In May 2021, we launched a brand-new product to colour leather, our Shadow Finish.
What is Shadow Finish and how is it different to Leather Colourant?
Shadow Finish has been developed through changing trends in the leather finishing market. More and more leathers are being coloured in the tannery using multiple colours to create two-tone effects. These effects can be enhanced by using transparent topcoats which bring out the richness of the colour in the leather which normal Leather Colourants cannot achieve.
This is because the colour of each product has been developed differently. Both products are coloured by using pigments; but the type of pigment for each are slightly different. The Leather Colourant uses pigments which are very finely ground, non-soluble coloured particles which are suspended in a polyurethane binder. This method of colouring a medium produces in essence, a paint which is opaque (not able to be seen through) when applied to the leather. This covering power enables the Leather Colourant to be able to cover or ‘hide’ any natural imperfections in the leather or any fillers when repairing or restoring leather.
Shadow Finish uses pigments which are soluble dyes; and therefore, dissolve into the medium resulting in a completely transparent coloured product, meaning that you can see through the colour. Once applied, the colour you see will be influenced by the base colour of the leather; this also means that they will not hide or cover any remedial work carried out with fillers, these areas need to have a base coat of Leather Colourant applied before the Shadow Finish for the final colour.
Shadow Finish is available in ten colours; six common colours used for topcoats, and four mixing colours to match any required colour. Shadow Finish can also be mixed with our Leather Finish to lighten the colour if required. It is gloss as standard, and self-sealing, so there is no need to apply any Finish afterwards, unless you need to adjust the gloss level.
Colour mixing & matching
When it comes to mixing and matching the Leather Colourant, it can be hard enough at times to get that perfect colour match (you know the one where you dry it off and it disappears! Best feeling in the world!). At least with the Leather colourant, you have a good idea of what the colour looks like in the container as you are mixing it; As the Shadow Finish uses a different type of pigment, the colour in the bottle looks really dark, almost black. It is impossible to assess the colour you are mixing until you apply it to the leather and see what it looks like when influenced by the base colour.
A good method of matching the correct top colour when using our Shadow Finish is to match the colour to the cloth which was used to prepare the leather before recolouring.
Inevitably you will remove some of the original colour when the correct preparation procedures are adhered to when using this new product; so you can use this to your advantage and get the colour right by checking it against the original colour on the cloth. Check out the video below for a quick demonstration of this.
Where to buy Shadow Finish
You can buy our Shadow Finish on our website or by calling us on 01207 279 960. If you need any help or technical advice, please feel free to call or email us – [email protected]
