By Leather has been in the game since time immemorial for its extremely durable nature. People have been using it for manufacturing furnishings, clothes, shoes, and more. Apart from longevity, leather is also popular for the sophisticated look and classy finish it provides.
Investing in leather is worth every penny. It adds to your fashion statement while ensuring it lasts for a prolonged period. However, before you get your hands over the leather handbag that you’ve been eyeing for quite some, you should know what type of leather it is and how long it’s going to last.
- Full Grain
All the natural grains are jam-packed into full grain leather. It’s extracted from the top-most layer of a hide. This variety consists of all the durability and strength of the hide. Plus, its beauty is an added bonus. Based on how the product is used, full grain leather can last as high as 100 years.
Given its top-notch quality, full-grain leather remains one of the most expensive options available. When the leather absorbs oil over time, the appearance is altered. And sometimes in a good way, making it look more appealing.
- Top-Grain
In terms of quality, the top-grain leather remains in the second position. It’s free from any imperfections and is stained to cover up blemishes for an attractive outer appearance.
Essentially, top-grain is made from the upper-most layer of the hide as full grain. But, here, the imperfections are concealed. It’s ideal for making a leather messenger bag.
When sanded, it gives a smoother feeling compared to full grain and becomes more flexible. Strength-wise, top-grain exhibits similar properties to that of full grain leather. You can expect it to last for decades.
- Corrected Grain
After the upper-most layer has been used for manufacturing top grain and full grain, the next layers are used to make corrected grain leather. This type of leather is durable and is considered tougher as compared to other layers on the top.
The corrected grain leather is mostly used for making things where it doesn’t have to be soft, such as furniture. To conceal the imperfections, it’s sanded, painted, and engraved with a leather pattern. It gives the look of top-grain and full-grain leather.
- Bonded Leather
After everything that has been used to carve out the three types of leather mentioned above, the rest is used to produce bonded leather. It involves the use of dust, shavings, and leftovers. All of them are bonded together with the help of latex or polyurethane.
After molding, the leather is sprayed to match the look of top grain or full grain leather. However, you shouldn’t forget that bonded leather is the lowest in terms of quality, making it the cheapest option available in the market. Over time it cracks, peels, and fades despite your efforts to maintain it. You can expect it to last around 5 to 10 years.
Conclusion
Leather handbags, shoes, wallets, jackets, furniture, and many more products are manufactured using different varieties of leather. The best part about original leather is that its look is only going to enhance with use over time.
So, investing in a good-quality leather product is worth every penny. The materials aim to put an end to our disposable nature. It happens because furniture, accessories, and clothes made out of leather tend to last for a prolonged period and, in some cases, even for a lifetime. You need not think twice before getting your hands over a leather product. You just need to make sure that the product you’re buying is made of high-quality leather.
