Leather and imitation leather engraving
Personalize leather and offer your customers a unique bag, wallet, bag tag, and even more.
Leather engraving is a key personalization technique in the leather goods, fashion, and luxury markets. It transforms a standard product into a unique and emotional item. Gravotech offers two complementary technologies to meet this demand: CO2 laser engraving, known for its precision, speed, and contactless process, and mechanical engraving, which produces fine, tactile, and elegant results.
As a noble and organic material, leather reacts differently depending on the technology and type used. The most common leathers include full-grain, textured grain, nubuck, suede, and vegetable-tanned leather, especially suitable for engraving. Synthetic leathers such as PU can also be engraved, provided they are PVC-free.
Whether for workshops, retail stores, or live events, Gravotech provides machines tailored to every environment, ensuring high-quality, precise, and lasting engraving or cutting results on leather.
Gravotech's leather engraving machines
Our CO2 laser tables (LS100, LS100EX, LS900) are ideal leather laser engraving machines for professionals aiming to engrave and/or cut leather in a workshop. They allow batch personalization by placing multiple items at once in a template created with acrylic or Ecocut material.
Leather laser engraving is fine and durable, and cutting is clean and fray-free, even on leather up to 0.27'' thick (depending on the laser power and leather type). It is also important to keep in mind that real leather is an organic material, thus the result always varies.
It is essential to use an exhaust system when using a LS laser table to filter any toxic gas, ensuring a clean environment to protect the operator. To get rid of any unpleasant odors, we recommend using an activated carbon filter in your exhaust system.
Small CO2 laser engraver and cutter for personalization, signage and creative.
LS100
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Medium CO2 or Fiber laser engraving and cutting machine for signage and small series.
LS100EX
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Large laser engraver and cutter that can do everything.
LS900
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Compact, silent, and elegant, the WeLase™ laser station is designed for in-store or event-based personalization.
The CO2 version is perfect for leather, while the Green version also supports delicate leathers and materials like metal, plastic, or glass, allowing you to personalize even more products.
Its sleek design and plug-and-play format make it the ideal laser engraver for leather for brands offering premium customization experiences.
As it is a laser engraver for leather, it is mandatory to use an exhaust system to suck up toxic gases and odor, thus guaranteeing a healthy working environment.
The M20 X is a compact, easy-to-use mechanical leather engraving machine, ideal for leather personalization in workshops or boutiques. Fitted with a dedicated leather engraving tool (ref. 87115), it allows precise surface marking without burning or damaging the material, even on sensitive leather.
Perfect for engraving bracelets, wallets, flat leather goods, or tags, the M20 X delivers clean, elegant results and is well-suited for made-to-order personalization.
Leather laser engraving: process & best practices
Benefits of using leather laser engraving
Leather laser engraving is clean, contactless, and fast, preserving the leather’s integrity. Unlike hot stamping, it needs no tools or films, making it ideal for on-demand customization.
CO2 laser engravers for leather can darken the surface nor produce fine, elegant reliefs. They can also cut leather up to 0.27'' thick with extreme precision, eliminating fraying or deformation.
✅ Benefits:
- Fine detail (initials, logos, intricate designs)
- Permanent, deformation-free marking
- Contactless process
- Clean, fray-free cuts (up to 0.27'' depth)
- Compatible with all leather types
Best practices for leather laser engraving
To achieve the best results with your leather laser engraving machine, a few precautions are essential. Leather is a natural material, and its behavior can vary depending on the type, finish, and treatment (vegetable-tanned, pigmented, synthetic...). This means that leather laser engraving results may differ from one piece to another, even with the same settings.
Here are key best practices to ensure clean, safe, and consistent results:
- Use a fume extractor with activated carbon to capture fumes and particles, protecting both the operator and your machine.
- Never engrave synthetic leather containing PVC, as it releases toxic and corrosive gases. Engraving or cutting PVC is strictly prohibited. Always use PVC-free leather such as PU.
- Use a blowing nose on LS laser tables to reduce smoke buildup, protect the lens, and maintain engraving and cutting quality over time.
