A generous assortment distinguishes the Molteni&C leather collection; 7 types of leather plus one vegetable leather, to cover the different requirements of design and taste, subdivided into 4 categories, to satisfy the market in terms of price and aesthetic characteristics, effectively covering the whole demand.

Processing

Constant research and an attentive selection of materials and production processes with Europe’s best tanneries, as well as direct contacts with the breeders/suppliers of the various hides, place Molteni&C at the forefront of avant-garde leathers for furnishings. A wide range of colours, resulting from the best dyes, and finishing processes, that can guarantee extreme resistance to light and to scratches, or provide a delicately silky feel.

The different areas where the animals are bred and therefore the different climates and living environments have a great influence on the quality of the hides.

1 | Aniline and semi-aniline
These are the finest and most expensive leathers on the market, along with nubuk. The processing does not affect the surface layer of the skin (i.e. the grain). They are appreciated for their soft, natural and breathable qualities. They are aniline-dyed. If no finishing is added, the leather is defined as pure aniline; otherwise, if a veil of aniline is added, it is known as semianiline.

2 | Nubuk
These are leathers characterized by a velvety touch and smooth nap, achieved by sanding. They are natural leathers, with no finishing. They are the among the finest on the market because they have to be carefully selected from raw hides to ensure they are defect-free.

3 | Full grain
These are leathers in which the grain has not been touched up, but processing is completed by spraying on a pigment that manages to cover part of any small superficial defects. Finishing manages to give the grain an even appearance. Usually the barrel grain is used but a small grain pre-print can be applied to integrate the barrel grain.

4 | Corrected grain
Is subdivided into half grain and sandpaper leather
· HALF GRAIN: the grain is slightly removed by a sanding machine. Here too, finishing is required and this is done by using pigments with the addition of polyurethane. These leathers are usually pre-printed.
· SANDPAPER: the grain is completely removed. A polyurethane spray is required. This type of leather is always printed at the end of the process.

Categories and typologies

EXTRA
Smooth flower, chrome tanning, aniline dyes, great naturalness | 45 colors

The selection and treatment of the leather guarantee a “smooth surface”, keeping the upper part of the hide mostly unaltered. The carefully chosen leather is tanned (with chrome) and coloured (with analine dye).
All the treatments help to preserve leather’s exceptional natural characteristics, including certain anomalies due to the free range raising of the animals, such as scars, slight grazing, insect bites etc. These anomalies are visible proof of the delicate treatment the hides have received and of a natural product.

SIRIA
Full grain, aniline finish, nuanced and slightly striated appearance, extreme naturalness and delicacy | 11 colors

This new type of leather enhances the product's transparency, softness, hand, natural look and exclusiveness, achieved by smoothing out the surface of the leather with an aniline final finish.Thus, those features are enhanced, which are most appreciated and acknowledged by the market, and the interpretation issues related to the noticeable differences among the different leathers are slightly reduced, while offering at the same time a wider, renewed range of colours.
Siria is produced using raw leather selected among the best types available in Western Europe (bulls only); it is a full grain product, that is, with the upper part of the skin completely and absolutely untouched, and a 'dive in drun' product, namely air-dried, dyed, and finished using only aniline.
All the manufacturing processes have the aim of maintaining and enhancing the leather's natural look as much as possible.This enables to fully preserve the characteristics of the natural product. As this is a “whole” leather, nothing is done to mask or hide any small defect or minor differences in the colour of the different areas, while the processing still aims at highlighting the leather's different shades and its soft hand. The animal’s wrinkles and the different consistency of the skin in its various parts determine differences in colour and shading, which are elegant marks of absolutely genuine leather.
Siria is an unfinished type of leather which differs from the other types in the collection by its considerable degree of absorbency, a feature that requires strict compliance with the maintenance instructions.