Materials · 5 min read
Full-grain, top-grain, corrected grain: what to specify
Three bags can look identical in a photo and cost 40% apart. The difference is almost always the surface of the leather — and it is the first thing to put in writing.
Full-grain
The surface is left intact. You see the animal's natural grain, and small scars and growth marks are part of the material. It is the most durable option and the only one that develops a real patina. It is also the most expensive, because only the best part of the hide can be used without correction.
Specify it when the leather is the product: a bag that should look better in year three than in month one.
Top-grain
The surface is lightly sanded to remove marks, then finished. Grain is more uniform, colour is easier to match across a run, and the price sits below full-grain. Most mid-market bags are top-grain, and for good reason: it is predictable.
Specify it when consistency across colours and repeat orders matters more than patina.
Corrected grain
The surface is sanded and embossed with a pattern to cover flaws. It is the cheapest and the most uniform. It is also the least durable: the finish, not the hide, is doing the work, and it can crack where the bag folds.
Use it for price-led lines and promotional ranges — not for a bag you expect to be used daily for years.
The four lines to put on a spec sheet
Grade and tannage — e.g. full-grain, chrome-tanned.
Thickness — 1.2–1.4 mm for soft bags, 1.6–1.8 mm for structured, 2.0 mm+ for belts.
Finish — aniline, semi-aniline, pigment, or waxed.
Colour reference — a Pantone code or a physical swatch. Screens lie.
What we do with it
We match the closest stock leather or develop a new finish with the tannery, then send a cutting of the actual hide with the sample. If your market requires REACH or Proposition 65 documentation, tell us at the brief stage — it changes which tannery we buy from.