What is suede leather and how is it different from other types of leather?

You must have heard the saying, “Old is gold”. As true this saying proves to be, we can also safely say: Leather is an old fabric which is gold for man.

Many decades ago, leather was discovered by our ancestors to be a protective shield against harsh elements such as cold, rain and heat. Many methods were devised to use the outer layer of animal hides and craft them into wearable leather garments. The outer layer, which is the part where animal’s fur resides, was treated at the tannery to produce strong full-grain leather.

However, as per fate, it was discovered that the underside of an animal’s hide can also be salvaged instead of discarding it. Thus the underside, which is basically the flesh side of the animal’s skin, when carefully processed created a fabric which was soft, thin and velvety. This is how leather was introduced to its sibling –suede!

Suede was first created by Swedish leather artisans. They crafted women’s gloves which became very popular across Europe. These artisans ultimately realized that the perspective of suede could not just be limited to gloves. So they started crafting suede shoes, suede bags, suede jackets and other accessories. These suede items gained immense fame and became part of the latest fashion trends.

Therefore, any leather material with a napped finish can be referred as suede. What is a napped finish, you ask? Well, in easy words, napping is a procedure in which the fibers of the leather surface are raised to construct a carpet of small fiber ends. This fiber mat is smoothened in such a way that the resulting material is velvety and almost fuzzy in nature.

Types of leather

Leather is made from animal hides. There is a variety of hides to choose from: lamb hide, cow hide and sheep hide. Now, the types of leather are produced depending on which part of leather is selected and how that part has been processed. By the definition mentioned above, suede is also a type of leather. Other types of leather are full-grain leather, top-grain leather and nubuck.

Let’s see how suede is different from other types of leather.

Suede vs. Full Grain Leather

Full-grain leather is ranked as the toughest leather type. This is mainly because it is prepared from the strongest part of the animal hide. Full-grain refers to the skin which has no defects or scars. The fibers are tightly packed together in a dense formation. This close pattern style helps in maintaining a high level of protection against any type of damage.

Because of its dense structure, the full-grain leather does not require to be sanded during the tanning practice. It is regarded as premium leather.

On the other hand, suede is well-known for its velvety face. As opposed to full-grain leather, suede is made by splitting leather to reveal its flesh side. Thus the surface is not full-grain but a napped one.

Suede has a stylish and attractive appearance but the material is not as long-lasting as the full-grain leather. Suede is very high-maintenance leather and can be damaged if exposed to too much water. Nevertheless, full-grain leather is hard-wearing and moisture resistant. The full-grain leather ages beautifully over time. It is a popular choice to make garments such as leather jackets, leather shoes and leather bags.  

Suede vs. Top Grain Leather

Top-grain leather is the second highest grade of leather. The outermost layer of the hide is removed in this case. This mainly contributes to the fact that top-grain leather is thinner and more effective from the manufacturer’s point of view.

After the removal of the outer skin layer, the top-grain leather is sanded. The sanding process eliminates any blemishes and natural markings on the skin. Further it is tanned, finished and embossed with a top coat which works as a shield against wear and tear. This type of leather is mostly used for making leather craft accessories such as handbags.  

Suede is the remnant leather after the top grain has been cut down from the skin to make it thinner. It is generally used for clothing and upholstery.

Suede vs. Nubuck

In nubuck leather, the outer side of the leather is selected for processing. The outer side has tight fibers and these fibers are sanded resulting in a dense finish. Nubuck is therefore strong and durable due to its tight fibers.

However, suede is made from the underside of leather. This inner side is sanded resulting in a textured finish. Unlike nubuck, the fibers of suede are loose and light. Consequently, suede has a fuzzy leather exterior.

Suede is a luxurious leather type yet Nubuck is more expensive as compared to suede. It is mainly because of its sturdy and resilient nature.

Suede vs. Bonded Leather

Bonded leather is a mixture of fake and real leather. It is crafted by salvaging the remains of genuine leather. And as the name implies, these scraps are bonded together using adhesives to produce almost synthetic leather finish.

Bonded leather is not too luxurious because only 20% of the product contains real leather. However, it has a smooth surface. This type of leather is usually used in furniture such as sofa, chair, stool etc.

Unlike suede, bonded leather is available in indefinite colors and can be stamped with any texture or pattern. Also, it is less durable than suede. On the leather grade scale, bonded leather lies at the last, even below suede.

Conclusion

We are sure that if you have read this guide thoroughly, you are now well-versed about how types of leathers are formed. As discussed above, leather types are generated based on two things. Firstly, the part of animal skin that is selected and secondly the process that it goes through to achieve the end result.

Nonetheless, all types are part of the leather family and as many differences each of them have, they all carry one similar characteristic –stunning!