Teach Me About Leathers and Skins

[houserichichi]

Hi everyone,

I scoured through the Search function and came up with nothing noteworthy so if it hasn't been done already I would really appreciate it if someone could write a brief tutorial about leathers and other animal skins.

How would one differentiate top grain from corrected grain? Is pig better than cowhide? What are the downsides of suede? etc.

I'm trying to avoid shoe-talk or jacket-talk and speak entirely in the abstract...can anyone help me out here or direct me to a proper site?

Thanks!

 

[DocHolliday]

Corrected grain often looks plasticky. It's usually a little too shiny to be natural, and the surface lacks visual interest. It tends to look flat, dead, artificial. It often feels plasticky, too. And really bad corrected grain sometimes smells like chemicals. Good leather smells like good leather.

To learn to recognize good leather, it helps to inspect it in person. Check out a pair of brown AEs next to a pair of brown Kenneth Coles and you'll see the difference.

Suede is a versatile, durable material. It is, however, succeptible to staining, so if you're prone to spilling your coffee, you ought to be careful. You can use sprays to help make the shoes more liquid repellent, but this sometimes affects the color, particularly for light suede. Use a brush to bring up the nap as needed. Cheap suede is often prone to developing bald spots, in short order, that can't be fixed. Good suede can last a long time, but usually has a shorter lifespan than calf or shell. Your appreciation/tolerance for the way suede ages will affect this, of course. Some folks love well-worn suede, while others want to toss it once it gets too dirty.

Personally, I love pigskin for gloves and accessories. But it has a distinct look that may not be to everyone's taste. Same is true for exotics such as ostrich.