Suede & Nubuck
Is Suede Considered Leather? What the Label Should Tell You
Yes, real suede is leather, even when cut from a split. Learn split vs full-grain suede, faux suede names, and how to check a listing before you buy.
Yes, real suede is considered leather: it is leather with a fuzzy, napped finish taken from the underside of the skin. Even suede cut from a lower split of a thick hide still counts as leather, because the EU definition covers split hides whose fiber structure is intact. What is not leather is faux suede, a synthetic microfiber made to look like it.
Part of our suede, nubuck and roughout guide.
Where suede comes from
Suede is made mainly from lamb, though goat, calf and deer are common. Splits from thick cow and deer hides are sueded too, and they tend to have a shaggier nap. The name comes from the French gants de Suède, "gloves from Sweden".
Split suede vs full-grain suede
Not all suede is equal. Split suede is cut from the lower layer of a hide and is thin. A higher-end version, sometimes called full-grain or reverse suede, keeps the whole skin and wears the nap outward.
| Label you may see | What it means | Leather? |
|---|---|---|
| Lambskin or goatskin suede | Whole thin skin, napped on the underside | Yes |
| Split suede | Lower split of a thick hide, napped | Yes |
| Reverse or full-grain suede | Unsplit skin with the nap worn outside | Yes |
| Microsuede, Ultrasuede, faux suede | Polyester and polyurethane microfiber | No |
How to check a suede listing
- Look for the animal. A clear listing names the hide, such as "goatskin suede, 0.8-0.9 mm".
- Be wary of "genuine leather" alone. It is not a grade and often means heavily processed split.
- Check the back or a worn edge. The back of real leather shows a suede-like nap, while some faux leathers show a napped microfiber that only looks similar.
- Read the disclosure. Under the FTC Leather Guides, non-leather that looks like leather should be labeled as not leather.
Is suede good quality?
It can be. Suede is softer than full-grain leather but less durable, because it lacks the tough outer grain. It also absorbs liquids quickly. For how it holds up outdoors, see can you wear a suede jacket in the rain?. For the leather that looks like suede but keeps its grain, read nubuck vs suede.
An example listing
The Leather Collection Cambridge suede jacket names its leather as goatskin suede, 0.8-0.9 mm (about 0.03 in), and calls suede the inner side of the hide brushed to a nap.
Related guides
- How long suede lasts depends on care; see suede jacket care basics.
FAQ
What is split suede?
Suede made from the lower layer of a hide once the grain has been split off. It is thinner than full-grain suede.
What's another name for suede?
Hide suppliers also call it velour. Roughout is a related leather with the flesh side out, not a synonym (roughout vs suede).
LeatherGuide Editorial Team
LeatherGuide articles are researched from published sources, cited in the text, and reviewed before publication.