Journeys Well Made
Leather

Leather grades, explained with photos

Five kinds of leather you'll see on bags, from the best to the one to avoid, and how to tell them apart when the label doesn't.

Five leather swatches in a row on an oak table, from natural full grain to shiny bonded leather

A cowhide is too thick to use whole, so tanneries split it into layers. The top layer holds the grain, the outer surface of the skin, where the fibers are tightest and strongest. Everything below it is weaker. The grade of a leather comes down to two things: which layer it comes from, and how much its surface has been sanded, coated or faked.

  1. Close-up of full grain cognac leather with visible pores, natural wrinkles and a faint healed scar

    Grade 1 of 5

    Full grain

    Best for bags

    What it is
    The whole outer surface of the hide, left as it grew. Nothing is sanded off, so pores, wrinkles and small healed scars stay visible.
    How to spot it
    Pores you can see, and small variations from one panel to the next. It feels slightly waxy or oily and warms quickly in your hand.
    On a bag
    The strongest and longest-lasting grade. It darkens and softens with use, and scuffs blend into the patina instead of looking like damage.
  2. Close-up of smooth, even top grain leather with faint fine pores

    Grade 2 of 5

    Top grain

    Good, with trade-offs

    What it is
    The same top layer of the hide, but with the very surface lightly sanded to remove marks, then finished with a thin coat.
    How to spot it
    Smooth and even, with faint pores. It looks neater than full grain and the color is more uniform.
    On a bag
    Still a sound leather. It resists stains better when new but ages less gracefully: the finish wears at corners and handles rather than building a patina.
  3. Close-up of corrected grain leather with a heavy pigmented finish and a regular embossed pebble pattern

    Grade 3 of 5

    Corrected grain

    Fine for light use

    What it is
    Top-layer leather from lower-quality hides, sanded more heavily, then covered in pigment and stamped with an artificial grain pattern.
    How to spot it
    A pattern that repeats too perfectly, a slightly plastic sheen, and color that sits on top of the leather rather than in it.
    On a bag
    Tough and easy to wipe clean at first. Over time the coating can crack along folds, and it cannot be repaired or conditioned the way natural leather can.
  4. Close-up of tan split suede with soft napped fibers

    Grade 4 of 5

    Split leather and suede

    Not for structure

    What it is
    The lower layers of the hide, under the grain. Brushed, it becomes suede. Coated, it is often sold as "genuine leather".
    How to spot it
    Suede is soft and fuzzy on both sides. Coated split has a uniform plastic-like top and a loose, fibrous back.
    On a bag
    Weaker than any grain leather because the fibers are looser. Fine for linings and soft accents, but it stretches and tears at handles and strap points.
  5. Close-up of bonded leather peeling at a fold to show a fibrous backing

    Grade 5 of 5

    Bonded leather

    Avoid

    What it is
    Leather scraps ground up and glued onto a backing, then coated with polyurethane. It can legally be called leather in many places, but there is very little hide in it.
    How to spot it
    Very low price, a perfectly even shiny surface, and a chemical smell. At worn edges it peels in flakes.
    On a bag
    Peels and cracks within a year or two of regular use. It cannot be repaired. Skip it for anything you plan to carry.

Labels that don't mean much

  • "Genuine leather" only promises that some leather is involved. In practice it usually means coated split leather, grade 4 above.
  • "Real leather" and "premium leather" have no fixed meaning at all.
  • "Made with full grain leather" can mean only some panels are full grain. Ask which parts.
  • "Vegan leather" and "PU leather" are plastic, not leather. Some are well made, but they wear very differently from hide.

The quick test in a shop

  1. Look closely at the surface. Natural pores and small irregularities mean full grain. A perfect repeating pattern means it has been corrected.
  2. Check a cut edge, often inside a pocket or at a strap end. Grain leather is dense right to the top. A distinct plastic layer on top means a heavy coating.
  3. Bend a corner. Full grain wrinkles finely and relaxes back. Coated leather forms sharp creases, and bonded leather may crack.
  4. Ask the seller which tannery the leather comes from. Makers who use good leather are usually glad to tell you.

Which grade for a travel bag?

For a duffle or weekender you want to keep for years, choose full grain. Top grain is a fair choice if you prefer a clean, uniform look or travel only now and then. We go deeper on those two in full grain vs top grain, and our guide to what makes a bag well made covers the stitching and hardware that matter just as much as the leather.