|
LEATHER BELT GLOSSARY
Leather goods like belts, with the exception of handbags, require a label disclosing the composition of the materials used. According to the Federal Trade Commission, the disclosure must appear in the form of a stamping on the product, or on a tag, label or card "attached to and affixed with such degree of permanence as to remain on or attached to the product until it is received by the consumer purchaser." As well, the labeling should be correct as to not deceive potential purchasers by claiming the product is made of a material that it is not.
One of the thorns in the side of manufacturers, retailers and consumers alike is labeling that states that a product is made of "Genuine Bonded Leather." There is no such animal. It doesn't matter how many times you have seen this label or heard of "bonded leather," it exists only as a method of creating simulated or imitation leather. Robert Sacks, legal counsel for the LLGMA, has been working with the Federal Trade Commission on this matter of terminology. As of this writing, the FTC has not sanctioned the term "bonded leather." In fact, the FTC Guides prohibit any representation directly or by implication that a material in an industry product is leather, if such material contains grounded, pulverized or shredded leather and thus is not wholly the hide of an animal. Neither split leather or shredded, ground or pulverized leather may use or assume the term "genuine leather." (SHOWCASE will keep you advised as to any new developments that occur pertaining to FTC Guidelines.)
According to the Tanner's Council of America, our industry uses hides from steer, cows, bulls, sheep, lamb, goat and kid, horses, goat, ass, mule, zebra, pig, hog, peccary and carpincho, land and water buffalo (not American Bison) and exotic and fancy feathers such as frog, ostrich, crocodile, lizard, snake, seal, shark, walrus, turtle, and camel to produce products.
This council also clarifies a number of definitions that are commonly used in the leather industry. We gratefully acknowledge the Council's Dictionary of Leather Terminology, as well as the organization's publication, "Leather Facts," as we highlight some of the words we use daily in our business:
LEATHER
A general term for hide or skin with its original fibrous structure more or less intact, tanned or treated to be non-putrescible. The hair or wool may or may not have been removed. Leather is also made from a hide or skin which has been split into layers or segmented before or after tanning, but if the tanned hide or skin is disintegrated mechanically and/or chemically into fibrous particles, small pieces or powders and then, with or without the combination of a binding agent, is made into sheets or forms, such sheets or forms are not leather. Leathers may have surface coatings of a reasonable amount, but beyond this the resulting products shall be described as a laminate or composite. However, the term laminated leather shall not be used if the leather content is less than two-thirds of the total thickness.
In describing various classes of leather, the name of the animal from which the skin or hide was taken is generally used. Certain exceptions, which have become established trade practices, are cited in the definitions which follow. Otherwise, adequate explanations should be made.
Paper shopping bags - Custom carrier bags
|
History of belts
History of leather
Woman's belt
|
