Which is better, split leather or suede?

Natural suede has always been highly valued. However, not everyone can afford expensive material. If you do not want to purchase artificial substitutes, pay attention to a material such as split wood. Let's figure out what it is, how it differs from natural suede, and what is better.

Main advantages of split leather material

This is also genuine leather, only of lower quality. During dressing, the animal's skin is divided into several parts. The upper part is used to produce shoes marked “genuine leather”. And the inner layer is the split wood.

Important! Split leather is a natural material, the inner layer of leather.

Among the main characteristics and advantages of this option, we highlight:

• naturalness;
• rigidity;
• looseness;
• high density.

In appearance, this material is practically indistinguishable from first-grade leather. Therefore, this is an excellent budget option for making shoes.

On a note! To distinguish shoes made from natural suede, you need to look at its composition. Split leather shoes are glued and consist of several layers.

The disadvantages are mainly poor elasticity and water permeability. Of course, shoes made from second-class leather will deteriorate faster than those made from first-class leather. Basically, second-grade material cracks and delaminates.

Main advantages of suede

This is also genuine leather. It is made from the top layer of the base using formaldehyde-fat tanning. With this method, a double-sided fabric with pile is obtained.

Among the advantages we highlight:

• ease;
• strength;
• elasticity.

This is first grade leather. Accordingly, it has the best characteristics. More durable, stronger, more elastic.

What's best for shoes?

It all depends on the requirements. If you want a quality product that will last a long time, keep you warm and fit, and you're willing to pay a pretty penny, then go for suede.

If you need a more budget option, buy split leather. It will also last for quite a long time and retain its good appearance. But it will be worse to store heat; the service life is quite long, but still less.

Conclusion: the materials being compared are both natural, but suede is of the first grade, split leather is of a lower grade. So, for high-quality shoes the first option is better, for good budget shoes - the second.