Is suede leather or not?

Suede is a unique natural material characterized by durability, aesthetics and environmental friendliness.

Clothes made from natural products look expensive and elegant.

In order for suede products to serve for many years, you need to take their choice seriously and remember the main distinguishing properties of natural material from synthetics.

But some people wonder: “Is suede leather or not?”

Suede - what kind of material is it?

Suede is made from the skins of medium-sized animals: deer, elk, sheep, goats.

In order for the leather to take on an aesthetic appearance while maintaining its properties, it undergoes multi-stage processing.

With the help of fish, seal, bone fat, and vegetable oil, the skin is impregnated, acquiring softness and elasticity, which is very important for the manufacture of various products.

The processed animal material becomes completely velvety, so the clothes are pleasant to the touch and attractive from the inside and outside.

Differences between natural suede and synthetics

The natural product is soft like fabric and retains this property even after repeated washing with soap. The pile is very delicate and almost invisible.

Unlike its substitute, natural suede is famous for its numerous distinctive properties:

• allows air to pass through;
• with proper care, it retains its presentability and functional qualities for many years;
• absorbs a small amount of water, allowing the inside of the products to remain dry;
• retains heat perfectly.

Some characterizing qualities of high-quality material can be called disadvantages:

• requires careful care;
• absorbs dust and dirt;
• With everyday use, it quickly loses its aesthetics.

Reference! People call suede material “washable leather.”

Simple ways to distinguish natural suede from a substitute

Each of us wants to buy something made from natural material, but this does not always work out. A rich assortment makes it difficult to concentrate, and ignorance of how to distinguish natural suede from artificial one pushes you to make the wrong choice. Distinctive properties are easy to spot:

Price

Natural suede item has a high cost. But a large number of zeros in the price tag is not a guarantee that the product will be of appropriate quality.

Smell

Valuable advice - smell the products while purchasing. A natural item has a natural smell, and the substitute smells like synthetics.

To the touch

You need to run your hand over the pile; if it changes position and becomes a little lighter or darker than the main shade, then the product is made of genuine leather. Also, natural suede is pleasant to the touch, velvety and soft.

Sewing method

When purchasing a jacket, coat, or shoes, you should pay attention to their edges. They do not bend during sewing, but when using a substitute they are tucked.

Structure

When examining a product made of genuine leather, you can see pores and minor scratches. If there are no minor defects, then you have a fake in your hands. Don't be afraid to wrinkle the fabric.

If the item is made of synthetics, then a fold will appear on its surface. Natural fabric instantly returns to its original appearance.

Label with a piece of material

Conscientious manufacturers offer users to verify that the product is made of natural suede by attaching a small piece of leather to the label.

Markings on shoes and other products:

Checking with a drop of water

When purchasing a suede item, you need to check its quality with a drop of water. If the material is obtained from animal skin, it will instantly absorb water. The substitute will prevent a droplet from penetrating into the fabric for several seconds.

Useful tips for choosing suede

Suede is a high-quality, but whimsical and expensive material. Therefore, you need to think a hundred times before purchasing something made from genuine leather. If you are purchasing suede for the first time, it is recommended to give preference to artificial material. It won't be such a shame if you can't properly care for the product.

There are some more useful tips for choosing suede:

1. When purchasing a product, you need to pay attention to the lining. It must be movable, which will prevent deformation of the material.
2. The natural product stretches well. Therefore, it is not recommended to buy things, especially shoes, clothes “to grow.”
3. It is difficult to find suitable clothes for suede, so before purchasing you should think about whether there are suitable items in your wardrobe.Otherwise, expensive clothes will hang uselessly in the closet.
4. The first “suede” purchase should be an accessory: handbag, gloves, strap, wallet. This will help you get used to the material and find out if it is right for you.

Attention! When purchasing, you need to pay attention to how the products are stored. There must be a special filler inside the shoe to prevent deformation. Clothes should hang on hangers.

If a person prefers to wear clothes made of suede, this speaks of his impeccable taste. Well-groomed, clean things bring joy to the owner for many years and allow him to stay warm in cold weather and increase his status in the eyes of those around him. What to choose, a natural product or synthetics, is a personal decision of each person, in which material capabilities play a large role.