Types of Leather: Layers, Finishes and Tanning Explained

The types of leather differ by the layer of hide used, the tanning and the finish. Those three choices, far more than the word leather on a label, decide how a bag holds up over the years. This guide ranks the leathers you meet in bags and small leather goods, from the toughest to the most delicate, with what each is really worth on a leather shoulder bag for men.

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Types of leather by layer of hide

A thick hide is split into layers. The top layer, the grain, carries the natural surface and the tightest fibres: it is the strongest. Full grain leather keeps it intact, pores and marks included. Top grain, or corrected grain, is sanded and coated with a pigmented film to hide flaws. Split leather comes from the lower layer: less dense, it often becomes suede or gets a film that imitates grain.

Type	Layer	Strength	How it ages
Full grain	Intact grain	Very high	Develops a patina
Top grain	Sanded grain	High	Stays uniform
Split leather	Lower layer	Medium	Can mark
Bonded leather	Glued fibres	Low	Flakes apart
PU leather	None, synthetic	Varies	Peels in time

Leather types defined by their finish

The same hide changes name with its surface treatment. Nappa leather is a very soft grain leather dyed through. Patent leather gets a glossy coating that makes it almost waterproof. Pebbled leather carries an embossed texture that hides scratches. Crazy Horse leather is oiled and waxed and lightens at every fold. Nubuck and suede are buffed for a velvet feel.

Nappa: soft and supple, dislikes repeated rubbing.
Patent: glossy and water resistant, cracks at folds.
Pebbled: tough, hides everyday marks.
Crazy Horse: fast patina, scratches fade when rubbed.
Nubuck and suede: velvet touch, sensitive to water and grease.

Tanning, the part you cannot see

Chrome tanning is fast and cheap, and gives supple leather with bright colours that change little. Vegetable tanned leather spends weeks in bark tannins: firmer at first, it darkens and builds a patina with light and handling. Neither is better in absolute terms. Chrome suits bright colours and soft bags, vegetable tanning suits objects you keep for years.

Fake and reconstituted leathers

Two families often pass for leather. Bonded leather glues ground scraps together: it contains leather, but it flakes at the folds within a few years. PU leather is fully synthetic, a polyurethane film on a fabric backing, light and even, and it does not pretend to age like leather.

What our catalogue shows

Out of the 1,109 products in our shop, 397 mention leather. 86 are listed as genuine leather, 84 as PU leather, 38 as cowhide, 33 as full grain and 10 as Crazy Horse. None is nappa or patent leather: both finishes handle rubbing against a hip and the knocks of a daily bag poorly. To tell full grain from top grain, look at the edge, the smell and the pores, never the label alone.

Our leather selection

Leather shoulder bags for men, from tablet size to laptop bags.
Leather messenger bags, with flaps, for office and city.
Mens leather wallets, in cowhide and Crazy Horse.

See all leather shoulder bags for men

Conclusion

For a bag carried every day, aim for full grain or a pebbled or oiled finish, which take the wear and improve with it. Keep nappa and patent for objects you treat gently, and take PU leather for what it is: light and affordable, not everlasting. Browse our leather shoulder bags for men and our guide on how to condition leather.