Leather Jacket Quality Grading
What 'genuine leather' actually means
The leather industry uses confusing terminology — 'genuine leather' can mean anything from premium full-grain to bonded scraps. As a wholesale buyer, knowing the actual grade hierarchy lets you price your retail tier correctly and stop being misled.
Grade 1 — Full-grain leather. The outermost layer of the hide, with the natural grain preserved. Strongest, develops patina over time, most expensive. Used in premium retail (€500+). Savas Textile's lambskin and best sheepskin lines are full-grain.
Grade 2 — Top-grain leather. The outer hide with the very top surface sanded and refinished for uniformity. Loses some natural character but more consistent, slightly less expensive. Standard for mid-tier retail (€250-500).
Grade 3 — 'Genuine leather' (corrected-grain). This is the trap. Industry-coded 'genuine leather' = lower layers of the hide, surface heavily corrected, coated with polymer for appearance. Real leather, but the cheapest real leather you can sell. Acceptable for €100-250 value retail if labeled honestly.
Grade 4 — Bonded / PU-coated. Leather scraps glued together with PU coating. Sometimes labeled 'leather' in retail descriptions. Avoid unless you're specifically positioning a vegan/budget tier and labeling it correctly.
How Savas Textile labels. Our spec sheets always state actual grade per SKU. Full-grain (premium tier), top-grain (mid tier), corrected-grain (value tier). We never label corrected-grain as 'full-grain' or 'premium' — and we expect our wholesale partners to label honestly to their retail customers too. This is what protects long-term retail trust.
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Buyer Questions
How do I tell full-grain from top-grain?+
Full-grain shows natural pores, slight imperfections, varying texture across the hide. Top-grain looks uniform, polished, sometimes glossy from the sanding-refinishing process.
Is 'genuine leather' a deceptive term?+
It's industry-coded language. It IS real leather (Grade 3), but customers often think it means premium. Honest labeling — 'corrected-grain leather' or 'value leather' — helps customer trust long-term.
What grade do most European boutiques stock?+
Top-grain dominates the €300-500 price point. Full-grain at €500+. Genuine leather at €150-250 value tier. The mix depends on your store positioning.