"Suede," nubuck, velvet leather, and chamois leather are all terms used to describe leathers with a velvety appearance. It can sometimes be difficult to understand the differences between all these names. It's also hard to tell them apart. What is nubuck? What is velvet leather? Are there differences between the two? What do "suede" and chamois leather refer to? We'll clarify all these points in this article to distinguish between them and answer all these questions.
What is nubuck?
No, nubuck is not an animal! It's a leather finish. This leather usually comes from cowhide and has undergone a specific treatment. This treatment involves sanding the grain side of the leather. The grain is the outer part of the skin.
This is where the hair follicles are located. This treatment gives nubuck a velvety feel, that famous "peach skin" effect that is so pleasant to the touch. Since the sanding of the skin is only superficial, the highest quality hides are necessary to make jackets, blousons, or other nubuck items. Indeed, if the skin has a stain, a scar, or any other imperfection, sanding will not erase them.
This is why nubuck garments are considered very beautiful leathers. This treatment is light, allowing the leather's grain to show through.
What is velvet leather?
Velvet leather is also a leather finish, a natural finish. It's simply the flesh side of the leather in its original state.
Goat leather (velvet goat) and lamb leather (velvet lamb) are generally the most commonly used for velvet leather. These two materials are difficult to distinguish visually.
Here too, the material is light to the touch and velvety. In common language, the term "leather" is replaced by the name of the animal from which the skin comes. So you will often hear about velvet lamb, velvet goat, or even velvet calf.
And "suede" and chamois leather... what exactly are they?
These two terms are actually linguistic approximations. They both refer to velvet leather or nubuck. So, when you hear "suede," it often refers to velvet leather or nubuck in practice.
Contrary to what one might think, "suede" does not refer to the animal. Indeed, the animal is a protected species and has been for many years. The term "suede" is commonly used to describe leathers with a velvety appearance, as is chamois leather.
What are the differences between velvet leather and nubuck?
Even though it can sometimes be difficult to visually differentiate nubuck from velvet leather, there are still notable differences. Nubuck is a greasy leather, whereas velvet leather, due to its natural state, has a directional feel when touched. In other words, it is sensitive to the direction of touch.
Both finishes have a pleasant and silky feel. As explained above, the major difference between these two leather finishes is the surface of the skin that is treated.
Grain side (external) for nubuck, flesh side (internal) for velvet leather. Velvet leather can be either sanded or brushed to achieve its velvety feel. It is generally thicker than nubuck.
Another difference is that nubuck uses the highest quality hides. Indeed, since the sanding is on the grain side (exterior), no aesthetic skin defects are acceptable. In the case of velvet leather, the aesthetic aspect of the external skin (grain side) is less important.
Whether it's made of nubuck or velvet leather, your jacket or blouson requires special care. These leathers are more delicate than classic leathers. Waterproofing is strongly recommended after purchasing an item made of velvet leather or nubuck. It is also recommended not to expose these materials to sunlight for prolonged periods. These leathers are sensitive to discoloration.
