Nowadays leather products are omnipresent. A wide range of products are made of leather such as shoes, furniture, wallets, and clothes and so on. Many salesmen claim that their products are made of leather, which contribute to a noble and expensive image. As a matter of fact, leather falls into three main types.
Genuine leather
The main sources of raw material for the leather industry world-wide are animals like cow, sheep and goats. In fact, most leather is tanned cow leather. Genuine leather can be further divided into five types. Full grain leather enjoys the highest quality, which boasts the greatest fiber strength and durability. It is made from finest material without being sanded. This kind of leather is widely used in footwear production. Top grain leather has been sanded with one side fuzzy and the other side smooth. The artificial grain takes place of its natural grain. Suede is made from the lower split of a hide, which is napped or sanded to add texture. Cow suede, doe suede, goat suede and pig suede are available in the market. Due to its formation, suede is often less durable and resistant to abrasion and is also susceptible to water damage. But its softness, thinness, and pliability make great contribution to its popularity in clothing making. What’s more, suede easily gets dirty. Shearling is a kind of leather which has been tanned with wool still adhering to the skin. It is widely used in boots, winter jackets and coats making. Nubuck is made from the outer side of a hide, which enjoys great strength, thickness and fine grain. Shoes with high quality, belts and some fine wholesale handbags are made from this kind of leather.