There are generally considered four types of leather quality grades, listed from best to worst: full grain leather, top grain leather, genuine leather, and bonded leather.
Full-grain leather is considered the highest quality, and is left in the most natural state: It is not split at all, and consists of the entire top layer of the leather. It is durable, and maintains many of the natural characteristics and inconsistencies of the leather.
Bonded leather is the lowest (and the cheapest) grade of leather. Common Uses: Making furniture, bookbinding, and various fashion accessories. Though there are four basic types of leather, you can find a wide range of options based on the percentage of organic material, durability, and the finishing process.
Grade 1 Leathers:
Grade 1 leathers are usually from Brazil, China and some Domestic. Most of the hides in this price point contain scars or surface blemishes. To make the hides suitable for upholstering they are lightly sanded down, and the surface is embossed with an artificial grain pattern that hides the blemishes.
There are generally considered four types of leather quality grades, listed from best to worst: full grain leather, top grain leather, genuine leather, and bonded leather.
Its surface structure should not be completely uniform and will include blemishes and imperfections. (Hints of imperfections are a good sign in leather.) A perfectly uniform grain indicates low quality.
Natural Leather
These premium hides are the highest quality of leather, fully authentic because they retain character marks such as scars, stretch marks, and subtle shade variations. Over time, these leathers soften further and develop a beautiful patina, taking on a final finish that is truly unique.
Crocodile leather is the most expensive in the world. It's the most sought-after luxury leather used by Italian tailors. Other expensive leathers often used by these same tailors include: Crocodile.
Full-grain leather is the strongest and most durable leather. Additionally, since the grain is so tight, it resists moisture very well. Over time, full-grain leather will look nicer and nicer and develop a patina from being handled. The next best—and second strongest—leather is called "top-grain" leather.
If you see “100% leather,” “full-grain leather,” “top grain leather,” or “genuine leather,” you're headed in the right direction. (Learn more about the different types of leather).
Among real leathers, full grain leather is by far the best in terms of quality. Unlike the other grains, full grain has not been separated from the top grain or split layers, and is therefore the strongest and most dependable type of leather.
As mentioned above, “Genuine Leather” only means real leather regardless whether it comes from cows, sheep, lamp etc. It is also important to note that “Genuine Leather” does not reveal any information about the animal housing or food quality and the tanning process of the leather.
Poromerics are made from a plastic coating (usually a polyurethane) on a fibrous base layer (typically a polyester). The term poromeric was coined by DuPont as a derivative of the terms porous and polymeric.
What Is Premium Leather? Also known as full-grain leather, premium leather refers to the outermost layer. Its epidermis undergoes treatment to get rid of imperfections and ensure the uniformity of its texture. When it comes to tactile qualities, it feels supple and gains a natural skin tone after some time.
Polyurethane upholstery is the most realistic imitation of genuine leather, with respect to hand, surface feel, and overall appearance.
We use cattle hide for most of our leather furniture, but we also use goatskin. To ensure high quality and low prices, we use leather from countries around the world, and around half of the leather we use comes from Brazil.
PU leather will be the closest in appearance to real leather and may even look and feel like real leather in some instances. Bonded leather will be easiest to spot because it will look the most synthetic and is thinner than most faux and real leathers.
Lambskin leather provides a luxurious feel. It is the softest and thinnest leather available, and its suppleness and smoothness is appreciated in the creation of gloves for competition.
The answer is, real leather can last decades if treated well. Faux leather, on the other hand, has about a third of the lifespan of authentic leather. It also won't develop lustre or become more soft and comfortable like real leather. But, instead, faux leather looks more worn out as it ages – like most fabrics.
The Split (Suede)
The split as it is often referred to is essentially suede. Its softer, looser fibers make up the bulk of the hide. It is also the weakest part of the hide.
How to spot the difference? Genuine Leather is often sold at a cheaper price point and can be seen in lower-priced department stores. It also doesn't look as nice in comparison to Top Grain and Full Grain Leather. Genuine Leather is typically made up of multiple layers bonded with glue.