Rotary leather engraving: tips and techniques
Rotary leather engraving
Mechanical leather engraving is a precise and elegant alternative to laser marking, particularly well-suited for smooth, vegetable-tanned, or pigmented leather. The M20 X leather engraving machine, fitted with a specialized leather tool (ref. 87115), marks the surface cleanly and accurately without burning or distorting the material.
This type of leather engraving produces a distinctive visual effect: the lines are fine, delicate, and appear slightly lighter than the leather’s original tone, creating an elegant, subtle contrast. The result is ideal for discreet, refined personalization — highly appreciated in luxury retail and high-end craftsmanship.
The M20 X is perfect for customizing bracelets, cardholders, wallets, or leather tags, and stands out for its ease of use, compact design, and quiet operation. It’s an excellent solution for workshops and on-demand personalization spaces.
Best practices for mechanical leather engraving
Mechanical leather engraving requires a few specific practices to achieve precise and consistent results. Here are the key recommendations:
- Use the dedicated leather engraving tool developed by Gravotech
Specially designed for leather, this tool produces fine and clean lines without burning or damaging the surface. We recommend engraving at a slow speed to get the best result.
- Ensure proper holding of the leather piece during engraving
For soft or lightweight leather, double-sided adhesive helps prevent shifting. For thicker or more rigid pieces, the Gravogrip table ensures stable positioning without deformation.
Following these best practices ensures a professional finish, ideal for custom or on-demand leather engraving personalization.
Leather engraving & cutting use cases
Gravotech leather engraving solutions can engrave and cut a wide range of leather products and gifts, from unique pieces to small series:
- Bags and pouches: initials, messages, or logos added for a refined, long-lasting personalization.
- Belts and wristbands: engraving of continuous lines, decorative motifs, or signatures.
- Wallets, cardholders, and cases: precise marking of names, monograms, or graphic elements.
- Fashion accessories, leather tags, keyrings, planners and corporate items: custom cutting of unique shapes or decorative pieces.
- Leather goods creation: pattern cutting for prototyping and manufacturing leather items.
With engraving and cutting combined in one machine, professionals gain time, precision, and creative freedom.
| FAQ: the 4 questions most frequently asked of our experts |
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🔽 How can I achieve a black leather engraving?
True black cannot be achieved when engraving leather, but you can obtain a very dark brown effect using LS laser tables. This deeper color is created by defocusing the laser beam—even applying a negative offset—so the beam spreads and burns the surface more. The exact result will vary depending on the type and treatment of the leather.
🔽Can I personalize multiple leather items with the M20 X, and on what types of leather?
Yes, the M20 X allows you to engrave multiple leather items (luggage tag, keyring...) efficiently using a positioning jig. It works on various types of leather, including full-grain, textured, vegetable-tanned, and even PU synthetic leather (PVC-free).
Paired with the dedicated leather tool, and proper fixation (double-sided tape or Gravogrip table), it ensures clean, repeatable results on both soft and rigid leather pieces.
🔽 Can I engrave items like handbags, shoes or wallets directly in a laser or rotary engraver?
Yes, the WeLase™ is ideal for direct leather engraving on finished products like handbags or shoes, thanks to its precise, contactless focalization. However, make sure the item fits inside the machine with the door fully closed, as engraving with the door open is not possible.
For flat items such as wallets, luggage tags or leather patches, you can either use an LS laser table, which offers more space and flexibility for batch engraving, or the M20 X, the perfect in-store solution for a more delicate engraving.
🔽 Can I engrave other textiles besides leather with the same laser engraving machine?
Yes, CO2 laser machines can cut and engrave many types of textiles. The quality and appearance of the result will depend on the material’s composition, color, and thickness. Always run tests first to optimize settings for each fabric.
Have a project in mind or want to test your own samples?
👉 Our Gravotech experts are here to help you find the best option!
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Elevate the experience
Tailored solutions for global brands
You are a luxury brand or an international brand, and you would like to develop an exclusive in-store customer experience for your clients, on your e-commerce site or during an event?
Gravotech offers tailored solutions that will meet your needs. A dedicated project manager will guide you throughout the collaboration: discussing requirements, running samples on your products, selecting the best-suited personalization technology, solution deployment, and user training.
