My uncle is a huge fan of leather goods and always gives us explanations about them… even though no one pays much attention lol. His birthday is coming up, and we all want to treat him to a wallet, watch, or jacket. I know it depends on the specific item we’re looking for, but he always talks about these two types of leather, so I wanted some basic guidance on how to find a product he’d like that fits our budget (maybe around $80 per item)
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Leather quality is usually ranked in descending order of durability and authenticity as:
Full-grain leather: The highest quality leather, made from the majority of the animal’s hide, leaving only the hair and flesh. It’s thicker and heavier, and retains the hide’s natural grain. Full-grain leather improves with age and is unique with every mark.
Top-grain leather: Made by sanding or buffing away the outermost layer of the hide. It’s considered mid-range quality and is used in most branded handbags.
Split leather: A lower grade of leather made from the bottom cut of the hide.
Bonded leather: The lowest quality leather
EDIT: If you’re in the US and really want to impress your uncle get something that’s been tanned in one of the last remaining US tanneries like Horween Leathers
it has to do with the part of the animal hide that is used for the leather. “Full grain” is considered the best since it’s made from the most durable part of the animal hide (includes multiple ‘layers’ of the skin).
personally i like this one brand called “satchel and paige”, they specialize in high quality leather, I have always been happy with their products! I’m sure you can find a nice gift from that shop, though you may need to spend more than $80 to get high quality leather + good workmanship.
Usually grain leather feels smoother and less natural compared to full grain leather. Plus, full grain leather holds up way better against wear and tear (the smell is usually the biggest giveaway when you’re trying to figure out which one you have). That said, grain leather is still a solid option for the budget you have ❤️
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