporating a small amount of pigment so as not to conceal the hide’s natural characteristics and grain. This results in leather that is typically soft and warm to the touch, with a thin…
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Ships carbon neutral is an indicator
that activities associated with a product’s transportation release a net zero
amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere. There are two main
strategies for achieving carbon neutrality in shipping: offsetting greenhouse
gas emissions and using alternative fuel sources. The…
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Split grain is a type of leather produced from the central portion of the hide, usually the middle or lower layer. The top layer of the hide is not present in split leather, so no natural grain markings appear. Optional finishes include coating the leather with…
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Stripe refers to a pattern of bands, lines, or strips that can run in diagonal, horizontal, or vertical directions. There are many types of stripe patterns classified by thickness, size, color, spacing, and arrangement.
Photography Courtesy of Silver State Inc.…
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Suede refers to leather that is produced from either the inner layer of split leather or the uncoated flesh side of a smooth leather. This results in a soft, fuzzy, and pliable material, which works well for delicate uses. Suede’s fibers are coarse as well as…
A three-dimensional material has physical attributes that exist in the X, Y, and Z plains. While specific categories of materials will define three-dimensionality differently, if there has been an additive, reductive, or transformative process done to the material, it may qualify as having three-dimensional characteristics.
Photography Courtesy of INAX…
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Top grain is a type of leather that has undergone minor corrections to its natural grain markings. It is made from the top or outermost layer of the hide. During the production process, top-grain leather can be corrected, meaning it can be treated to reduce blemishes…
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The UL 723 Surface Burning Characteristic of Building Materials test is a standard of Underwriters Laboratories (UL) that measures the burning properties, or fire resistance, of building materials that may be exposed to flames. Results obtained from this test are used by code officials in the…
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a nonprofit organization committed
to transforming the nation’s construction industry by promoting the values of
the green building rating system Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). Its mission is to facilitate healthier, more
socially and environmentally responsible buildings and communities that improve…
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Vegetable tanning uses tannins, or tanning agents, that are found naturally in plant-derived sources, including tree bark and various plant species. During this method, the tannins are placed alongside the hides in water-filled pits that create a tannic acid after a few days. Over time, the…
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Waxed leather refers to a process in which an oily or waxy finish is applied to a hide. It can also be called pull-up or oiled leather. In this process, the waxes are often dyed, causing a slight risk of dye transfer. Waxed leather is soft…
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The WELL Building Standard is a global rating
system that uses a point-based framework of best-practice policies to assess
the impact of the built environment on human health. WELL was founded by the
International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), a public benefit corporation with
a mission to…
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Woodgrain effect is a faux treatment that simulates the appearance of actual wood, from hand-painted finishes on ceramics or glass, to digitally printed graphics on flooring, wallcoverings, and surfaces.
Photography Courtesy of Atlas Concorde…
Debossed refers to a fabrication process used for applying a recessed dimensional design onto a material. The process requires a die to be created with the desired pattern, which is then applied with pressure—and in some cases heat—to create the sunken effect. This differs from embossing, which creates a raised…
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Distressed refers to a material that has simulated marks of age and wear or has been purposely blemished so as to give the appearance of long, steady use. It can be applied to wood, metal, textile, glass, and stone through many methods such as hammering, denting,…
A sealant can be applied for purposes of protecting a substrate material from air, gas, dust, liquids, or abrasion. It can be designed to provide thermal and acoustical insulation or serve as a fire barrier. Sealants may have smoothing or gap filling properties, and may be weak or strong, flexible…
A substrate refers to a base surface or underlying layer upon which another material is adhered, coated, laminated, deposited, printed, or otherwise brought into contact with.…
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Leather is a durable and flexible material that is created by preserving and treating animal rawhide and skins. Leather hides can be used in the manufacturing of footwear, automobile and furniture upholstery, bags, bookbinding, architectural elements, cloths, and fashion accessories. The earliest examples of animal hides…
Pigmented leather refers to an extremely durable leather that has been dyed through with pigmented color. The leather’s imperfections are removed through buffing, and it is then embossed with an artificial grain and coated with a pigmented polymer sealer. Because of its durability, pigmented leather is used in furniture and…
Pull-up leather is known for its excellent quality, vintage patina, and extremely soft hand. When an aniline-dyed leather is pulled, the oils and waxes that have been applied shift the color and it becomes lighter in the pulled areas. A rich patina with scratches and signs of wear will increase…
