Did You Know ?

Leather is sold in four basic forms

Full-grain leather refers to hides that have not been sanded or snuffed to remove imperfections (natural abrasions) on the hide surface. The fact that the grain is allowed to remain on the surface contributes a great deal of strength and durability to the hide. The grain also becomes less ‘porous’ thus eliminating moisture levels on the surface, that generally come about owing to prolonged contact.

Top-grain leather ranks second in terms of quality. It has the “split” layer separated away, thus allowing it to become thinner than full-grain leather. With adequate sanding a finish-coat added to its surface, a colder, plastic feel results, which imparts less porosity and the absence of natural patina. It is typically less expensive and has greater resistance to stains.

Corrected-grain leather is any leather that has had artificial grain applied to its surface. The imperfections are generally corrected or sanded off and an artificial grain is impressed into the surface and coated with stains Most corrected-grain leather are used to make pigmented leather as the solid pigment helps hide the corrections or imperfections.

Split Leather is leather that is created from the fibrous part of the hide once the top-grain of the rawhide has been separated. During the splitting operation, the top grain and drop split are separated.   The drop split can be further split (provided its thickness allows for this) into a middle split and a flesh split. Split leather than has an artificial layer applied to surface of the split and is embossed with a leather grain (bycast leather). Split are used to create suede.