What is full grain leather? Leather trivia that will make you look a little smug.

Grain leather” is often listed as a material name in the product details section of leather items. Did you know that the highest quality among them is called “full-grain leather”? We will now unravel the reality of what exactly full-grain leather refers to.

What is grain leather anyway?

Before delving into derivative names such as “full-grain leather,” what exactly is the original grain leather? The answer is that it is leather that has been given a grainy texture (fine bumps and wrinkles) by “rubbing,” “shrinking” with chemicals, and “stamping” on the silver ^surface* of the leather. The term “leather” refers to leather with a smooth surface texture. Smooth leather has a smooth surface, while grain leather has a bumpy surface. In contrast, grain leather has a bumpy surface. In other words, leather with an uneven surface is collectively called grain leather.
The silver surface is the surface of the dermis from which hairs and epidermis have been removed. The surface of leather after tanning.

Left: Grain leather / Right: Smooth leather

So what kind of leather is full grain leather?

Now that we have explained grain leather, we will move on to full grain leather. Grain leather refers to all leather with a bumpy surface, whereas full-grain leather refers to grain leather that has not been processed by human hands. In other words, full-grain leather is leather with natural grains on the surface of the original leather that has not been treated with any of the aforementioned chemicals, stamping, or other processes. High-quality Italian leather is often used for full-grain leather, and full-grain leather products of high-end brands often originate from Italy. Looking at the surface of the leather, one can see that there is no regularity in the unevenness and wrinkles, indicating that the leather has a natural graininess.

Another type of grain leather, “top grain leather,” exists, which is a high quality grain leather that has undergone processing and has been processed with high technology. In other words, among grain leathers that have been processed, top grain is superior, and the overall ranking is: full grain leather > top grain leather > normal grain leather. As a side note, when looking up full-grain leather, the term “genuine leather” is also used here and there, but this term is used for all genuine leather, not just grain leather, because it refers to genuine leather (natural leather), as the English word “genuine” implies.

Why is full-grain leather so expensive?

Full-grain leather is not so easy to obtain and is extremely valuable and precious. The important point is that it is natural and has a bumpy surface, and only a limited amount of leather with beautiful grain can be obtained without processing. Like cordovan horsehide, only a small amount of this leather can be extracted from a single cow, making it a luxury leather with a high value.

What is the charm of full-grain leather that processed products do not have?

The appeal of full-grain leather is that you can enjoy the natural texture of unprocessed leather. Because there is no surface abrasion or shrinkage, the leather looks different when viewed up close, giving the leather product a more beautiful finish. It is also said to be more durable because it has not been damaged by chemicals, etc., and it produces a beautiful color and gloss over time as it is used for many years.