What Are Different Leather Grades in Furniture?

Bonded Leather

• Bonded leather is the lowest quality of leather and also the cheapest. It is patched together from scraps of leather, which makes it less durable and not as suitable for furniture that will be used by children or animals.

Split Grain Leather

• Split grain leather is stronger than bonded leather because it is made from a single piece. However, it is made from the inside of the hide so it is lower quality than top grain leather and full grain leather because it is not as durable as the outer hide.

Top Grain Leather

• Top grain leather is made from the outer portion of the hide but is buffed to get rid of any imperfections. This is the longest lasting leather because it is made from the outer portion of the hide and is treated to make it last longer, but can be very expensive.

Full Grain Leather

• Full grain is the top-of-the-line leather. It is also made from the outer portion of the hide but is left unsanded. This leather is more for decoration and is unsuitable for kids or animals.

Fun Fact

• About 10 percent of the hides produced in the world in 2008 went to making furniture.