Leather made of calf hide or cattle hide and the most widely used type for bookbinding, as it can be dyed to any colour desired.
Calf leather (often known as vellum) is an ultra high-grade type of leather used in publishing to produce books and other publications. Made from the skin of young cattle or bulls, its smooth yet supple surface has long been prized as an aesthetic attribute of high-quality calf leather products.
Calfskin leather is an exceptional material often utilized for items requiring soft yet sturdy construction, such as books and publications bound in it. Due to its luxurious qualities and ability to withstand frequent usage, calfskin leather makes an attractive choice for covers and publishing projects alike.
Calf leather has long been valued for its aesthetic qualities and durable construction; for centuries it has been used to craft some of the world’s most iconic books. Today it remains considered an optimal material for bookbinding applications, including limited edition or collectible volumes.
Calf leather has long been recognized for its use in bookbinding, but today its versatility extends far beyond this application. Popular applications of calf leather include upholstery, footwear and accessory uses. Thanks to its unique properties it makes an adaptable material suitable for many tasks.
Leather can be found in various products such as shoes, belts, wallets and upholstery. Furthermore, book bindings can also be created from this material as well as being used to cover musical instruments.
Calfskin drumheads, commonly referred to as “calfskins,” consist of thin sheets of flexible animal skin or synthetic material stretched over the bearing edge of a drum and struck with sticks by drummers.