When you buy leather products that claim to be made of top-grain leather, genuine leather, or full-grain leather, you should know what that means.

There are 3 types of leather that you will see inside or underneath the belt of your favorite leather goods, and each one of them is very different in its own way. Genuine Leather isn’t as thin compared to all other types since it was made mainly for belts. Top-grain leather has a thin layer that’s about 1/8″ thick but isn’t as durable as full-grain leather. Full-grain leather is the most expensive, but it’s commonly used to make high-end designer purses and shoes.

For many products, people often make the mistake of only knowing about the top-grain or the split which is genuine leather. When you’re buying your leather goods like a briefcase, jacket, or shoes, it’s important to know about the types of leather. Interesting isn’t it!

Genuine leather

Genuine leather does not mean that the product is made of real leather (which it is), but it also means that it’s of lower quality than products made out of high-quality leather. Essentially, reading this would mean saying: “At least it’s genuine leather!”

Laminated leather is often sold as top-grain leather. It looks like the top grain leather but genuine leather costs a whole lot less. It is often the bonded/glued (which is the several layers of  leftover low-quality leather is put together and painted to perfection) leather that are laminated/painted to look uniform. Laminated leather is found in shoes, jackets, and other items from mall stores that typically have lower quality or sell at a lower price point.

In most cases, genuine leather is not as durable or high-quality as the real deal. This type of leather will typically be found in shoes from lower-end department stores, belts from cheaper mall locations, and other products marketed toward those on a budget.

This finely finished leather will do wonders for your bags and purses, but if you are keen on the quality and integrity of your material or prefer its natural look with it’s blemishes and all, you would not want this.

After being treated, the finish on this leather isn’t particularly durable and comes cheap with low quality. If you want something that lasts long and can be used daily this is not what you are looking for.

Top-grain leather

Top-grain leather is the grade of leather you’ll find in most handbags and small accessories that can be considered middle-of-the-road quality, or “fine” leather. It’s also used to make many small accessories intended for men but sold by well-known designer brands.

The best type of purse for women is a shoulder bag. Shoulder bags come in a variety of sizes, styles, and designs. They are also very functional because shoulder bags can be worn by both men and women. The best part about them is that you can use the bag for any occasion at any time through the day or night.

It’s made from splitting a piece of full-grain leather and sanding away any imperfections in the hide. It is then treated and colored to provide a completely uniform look.

Making a high-quality product can be like building a ship in a bottle. Both are time-consuming and require at least some skill to successfully complete, without taking forever. It’s also difficult to make things of the best quality, and in many cases, people settle for what is available because they want or need something that works at least. High-quality products are sometimes considerably more expensive than their lesser counterparts.

The finished product tends to look plastic-like, and not nearly as durable as the best quality leather – full-grain. It will not age well with use and will end up looking old and worn after a time.

If you are looking for something that is available in several colours and/or resistant to stains, however, then you may be interested in picking up products in this leather that has been heavily dyed and treated.

Full-grain leather

Full-grain leather comes with the full texture of a leather hide, including all marks, scars, and blemishes that enrich the texture of the material.

When thinking of leather, usually the image of weapon holsters and utility belts pops up. However, leather can also be used to make garments, upholstry, belts, briefcases, as well as other types of shoes.

It’s often used to make heavy-duty leather items, like weapon holsters and utility belts for e.g., to carry your tools while working. But this type of leather can also be used (if you know what you’re doing) for dress belts, briefcases, dress shoes, and even surgical masks!

This type of leather often has natural inclusions that are products of the animal’s life, like brands, scratch marks, or tick scars; but, because these defects come from the animals natural living conditions, some companies refuse to use these imperfect specimens which are naturally perfect. That being said, these natural markings makes this type of leather more attractive, speaks a story and therefore even more expensive.

Full-grain leather is hard as nails. The color is so deep and lustrous you might think it’s been plated in gold that catches light from all angles. As it ages and gets more used, the leather will become more supple and develop a rich patina that many people find more beautiful with age. Full-grain leather is widely recognized as the finest of all leather money can buy.

Just a reminder: if possible, you should entirely avoid leathers such as bonded leather (leather dust mixed with vinyl to create a strong leather-looking material), patent leather (leather treated with a glossy plastic finish), and corrected grain leather (flawed leather sanded down and finished with synthetic materials) – because when you’re buying anything that claims to be ‘genuine’, ‘top quality or ‘rich’ – you better make sure that it actually is, because a real full grain hide is not man made, it comes from an animal that has a story to tell.

Disclaimer – We use ethically sourced materials that are a product of the meat industry.

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