For the majority of leather products purchased in Vietnam, the product materials are usually listed as “Real Leather”. However, for products made in Europe, America, Japan… the ingredients are clearly stated, often as: Full Grain, Top grain, Protected Grain, Corrected Grain, Genuine Leather, Suede… Is a If you are a lover of leather goods, you must have wondered about the quality of the ingredients listed on the product. Let HAT+ help you distinguish the quality of these real leathers

Full Grain – Grade 1 skin

Full grain is the top layer of leather and is kept in its original state without any sanding, polishing… This is the best quality leather, and only cows are cared for. In a strict environment, clean hygiene can avoid scars caused by scabies, rubbing yourself with a few thorns, cactus or insect bites… can only use leather as full Grain leather.
Full Grain leather keeps the skin particles intact, the top epidermis layer of the skin is very natural and durable. The surface of the skin is still permeable to the pores, so Full Grain if used as a shoe is very airy, especially in hot and humid weather conditions. Full Grain used as a bag is very luxurious, when used, it will produce a natural patina layer that makes the product have “timed color, soft gloss and very smooth.
Depending on the treatment of dyeing and protective coating for the leather, Full Grain is divided into:
– Full Grain Aniline – Grade 1 rustic leather: It is a type of leather that is only dyed through, not covered with 100% natural surface.
– Full Grain Semi-Aniline – Natural Grade 1 Leather: A type of leather that is dyed and lightly coated with surface polymers to reduce staining and water absorption, still having natural permeability.
– Full Grain Protected Leather (Pigmented Leather) – 1st layer leather with protective coating: the leather has a thicker polymer coating surface, no longer has natural permeability but the advantage is anti-fouling and waterproofing.
Do your full Grain leather goods have a few small scars, a few insect bites or marks of skin folds? Do not rush to assume that it is not perfect, in fact, for many people, you are owning a very valuable leather goods

Corrected Grain – Grade 1 skin

It is the first layer of cowhide, but the surface is scrubbed and ground to remove imperfections such as scars, scratches, etc., before covering with a surface layer shaped like natural leather particles. This is the type of leather commonly used in high-end products. It’s durable, even, and perfect. Because it is grade 1 leather, when using leather, it still creates a layer of patina (natural color) to create class and luxury for leather products.

Top Grain – Grade 2 skin

Top Grain Leather is the second best quality leather after Full Grain, created when part of the top layer of leather is removed, so this leather is quite durable. The surface of Top Grain is repeated many times to make it very smooth, smooth a surface coating and shape leather grain, pattern … according to the manufacturer’s intention.
Top Grain leather does not produce a natural patina layer during use, so with Top Grain leather products, manufacturers often create a very smooth, even and soft artificial surface layer. like Full Grain skin on contact. Because it is covered with a surface layer, Top Grain leather is more resistant to stains, impermeable as long as the surface coating remains intact. use.
This is also a good quality leather and is very commonly used in fashion and household products.

Genuine Leather – Grade 3 skin

The third layer of leather is the lowest quality of all genuine leather products. Genuine Leather – Grade 3 leather has lost all of the strongest texture of the leather, so manufacturers often use glue and surfactants to make it look like Top Grain or Full Grain leather. Genuine Leather when no surface layer is used is called suede.

Bonded Leather

Bonded leather is a type of leather that uses dust and shavings of real leather mixed with glue, pressed together and coated with a polymer (usually quite thick) to create a surface like the upper layers of leather. The use of rolled leather reduces waste in the process of using leather, which has a good impact on the environment. However, this type of leather has poor durability, it is difficult to create luxury for leather goods.
Bonded leather is not classified as genuine leather, but because its composition still includes genuine leather, if using fire to try to burn it, the leather still produces a characteristic burning smell. Therefore, HAT+ lists them here so that you have more information to distinguish when choosing your favorite leather products.
Today, manufacturers are so excellent at creating surface coatings that if salespeople don’t understand leather well or are not objective when advising customers, knowing the quality of leather types will help. You understand the true value of the leather item you choose.