What Rough Leather Is and How It Is Made

"Rough leather" usually means roughout: leather turned so the fuzzy flesh side faces out and the smooth grain faces in. It is also called reverse leather or fleshout leather. Shoe-care maker Saphir says it is made from cow or calf leather and treated with waxes and oils.

This guide is part of our hub on leather types, grades and finishes. For a full side-by-side with suede, see roughout leather vs suede.

Rough leather at a glance

Roughout and nubuck both keep the grain layer. With roughout it faces inward, while nubuck sands it. Suede usually does not keep the grain at all.

How roughout is made

A hide has the grain, the dense outer layer, over the more fibrous corium beneath. Roughout leaves both layers together and simply faces the corium out on the finished product. Saphir describes the napped flesh side being treated with waxes and oils. Some roughouts are waxed and some are oilier, which changes how they look and wear.

The method is old. It was long used for riding and hunting boots, and for military footwear.

Is roughout tougher or more water resistant?

Sources disagree, so here are both views.

• For: Saphir says rough-out resists water and scratches, making it a good pick for boots that face snow and mud. Bootmaker Chisos goes further, claiming excellent water resistance and durability against cuts. Its evidence is anecdotal hose demonstrations.
• Against: Footwear magazine Stitchdown says roughout is not used because it is stronger or more water resistant than the grain side. Its real advantage, Stitchdown says, is that it keeps a steady look and does not show wear as easily as smooth leather.

Both camps agree on one point: scuffs show less on a napped surface than on smooth leather. Water resistance mostly comes from added wax or waterproofing, which tanneries often apply.

Where you will find rough leather

You will mostly find it on boots. Its history is in riding, hunting and military boots, and bootmakers still use it today. Stitchdown calls it a strong choice for work boots, where a lived-in look does not matter.

Caring for roughout

Roughout needs less routine care than smooth leather. A stiff bristle brush evens out the nap and lifts dirt. If you clean it with water, let it dry naturally overnight and never by a radiator, which can dry and shrink it. Suede and nubuck have their own guides in our suede, nubuck and roughout hub. For full step-by-step routines, see how to care for suede leather.

Buying tips

• Ask whether it is roughout or suede. Roughout keeps the grain layer. Split suede is thinner.
• Ask about wax. A waxed roughout behaves differently from an untreated one.
• Match the leather to the job. See the best types of leather for different uses.
• Check the label. Leather embossed or processed to look like another kind should name its real kind under US guides.

If you want a napped look in a jacket

Leather Collection does not sell roughout. For a napped surface it offers nubuck, such as the Leather Collection nubuck cafe racer jacket in 0.9-1.0 mm nubuck cowhide with a water-resistant coating. Nubuck is sanded grain, not roughout.

FAQ

What is rough leather called?

Roughout, also known as reverse leather or fleshout leather. Napped leathers more generally are suede and nubuck.

Is roughout leather the same as suede?

No. Roughout is a full hide with the flesh side out. Suede comes from buffing or splitting away the corium. Our roughout vs suede comparison, linked above, goes deeper.

What is the difference between smooth leather and rough leather?

The surface facing out. Smooth leather shows the grain, and rough leather shows the napped flesh side. Rough leather hides scuffs better.

What type of leather is bumpy?

Pebbled leather. Its pattern is usually pressed in by embossing. See common leather textures and the types of leather finishes.