Laser materials · Leather
Laser engraving and cutting leather
Vegetable-tanned leather engraves to a rich, even brown and cuts with sealed edges, which makes it one of the most profitable materials for a laser. The catch is that some “leathers” must never go near a laser.
The best leather for a laser
| Material | Laser it? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Vegetable-tanned (veg-tan) leather | Yes, the best choice | Engraves dark and clean, takes dye, burnishes well |
| Veg-tan suede | Yes | Softer engraving, good for linings |
| Leatherette sold as laser-safe and PVC-free | Yes, if confirmed | Popular for hat patches; ask the seller for the material |
| PU (polyurethane) faux leather | Only if you’re sure it is PU, not PVC | PVC is often sold as “vegan” or “faux” leather too |
| Chrome-tanned leather | No | Can release hexavalent chromium fumes |
| PVC or vinyl “leather” | Never | Releases chlorine gas: toxic, and corrodes your machine |
If the seller can’t confirm what it is, don’t laser it. Most leather produced worldwide is chrome-tanned, and it is rarely labelled as such. Buy veg-tan from a leather supplier, or leatherette that is clearly labelled laser-safe and PVC-free.
Thickness
Leather is sold by weight in ounces or by thickness in millimetres (1 oz is roughly 0.4 mm). Typical choices:
- 1 to 1.5 mm: card-slot pockets, linings, patches.
- About 2 mm: wallets, card holders, keychains, journal covers.
- 3 to 4 mm: belts, dog collars, guitar straps, knife sheaths.
Thicker leather needs more passes to cut and gives a darker edge. Measure it and enter the real thickness in the leather pattern generator, so folds and slots are sized for it.
Engraving leather
Veg-tan darkens strongly with very little power, so engraving is usually fast and low power. Photos and logos look good; the photo engraving studio has a leather preset that lifts brightness and contrast to suit. Different hides and even different parts of one hide engrave differently, so test on an offcut first.
Cutting leather without burn marks
- Lower power, extra pass. One slow, hot pass scorches the edge; two quicker passes cut cleaner.
- Mask the grain side with paper transfer tape to keep smoke off the surface.
- Air assist on, and good extraction: burning leather smells strong.
- Hold it flat. Leather curls; pin it or weigh the edges outside the cut area.
Cleaning and finishing
After cutting, wipe the soot off the edges and surface with a damp cloth or a leather cleaner. Remove the masking. Sand or bevel the edges if you like, dye them, then burnish with water or a burnishing compound until they are smooth and dark. Finish the surface with a leather conditioner or sealer, and stitch through the laser-cut holes.
What to make
Hat patches, wallets, keychains and AirTag holders, coasters, luggage tags, belts, dog collars, watch bands and valet trays are all popular. The Leather Workshop has more than 300 of them, with stitch holes that line up through every layer, belts sized from a waist measurement and collars sized from a neck measurement. Before you price a product, add finishing time in the price calculator; on leather it often costs more than the laser time.
Settings
Starting values for veg-tan in 2 mm and 4 mm are on the xTool settings page and the other brand pages. Run a test card on each new hide.
xTool is a trademark of its owner. Laser Generator Studio is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by it.