I have used all four types of pouch leathers; zephyr, tan, white and red.
The tan, white and red work equally well depending upon what part of the
skin you punch them from and providing the porosity is not too bad.  I
have always used a 75/25 ratio of rubber cement thinner to rubber
cement, putting talcum powder on before cementing lifter disks to the
center (with a drop of hot glue).

A piano I rebuilt in 1978 ( Coinola) is still playing strongly with no
problems resulting from the pouches stiffening or cracking.  This may
not be the way the experts do it, but it always has worked and
continues to work for me.

S. K. Goodman