Skive refers to a technique used to reduce the thickness of the flesh side of leather by using a skiver tool to arrive at a thinner piece of leather. This makes the leather more flexible. The technique is also used to join long strips of leather together for belts or…
Wet blue leather refers to unfinished hides that have been dehaired and chrome tanned as a means to preserve the leather. Also referred to as “in the blues,” these hides attain a light blue color from the chromium tanning agents.…
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3M Scotchguard is an applied stain and water repellent spray that cleans, protects, and polishes a wide variety of furniture and materials. These include carpets, fabrics such as drapery and upholstery, leathers such as nubuck and suede, granite and marble for kitchen surfaces, and vinyl for…
A declaration is a report that provides quantified,
transparent information about a product’s environmental performance and
material ingredients. It can be used by building industry professionals to
facilitate comparison with similar products and to help manufacturers qualify
for transparency credits in green building rating systems. Declarations can be
published as…
Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment
Method, or BREEAM, was the world’s first widely used green building certification
system. Developed in the 1990s in the UK by Building Research Establishment
(BRE), today BREEAM is used in over 80 countries.1 BREAAM
certification demonstrates a building project’s sustainability and its
commitment to protecting…
Environmental Justice is the equitable distribution of
environmental burdens and benefits, and of meaningful participation in
environmental decision-making. This means that all people have
the right to equal protection from environmental and health hazards, and the
right to live, work, play, worship, or learn in safe, healthy communities.1 The
US…
The Global Warming Potential (GWP) is a unit of measurement
developed to compare the atmospheric global warming impacts of gases. It tells
us how long a gas remains in the atmosphere, and how much energy it absorbs
over a given time period, relative to 1 ton of carbon dioxide (CO2).…
SCS Global Services is a third-party certification body that
also develops its own standards. It develops environmental, sustainability,
food safety, and quality performance standards, as well as auditing and
certification programs. It works internationally, initiating partnerships with
companies, government agencies, NGOs, and other stakeholders to achieve
sustainable development goals and…
Social Equity, at its simplest, can be understood as impartiality, fairness, and justice for all people.1 This means taking into account systemic inequalities to ensure that that everyone has access to the same opportunities and outcomes. Equity acknowledges that inequalities exist and works to eliminate them. It means that regardless…
The American Conference
of Governmental Industrial Hygienists’ (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Values (TLVs)
refer to a set of guidelines regarding the airborne concentrations of chemical
substances that workers can be safely exposed to over their working lifetime.
The ACGIH developed TLVs as a tool for industrial hygienists to make informed
decisions…
Formaldehyde is a volatile organic chemical (VOC) used as a
preservative, disinfectant, and binding agent in the building industry.1
It has been designated as a
carcinogen by the World Health Organization and California’s Proposition 65,
and a Hazardous Air Pollutant by the US Environmental Protection Agency. It is a key…
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) refers to the quality of air in and
around buildings, as it affects human health and safety. Pollutants released
into indoor air can cause adverse short- and long-term health effects. These
effects have a disproportionate impact on at-risk populations like children,
the elderly, asthmatics, low-income, minorities,…
Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a standardized set of
procedures used to quantify the inputs, outputs, and potential environmental
impacts of products or systems across their entire life cycle. LCAs promote the
redesign and responsible design of products and processes to reduce harm to the
environment.1 The life cycle is…
The Perkins & Will Precautionary List is a compilation of
hazardous chemicals that are used in the building, design, and construction
industry. The list was developed by Perkins & Will, an architecture and
planning firm whose aim is to provide industry professionals with a tool to
analyze the health and…
REACH
Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) are chemicals that pose a serious
threat to human health and the environment, as evaluated by the European
Chemical Agency (ECHA). They are regulated through the
Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH),
a European Union law instated in 2007. The SVHC…
The Red
List is an index of the most harmful and polluting materials used in the
building industry. It was created by the International Living Future Institute
(ILFI) to identify and eliminate pollutants, substances that are harmful to construction
and factory workers, and chemicals that bio-accumulate up the food chain…
Six Classes is a framework developed by the Green Science Policy Institute to provide information about many of the harmful chemicals used in building materials and consumer products, in order to minimize their use. Rather than creating a list of chemicals of concern, Six Classes groups chemicals into six categories.…
A third party is an objective, independent person or
organization. Product testing, evaluation, certification, and reporting is
often performed by a third party in order to ensure reliability. In order to be
independent, third parties must have no conflicts of interest, financial,
personal, or otherwise, with involved parties such as…
Toxicity refers to the potential of a substance to cause harm
to the living body. Toxic substances, or toxicants, can be naturally occurring
(such as lead), synthetic (like phthalates), or produced by a living organism
(like mold). Those produced by a living organism fall into a subclassification
of toxicants called…
Biodegradation is the breakdown or decomposition of materials
by microorganisms. It refers to the processes that transform materials into
less complex compounds that can be used and reused by living systems.
