What Is Full Grain Leather?

The finest quality of leather is called Full Grain, and is distinguished from other types of leather as the top layer of the hide. As a result it has a very distinctive and unique pattern, which is in fact the surface of the animal it once belonged to. It has a very tight grain pattern, making it the strongest and most durable natural leather available, along with being very moisture resistant. Because the surface of the leather is what is will be immediately visible on the leather goods, full grain can only be obtained from animals which have lived a good life, and therefore develop a high quality hide to which no sanding processes are required. This allows full grain leather to develop a patina over time; something which adds to the charm of the piece as it grows older.

 

What Are The Benefits Of Using Full Grain?

Full grain leather, whilst being one of the most luxurious types of leather available is also one of the most durable. It does not need any further treatments to achieve such durability, which is why it has been a material of choice for thousands of years for clothing.

 

What Are The Drawbacks Of Full Grain?

Full grain leather has few negatives to it’s use, however there are a couple of things that should be considered before you make the decision to use it. Firstly, it is an expensive material, being the highest quality leather available and due to the increased production time involved. Secondly, although this can be seen as an element which adds charm, it is near impossible to find two pieces of full grain leather which are identical since they’re made from the actual surface of the animal. Therefore uniform or very smooth collections cannot be made from full grain leather.