Leather shoppers are often presented with a wide range of terms that sound similar despite referring to very different materials.
Some terms describe leather cut directly from an animal hide. Others describe synthetic plastics designed to imitate the look of leather. Some indicate that leather is present but provide little information about the material itself.
This guide provides short explanations of some of the most common leather-related terms you may encounter when shopping online.
Leather
Real Leather
Throughout this website, when we say “real leather,” we mean leather where each piece is cut from a single animal hide.
Leather is a natural material produced by tanning animal skins and hides, a process that permanently transforms the hide and prevents it from decomposing. The most common leathers are made from cattle, sheep, goats, buffalo, and pigs. After tanning, leather may be dyed with color, finished, and crafted into products ranging from footwear and bags to furniture and accessories.
Real leather is valued for its durability, longevity, repairability, and ability to develop patina over time. It does not include PU leather, faux leather, vegan leather, synthetic leather, bonded leather, or other reconstituted alternatives that are not cut directly from an animal hide.
Full-Grain Leather
Full-grain leather is leather that retains the outermost surface of the hide. It is often valued for its durability, natural appearance, and ability to develop patina over time.
Top-Grain Leather
Top-grain leather is real leather that has had its outer surface refined or lightly sanded to create a more uniform appearance. It remains leather cut from an animal hide but may age differently than full-grain leather.
Suede
Suede is a type of leather made from the underside of an animal hide. It is known for its soft, textured surface and is commonly used in footwear, clothing, and accessories.
Partially Leather
Genuine Leather
Genuine leather indicates that leather is present. However, the term by itself provides relatively little information about the source material, construction, processing methods, durability, or expected lifespan of the finished product. If you are searching for real leather products be wary of the term Genuine Leather. For more information see “How to Tell if a Leather Product Online Is Actually Leather”.
Bonded Leather
Bonded leather is a manufactured material made from leather fibers and scraps combined with synthetic binders (glue) and other materials. It is not cut from a single animal hide.
Split Leather
Split leather is created from the lower layers of a hide after the outer grain layer has been separated. It may be used on its own or further processed into other leather products.
Leather Alternatives (Not Leather)
PU Leather
PU leather is a synthetic material typically made using polyurethane and other plastic-based materials. Despite the name, it is not leather made from animal hide.
Faux Leather
Faux leather is a synthetic material designed to imitate the appearance of leather. It is not made from animal hide.
Vegan Leather
Vegan leather is a broad term used for materials that do not contain animal hide. Most vegan leathers on the market today are synthetic materials, though some products incorporate plant-based components such as Apple Leather. These items simply imitate the look of real leather and are a great alternative for those not wanting a real leather product.
Synthetic Leather
Synthetic leather is a general term for manufactured materials designed to resemble leather without using animal hide. These materials are commonly plastic-based, and often stamped with realistic leather patterns.
Leatherette
Leatherette is another synthetic material designed to mimic the appearance and texture of leather. It is not leather made from animal hide.
Leather Terms Are Not Equal
One of the challenges of shopping for leather online is that very different materials are often marketed using similar terminology.
For example, full-grain leather, bonded leather, and PU leather may all contain the word “leather,” despite referring to fundamentally different materials.
When evaluating a product, it is often useful to focus less on whether the word “leather” appears in the description and more on whether the seller clearly explains what the material is actually made from.
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