When shopping for leather, you want the quality to match your expectations. A big part of that is knowing what each leather grade means. Understanding the difference between the grades can help make sure you get a fair price—and have more confidence when making a purchase. Leather is typically classified into three groups, or grades. The characteristics of each grade can might make one type a better or worse fit for your needs. For example, if you have a tight budget but still want real leather, you might look for a genuine leather label or description. And if you want the best of the best, you’ll know to limit your search to full grain leather.

Genuine Leather

As the name suggests, genuine leather is made of real leather. However, it’s the lowest ranking leather grade. Sometimes called bonded leather, genuine leather is actually made of several layers of low-quality leather, or shavings of leftovers from more expensive leather. These pieces are connected with glue and then touched up to give the leather a more uniform look. Genuine leather doesn’t usually last as long as high-quality leather. But since it’s the least expensive, genuine leather can be a good match for lots of products. It is often used in belts, shoes, or bags.

Top Grain Leather

This is the middle-rank for leather. When the surface of a hide has imperfections, it might be sanded or buffed to clean it up. Altering this original surface is what creates top grain leather. This grade may not be as durable as full grain leather, but it usually comes with a nice finish. Sometimes top grain leather has a faux-grain appearance stamped into it. If durability isn’t your biggest concern, top grain leather can be a great choice.

Full Grain Leather

The top grade for leather quality is full grain leather. It includes both the top-most layer of grain, plus some of the split grain at the bottom. Full grain leather is not touched up, so the surface of the hide is kept intact, with all its original texture. It is also the strongest type of leather. As it ages, full grain leather continues to develop more depth and complexities to make it look even better. Full grain leather is a great material for both heavy-duty use and dressier pieces. It is found in utility belts and work boots, as well as briefcases and dress shoes. As the highest-quality leather grade, full grain leather is also the most expensive. Fortunately, it’s a sound investment. These pieces can quite literally last a lifetime and still look beautiful with proper care.

StecksStore appreciates all kinds of leather because each grade has something to offer with leather crafting. If you have any questions about the leathercraft tools you might need for an upcoming project, you can always send us a message! Our customer service department would be happy to help you find everything you need for your leatherwork.