Leather with an aniline finish is leather that has been colored with dyestuffs only. i.e. no opaque finish such as pigment has been used. Only the best hides which are relatively free from gross imperfections can be made into aniline finish leather. It is soft, pliable and considered the premier grade of leather. The aim of an aniline finish is to produce leather, which has a "natural" look. The major drawback of an aniline finish is that since it is non-opaque, a very 'level' dyeing must be achieved in the dye house.

Aniline finished leathers also show the natural grain faults of the leather, "warts and all". Many types of leather have too many faults and uneven grain to be produced with an aniline finish. The main leather with an aniline finish is calf, although goats, basils (sheep) and skivers are sometimes available. Aniline finished leather has excellent tooling, polishing and re-dyeing properties and lends itself to the application of genuine gold leaf.