CFA is an acronym used to describe a “cutting for approval”. CFA’s are pieces cut from the actual leather hide(s) that are intended to be purchased. Often CFA’s require a little more explanation as they are not as simple to understand as one might think.
A few things to remember:
CFA’s are taken from the very EDGE of a hide. Cutting far up into the hide would mean cutting into the cutting area, thus decreasing the available yield for that specific hide.
CFA’s may not always match the samples we distribute. This can happen for a variety of reasons. Sometimes this can happen because the dye lot may have changed. Thousands of square feet are typically made at one time. When those hides are all sold they make another few thousand. Depending on the type of leather the color may be off slightly. We of course aim to keep color as consistent as humanly possible, but sometimes there might be a variation which we cannot avoid. Keleen Leathers cuts and distributes thousands upon thousands of leather samples per year and lots may vary from time to time. In addition, our leather hides are hung dried. Sometimes we will find that edges are a touch darker than the center of the hide as color may accumulate at the edges. In the case of aniline hides, you may find multiple color variations within the very same hide.
Finally, CFA’s are often more wrinkled than you might expect. This is because edges of the hide can be more wrinkled than the rest of the hide might look. This changes as you move towards the center of the hide. If you have any further questions or concerns regarding your CFA please contact us for further information.
We are always happy to help!