Know what you are actually buying
- Full grain — the intact top surface, strongest and most expensive
- Top grain — lightly sanded, more uniform, slightly weaker
- Corrected grain — heavily sanded and embossed; often sold as 'genuine leather'
- Split / bonded — the layer below, or fibres glued together; not a substitute at the same price
Tanning and chemistry
Chrome tanning is fast, soft and dominant; vegetable tanning is slower, firmer and ages better. For the EU, the number that matters is chromium VI, restricted under REACH for articles in skin contact. Ask for a recent accredited test report on the actual production batch.
Physical tests worth running
Thickness in millimetres against spec, grain consistency across the batch, rub fastness on the finish, tear and tensile strength, and colour consistency between hides.
Traceability is now commercial, not ethical decoration
EU deforestation rules push buyers to document where a hide originated. Recording the tannery, the hide source country and the batch at purchase time is far cheaper than reconstructing it under audit pressure two years later.
Questions buyers ask
Does 'genuine leather' mean good leather?
No. It usually indicates a lower, corrected or split grade. Ask for the specific grade, thickness and tannery.
Can you test leather before shipment?
Yes — physical tests on site, plus samples pulled from the production batch and sent to an accredited laboratory for chemistry.