Suede is actually a type of leather that is made from the skin of animals that are used in the production of leather. The difference between leather and suede is that leather is made from the outer layer of animal skin and suede is made from its inner layer. The inner layer of leather is softer and can be placed in direct contact with the skin.
While leather is often made from cow skin, suede is made from sheep skin. Although the skin of other animals such as calf, goat and deer are also used in the production of this fabric.
In order to reduce the animal injuries of leather producers and deal with the negative effects of suede, fabric manufacturers have also produced different types of artificial suede, which are more durable and more affordable than natural suede fabrics.
Features of Suede
Suede has a long-lasting surface, which is also called napped. While most types of leather are soft, suede has more similarities with yarn and other vegetable fabrics than with animal skin, and looks like matte suede and shiny leather.
Unlike regular leather, which is quite thick, suede is thin, making it suitable for making finer goods. Suede is difficult to clean, the washing machine damages it, since suede gets dirty quickly, it should be cleaned professionally and regularly.
Different types of suede fabric
While there is only one type of genuine suede, there are other alternatives available.
Jeer:
While there are many alternatives to suede on the market, only the natural type made from animal skin is true suede.
Ultrasuede:
Ultrasuede was one of the first alternatives to suede in the market. Developed in 1970 by Japanese scientist Miyoshi Okamoto, most types of ultrasuede are made from 80% polyester microfiber and 20% polyurethane plastic. Unlike animal suede, ultrasuede can be washed in the washing machine and dried in the dryer.
Alcantara:
Alcantara is another brand name to refer to ultra-black. This fabric was a joint project between the Japanese company Toray and the Italian company Alcantara. This fabric is the same as ultrasuede, and like synthetic fabrics, Alcantara can be washed in the washing machine. While Ultraswid has industrial uses in addition to clothing, Alcantara is used in the preparation of car interior covers.
Suede silk:
It is possible to combine silk with a chemical process to make it look like suede. Suede silk has all the advantages of silk and, unlike normal suede, it is machine washable.
Applications of suede
Suede fabric is used in various clothes and accessories.
One of its most common uses is in the production of shoes, especially dress shoes.
In addition, it is also used in the preparation of clothes.
This fabric is also used in the handbag production industry.
