When choosing timeless accessories made from premium materials like leather, top grain leather stands amongst the highest ranks of leather grade and is preferred by many premium brands. Top Grain leather is a timeless material that grows character and patina as time passes.
The top grain leather is used in many applications like premium leather bags, jackets, belts, shoes, furniture, and more. Here in this complete top-grain leather guide, we will see what is top-grain leather and will dive into detailed features of top-grain leather, how to choose top-grain leather and its comparison with other types of leather, top-grain leather usage, applications, and more.
What is Top-Grain Leather?
Top grain leather is derived from the topmost layer of animal hide and it is sanded off and buffed to remove the imperfections and smoothen out the leather surface.
This buffing removes the imperfections but also removes the natural grains of leather and hence it becomes slightly less durable as compared to full-grain leather.
Top grain leather still retains the natural texture of leather to some extent but due to buffing the imperfections it has a slightly more processed look and feel.
What is Top-grain leather made of?
Top grain leather can be made from any kind of animal hide but mostly buffalo and cowhide leather is preferred for making top grain leather.
Top-grain Leather can also be made from other animals like pigs, goats, deer, and horses. Some of the exotic leathers are also made from alligators, crocodile, and snakes.
To make the top-grain leather, high-quality cattle hide is selected and then it goes through a cleaning process to remove any dirt, hair, or other impurities. They are then soaked in water to make them easier to work with.
The hides are then split into layers, the top layer is used to make the top-grain leather and other lower layers are used to make split leather. The top grain layer then goes through a process of buffing and sanding to remove imperfections and blemishes.
This results in a smooth and even surface of leather. After this step, the top-grain leather goes through a tanning and dyeing process to give it the desired color.
Key Features of Top-Grain Leather
Top-grain leather has some key characteristics that can be used to distinguish top-grain leather from full-grain leather.
Natural Grainy Pattern: Top grain leather retains the natural grain pattern and each hide looks unique.
Smell: Top grain leather has a distinct leathery smell which is natural and is desired by many leather lovers. It should not have a chemical or synthetic smell.
Smooth surface: Top-grain leather has a smooth and even surface due to sanding off imperfections and blemishes.
Durability: Top-grain leather is known to be very durable due to its natural grains and is very long-lasting.
Applications of Top-Grain Leather
Top grain leather is very popular and desirable for its qualities like durability, appearance, versatility, and more over its timeless growing patina.
Top grain leather is used in the manufacturing of many premium items like handbags, luggage bags, apparel, footwear, leather belts, caps, wallets, leather furniture, automobile interiors, leather sports accessories, etc.
How to choose Top-grain leather?
Choosing authentic top-grain leather, it requires close inspection of the leather surface and looks for its characteristics. Our below tips will help you select the correct top-grain leather for you.
Feel the surface: Feel the leather surface of the top grain leather with your fingers to feel its softness and suppleness. High-quality top-grain leather should feel smooth, pliable, and luxurious to the touch.
Smell the leather: Top grain leather should have a distinct leathery smell instead of a chemical or synthetic smell.
Look for Imperfections: While top-grain leather is processed to remove major imperfections, minor blemishes may still be present. Inspect the leather for any scars, scratches, or imperfections. It should not be extremely unnatural or synthetic.
Check Tags and labels: Look for the information mentioned in the labels specifying the grade and type of leather to be top grain leather.
Seek Expert Advice: If you're unsure about selecting the right top-grain leather, you can take advice from leather professionals or knowledgeable leather retailers. They can provide valuable insights and guidance to help you make an informed decision.
Although both top-grain and full-grain leather are high-quality leather they still have distinct characteristics and one is required to look closely to identify full-grain or top-grain leather. Let's see the difference between these two.
Basis
Full Grain Leather
Top Grain Leather
Description
Full-grain leather is derived from the topmost layer of the animal hide but undergoes very little processing and retains the natural grain pattern and imperfections, such as scars and wrinkles.
Top-grain leather is also derived from the top layer of the hide, just like full-grain leather. The top layer is processed to make it smoother.
Look and feel
Full-grain leather has a grainy texture and looks rustic. It feels slightly uneven to the touch.
Top-grain leather has a uniform texture and appearance with a smoother surface due to the removal of imperfections. It feels smoother to touch.
Durability
Full-grain leather is known for its high durability due to its natural grainy structure. With proper care, this leather can last for many decades with a growing rich patina.
While top-grain leather is also very durable but it might be less durable as compared to full-grain leather.
Price
Full-grain leather is more expensive as compared to top-grain leather due to its natural characteristics.
Top grain leather is priced slightly less than full grain leather and hence it is considered by many people as an affordable alternative for full grain leather.
Top-Grain Leather vs Genuine Leather
Basis
Top Grain Leather
Genuine Leather
Description
Top-grain leather is also derived from the top layer of the hide, just like full-grain leather. The top layer is processed to make it smoother.
Genuine leather is usually made from lower layers of the hide then it is dyed, and embossed to mimic the natural leather texture.
Look and feel
Top-grain leather has a uniform texture and appearance with a smoother surface. It feels smoother to touch.
Genuine leather has a uniform and smooth texture due to chemical processes including painting and embossing leather.
Durability
While top-grain leather is also very durable due to sanding of the upper layer, this might be less durable as compared to full-grain leather.
While genuine leather can still be durable, it does not offer a long life and resistance to wear and tear as full-grain leather.
Price
Top grain leather is more expensive as compared to genuine leather.
Genuine leather is a cheaper alternative to top grain leather. The price is less due to low quality and low durability.
Smell
Top-grain leather has a natural distinct leathery smell.
Genuine leather has a chemical and synthetic smell to it.
It is derived from the top layer of the hide, just like full-grain leather. However, it undergoes additional processing to buff the imperfections, resulting in a smoother surface.
PU leather is made from synthetic materials like polyurethane to mimic the look and texture of natural leather.
Look and feel
Top-grain leather has a uniform texture and appearance with a smoother surface due to the removal of imperfections. It feels smoother to touch.
PU leather has a uniform, consistent, and smooth texture due to synthetic processes including dyeing and embossing.
Durability
While top-grain leather is also very durable due to sanding of the upper layer, this might be less durable as compared to full-grain leather.
Pu leather is not durable and lasts only a few years. It also starts to peel off after a few years.
Price
Top grain leather is priced slightly less than full grain leather and hence it is considered by many people as an affordable alternative for full grain leather.
PU leather is a cheaper alternative of genuine leather. The price is less due to low quality and low durability.
Smell
Top-grain leather has a natural distinct leathery smell.
PU leather has a chemical and synthetic smell to it.
Conclusion:
Top grain leather is among the high grades of leather and is desired for its durability and natural look. Top-grain leather is used in many products like fashion accessories, sports accessories, furniture, and more.
Due to its high quality, top-grain leather is costlier as compared to other grades of leather like genuine and split leather.
We hope this blog helped you to understand what is top grain leather and how it is different from other leather, and its usage. Our tips for choosing the top-grain leather will help you make an informed choice.
