VILOU leather lexicon – types of leather, care & repair

Mechanical wear and tear due to friction, for example on seat bolsters, steering wheels, or heavily used furniture areas. If the substrate is intact, the surface can be prepared, refreshed in color, and then protected.

Alcantara is a textile microfiber, not leather. It must not be treated with liquid leather, smooth leather dye, or leather sealant.

Open-pored, transparently dyed leather without an opaque pigment layer. Natural characteristics remain visible. It is absorbent and susceptible to staining; the standard repair and coloring systems described are not universally suitable.

Fine sprayer for controlled, thin layers of paint.VILOU ready-to-use leather dye can be applied with a sponge or airbrush, depending on the application. The Professional system is intended exclusively for spray application.

Surface structure, which influences appearance and performance characteristics. It can include, among other things, primer, pigmented paint, effect layers and topcoat.

Strong, usually vegetable-tanned leather, often used for belts, saddlery, and dimensionally stable leather goods. It requires care appropriate to the specific finish.

The ability of a paint to visually cover the surface underneath. Good results are achieved with several thin coats, not a single thick application.

Color is determined by the cross-section of the leather. A leather dyed through may still have an additional pigmented surface coating.

Reducing suitable grease, oil, silicone, and care product residues before repair or painting. This process is particularly important for surfaces that come into contact with the body.

The term basically confirms animal origin, but says little about the type of leather, quality, surface or suitable care.

Wear and tear of the pigmented surface layer. Recognizable by lighter or differently colored areas, while the base material may still be stable.

Color, including brightness, saturation, and hue. Color shades should be assessed as a fully dried sample under suitable light.

Filler material for small depressions and superficial cracks. It does not replace backing, seam repair, or stabilization of deep structural damage.

The process by which animal hide becomes durable and leather. Besides tanning, the visible surface treatment is particularly crucial for subsequent care.

Optical surface appearance ranges from matte to satin to glossy. Color and gloss level must be assessed together.

Leather with the grain side facing outwards. Smooth leather can be open-pored, lightly protected, or heavily pigmented – the term alone therefore does not constitute product approval.

A preparatory system step that conditions the substrate for the subsequent paint application. In the planned VILOU Professional system, the primer is part of the spray application process.

Plastic-coated backing material. It does not contain natural leather fibers and can show different damage than genuine leather due to aging, heat, or loss of plasticizers.

Color product for refreshing suitable leather and imitation leather surfaces. The color does not repair unstable structures and does not replace filler material.

Material made from shredded leather fibers and binders. It is not equivalent to a cross-section of natural leather.

A collective term for particularly soft, smooth leather. The term does not clearly indicate whether the surface is open-pored, semi-aniline, or pigmented.

Visible surface texture. It can be natural, corrected, or artificially embossed. A uniform embossing does not automatically prove that it is synthetic leather.

Suede with a velvety surface, sanded on the grain side. It requires special suede products and should not be treated like pigmented smooth leather.

Leather with small ventilation holes. Liquid leather and too much dye can clog the holes; therefore, work with a particularly thin layer.

Leather with a color-enhancing and protective surface coating. This is the primary application area for many VILOU care, repair, and coloring products.

A care product for suppleness, color brilliance, and UV and aging protection. The Protector does not replace leather sealing against abrasion.

Leather treated with oils or waxes that lightens when stretched or creased. This desired effect should not be indiscriminately covered with pigmented dye.

A general term for leather with a sanded, velvety surface, such as nubuck or suede. Do not treat with smooth leather products.

Documented composition or color mixture. A saved color formula enables reproducible reorders.

Lightly pigmented leather, whose natural characteristics remain more visible than in fully pigmented leather. Inspect carefully before each treatment.

A split obtained from a lower layer of skin. It can be used as velour or finished with foil or a coating.

Topcoat of a professional coating system. In a coordinated system, it provides protection, abrasion resistance, and the desired gloss level.

Suede, sanded on the flesh side, with a velvety surface. It is cared for differently than pigmented smooth leather.

A system additive that is only dosed and used according to specific product instructions. Not every paint or topcoat system requires a crosslinker.

Protective layer against suitable abrasion and discoloration. VILOU leather sealant is applied thinly and does not require buffing.

A plastic material frequently used for vehicle, furniture, and boat upholstery. The suitability of the product for the specific type of plastic must be tested before treatment.

Leather with the grain side intact and not sanded down. Full grain does not automatically mean open-pored or maintenance-free.

Surface treatment consists of primer, color, effect and protective layers. The finish determines color, gloss, feel, durability and maintenance requirements.