Biodegradation is used for waste management and environmental remediation, also
known as bioremediation. It is an important process that…
The
Circular Economy is a framework that aims to reduce environmental impacts and
generate economic growth by eliminating waste and reusing resources. This model
is an alternative to the traditional linear economic system, which presumes the
existence and accessibility of unlimited natural resources, and in which a
product’s life cycle…
In the building industry, compliance means acting in adherence to a set of regulations, standards, or codes. It indicates that a product, project, or process fulfills all official requirements. Designers, manufacturers, and other professionals may need to demonstrate compliance to internal management, regulators, the government, customers, or independent third parties.…
The
Cradle to Cradle (C2C) Basic Level Restricted Substances List (RSL) is a
register of the chemicals that are banned from use in Cradle to Cradle
Certified products above certain thresholds. These substances have been found
to be harmful or toxic to the environment and human health.1 The RSL
was…
The
Cradle to Cradle (C2C) Material Health Certificate recognizes products that
avoid the use of harmful chemicals or toxic materials, in accordance with
Cradle to Cradle’s Certified Product Standard. The C2C product standard is
administered by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute (C2CPII) to
incentivize environmentally and socially responsible…
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an agency of the
United States federal government whose mission is to protect human health and
the environment. It was established in 1970 to ensure that all Americans have
access to clean air, land, and water, and that related federal laws are
administered and…
EPA Chemicals of Concern is a list compiled by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) containing chemical substances found to be harmful or toxic to human health and the environment. This list was published in accordance with a 2016 amendment to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which requires…
Heavy metals are naturally occurring elements with high
densities relative to water, which are toxic at low concentrations.1
They are part of an ill-defined subset of elements with metallic properties,
usually categorized as metals or metalloids.2 In trace amounts, many
of these elements are necessary to sustain life, but when…
A
product life cycle is an assessment of resource consumption, performance, and
environmental impacts at each phase of an industrial product’s life. It
consists of the extraction of raw materials, the processing of those materials,
manufacturing, shipping, use, maintenance, and finally disposal or recycling. Life
cycle assessment is based on…
A supply chain is a coordinated system of processes, information, resources, physical locations, and service providers that are responsible for a product’s manufacturing, storage, distribution, and retail.1 All activities between the extraction of raw materials and the product’s acquisition by an end customer make up part of the supply chain.…
Volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) are chemical contaminants that, at significant levels, can be
harmful to human health and the environment. VOCs are volatile, meaning that
they evaporate readily, and organic, which means that they contain carbon
atoms. There are several exceptions that do not fall under VOC categorization,
including carbon…
Wastewater refers to any water that has been used by humans.
It includes water that has been contaminated by domestic, industrial,
agricultural, and commercial use, and from stormwater runoff and infiltration.1
After use, water must be treated to reduce pollutants before being released
into the environment. Wastewater is collected in…
UL (formerly Underwriters Laboratories),
founded in 1894, is an independent safety science company and standards
developer that promotes the production and use of products that are physically
and environmentally safe. It seeks to advance the living and working conditions
for people, through the application of science, hazard-based safety engineering,
and…
The
American National Safety Institute (ANSI) is a private, non-profit membership
organization that manages and regulates the development of voluntary safety
standards for products and systems in the United States. Founded in 1918, ANSI
and its members have laid the groundwork for national standardization and
assessment frameworks in industries encompassing…
A certification provides
third-party confirmation that a product, project, process, or system fulfills
the requirements of a given standard. Certification programs vary in method or
philosophy. They can be divided into multi-attribute and single-attribute
programs. A single-attribute certification focuses on just one factor, like
water use, energy use, or chemical…
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Texture describes the dimensionality of a material surface independently from a pattern or motif. Textures can be flat or deep, even or uneven, and soft or rough. Textures are created for visual impact, but their tactile quality and physical properties are experienced through touch.
Photography Courtesy…
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Latex is an emulsion polymer produced from natural or synthetic materials. Natural latex is most commonly made from the soft white substance beneath the bark of a mature rubber tree while synthetic latex is made from petroleum-based chemicals. Both types of latex go through various processes…
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Bleach cleanable is a common cleaning instruction for textiles. It usually comes with detailed dilution instructions as well as the applicable bleach type. There are two different types of bleach: chlorine bleach and oxygen bleach or non-chlorine bleach. Chlorine bleach can disinfect, oxidize, and deodorize textiles,…
