Glossary
A small trade dictionary
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Fur
10 terms- Astrakhan (Karakul)
- Karakul lamb fur with tight, glossy curls, light and flat.
- Fox
- A long, fluffy fur, very warm, often used for collars and trims.
- Fur waistcoat (pieptar)
- A sleeveless sheepskin-and-fur vest worn over a shirt.
- Guard hair
- The long, glossy hairs covering the underfur that give the fur its sheen.
- Mink
- A dense, glossy, lightweight fur with fine underfur and short, silky guard hair.
- Sable
- The fur of the Siberian marten, fine and velvety, among the most prized.
- Sheepskin coat (cojoc)
- A traditional tanned-sheepskin coat worn with the fleece on the inside.
- Shepherd's cloak (sarică)
- A shepherd's sheepskin cloak with the long wool left facing out.
- Underfur
- The fine, dense layer of short fibres at the base of the fur that holds warmth.
- Yearling lambskin
- Lambskin from a few months to a year old, with grown hair and a silkier feel.
Leather
12 terms- Aniline
- Leather dyed only with transparent dyes, leaving the natural grain visible.
- Bend (crupon)
- The back section of the hide, the firmest and most uniform, favoured for durable pieces.
- Box-calf
- Chrome-tanned calf leather, smooth and glossy, used for fine footwear.
- Chrome tanning
- Tanning with chromium salts; the leather stays soft, supple and water-resistant.
- Full-grain
- Leather with the top grain layer intact and unsanded, the strongest and most durable.
- Grain
- The natural outer layer of the hide, with its characteristic pore pattern.
- Nappa
- Soft, fine, smooth-surfaced leather made from full lamb or calf hides.
- Patina
- The sheen and shading leather develops naturally through use and ageing.
- Suede
- Leather buffed on the underside to a soft, matte, velvety surface.
- Tanning
- The process that turns raw hide into durable, supple leather.
- Top-grain
- Leather with the grain lightly sanded to even the surface and hide blemishes.
- Vegetable tanning
- Tanning with tannins from tree bark; the leather develops a patina over time.
Techniques
8 terms- Glazing
- Polishing fur with heat and steam to restore its shine and smoothness.
- Hidden stitch
- A seam worked on the inside so the thread is invisible on the face.
- Lasting
- Shaping the leather over a wooden form for an exact fit.
- Recutting
- Cutting and reassembling a piece into a different size or design.
- Redyeing
- Refreshing or changing the colour of faded fur or leather.
- Relining
- Replacing the worn inner lining with a new one.
- Restyling
- Updating the cut of an old piece while keeping the original material.
- Turning the fur
- Remaking a piece with the fur moved to the outer side.
Services
4 terms- Assessment / quote
- Examining the piece in the workshop and estimating the work before starting.
- Bespoke (made to order)
- A piece built from scratch to the client's measurements and wishes.
- Cold storage
- Keeping furs over summer in a cold, controlled, moth-free environment.
- Maintenance
- Cleaning, conditioning and small repairs that extend a piece's life.