What is Suede Fabric?
09 Nov 2023
The modern textile industry does not stand still, releasing more and more new types of fabrics every day. One such novelty is the "Suede" fabric. We will talk about what is suede and the suede fabric properties today.
As you can see from the name, the fabric skillfully imitates suede. Its front side is covered with a very short directional pile, so that the surface of the fabric looks matte and velvety, like a peach. In general, the basis of the fabric is a rather dense, elastic, and form-stable knitted fabric. It is woven from threads of two colors – darker on the underside and lighter on the face. The pile on the front surface of the fabric is not thick. Through it, you can see the knitted base. If you run your hand against the pile, the shade of the fabric will not change.
Things made of suede look stylish and expensive, whether it is a bag, gloves, or boots. It is a type of cotton fabric, which is not only natural but also artificial. Natural looks very noble, but it is expensive. Some people think this material is impractical, but it's not true. If the it is natural, it can easily withstand cleaning even with soap solutions. This is due to its properties acquired during processing.
Not everyone is ready to buy such a material for sewing suits and dresses, and many have doubts about whether the original suede is leather or not. Cheaper is an artificial fabric that has its own advantages: velvety, and softness.
What is natural suede, how to use it, and its differences from artificial one will be discussed in more detail below.
As you can see from the name, the fabric skillfully imitates suede. Its front side is covered with a very short directional pile, so that the surface of the fabric looks matte and velvety, like a peach. In general, the basis of the fabric is a rather dense, elastic, and form-stable knitted fabric. It is woven from threads of two colors – darker on the underside and lighter on the face. The pile on the front surface of the fabric is not thick. Through it, you can see the knitted base. If you run your hand against the pile, the shade of the fabric will not change.
Things made of suede look stylish and expensive, whether it is a bag, gloves, or boots. It is a type of cotton fabric, which is not only natural but also artificial. Natural looks very noble, but it is expensive. Some people think this material is impractical, but it's not true. If the it is natural, it can easily withstand cleaning even with soap solutions. This is due to its properties acquired during processing.
Not everyone is ready to buy such a material for sewing suits and dresses, and many have doubts about whether the original suede is leather or not. Cheaper is an artificial fabric that has its own advantages: velvety, and softness.
What is natural suede, how to use it, and its differences from artificial one will be discussed in more detail below.
History of Suede
Suede is a type of leather that is obtained from animal hides that have undergone a chrome plating process. This material is widely used in the production of shoes, clothing and various accessories.
The history of it has its roots in ancient times. Already several thousand years ago, people began to use them to create clothes and shoes. In ancient times, it was especially popular among peoples who lived in desert and sea areas, where this material was ideal for protection from heat and moisture.
In ancient Egypt, craftsmen used them to create clothing and shoes for pharaohs and wealthy people. The Egyptians also used them to create straps and bags. In ancient Greece and Rome, it was a popular material for sewing cloaks and robes. This type of clothing fabric clothing was a symbol of wealth and high status. In the Middle Ages, it was often used to make gloves and mittens. Suede mittens were very practical and popular as they provided warmth and protection from the wind.
The history of suede production dates back to northern Europe. Today there are two variants of the origin of the name of the material: the first is from the French word chamois, the second is from the Dutch word zeem.
The "suede" method began to be used by craftsmen around 1709 in southwestern France. The craftsmen discovered that cod-liver oil-treated cattle skins became hygroscopic. Before the final standards for treating hides were established, craftsmen experimented with lamb and pig fat, rapeseed oil and even egg yolks to achieve a longer service life of products and leather.
Later, various methods of leather processing were applied in order to increase the service life of things. And so, as a result of observations, scientists noticed that when treated with cod liver oil, the skin of any goat and sheep becomes practically not wet, products treated by this technology have high hygroscopicity. Thus, about 1709 in the south-west of France began to use a special technology of it, it had different names: chamoisage, chamoising, Fettgerberei). This is how natural suede was born.
After a while and after the appearance of many synthetic fabrics, it became possible to produce artificial one. Still, the natural piece cost a lot of money, not everyone could afford it. The emergence of artificial one made the material more accessible and relatively budgetary.
In the modern world, suede remains a popular material. It is widely used in the manufacture of shoes, clothing, bags and accessories. Suede has a special look and tactile sensations that make it attractive to many people.
Nowadays, it is in great demand, especially in footwear and furniture upholstery. Due to its excellent performance qualities this material has a stylish, modern and presentable look, durability and reliability provides a long service life, such a successful combination guarantees the relevance of this fabric for many years.
The history of it has its roots in ancient times. Already several thousand years ago, people began to use them to create clothes and shoes. In ancient times, it was especially popular among peoples who lived in desert and sea areas, where this material was ideal for protection from heat and moisture.
In ancient Egypt, craftsmen used them to create clothing and shoes for pharaohs and wealthy people. The Egyptians also used them to create straps and bags. In ancient Greece and Rome, it was a popular material for sewing cloaks and robes. This type of clothing fabric clothing was a symbol of wealth and high status. In the Middle Ages, it was often used to make gloves and mittens. Suede mittens were very practical and popular as they provided warmth and protection from the wind.
The history of suede production dates back to northern Europe. Today there are two variants of the origin of the name of the material: the first is from the French word chamois, the second is from the Dutch word zeem.
The "suede" method began to be used by craftsmen around 1709 in southwestern France. The craftsmen discovered that cod-liver oil-treated cattle skins became hygroscopic. Before the final standards for treating hides were established, craftsmen experimented with lamb and pig fat, rapeseed oil and even egg yolks to achieve a longer service life of products and leather.
Later, various methods of leather processing were applied in order to increase the service life of things. And so, as a result of observations, scientists noticed that when treated with cod liver oil, the skin of any goat and sheep becomes practically not wet, products treated by this technology have high hygroscopicity. Thus, about 1709 in the south-west of France began to use a special technology of it, it had different names: chamoisage, chamoising, Fettgerberei). This is how natural suede was born.
After a while and after the appearance of many synthetic fabrics, it became possible to produce artificial one. Still, the natural piece cost a lot of money, not everyone could afford it. The emergence of artificial one made the material more accessible and relatively budgetary.
In the modern world, suede remains a popular material. It is widely used in the manufacture of shoes, clothing, bags and accessories. Suede has a special look and tactile sensations that make it attractive to many people.
Nowadays, it is in great demand, especially in footwear and furniture upholstery. Due to its excellent performance qualities this material has a stylish, modern and presentable look, durability and reliability provides a long service life, such a successful combination guarantees the relevance of this fabric for many years.
What Are the Different Types of Suede?
Natural suede comes in two types:
Natural nubuck
Nubuck is produced from hides of cattle by the simpler method of chrome tanning and sanding. The pile is short, relatively stiff and elastic. The advantages of nubuck - are density, lower price compared to natural fabric, homogeneous structure. The material is wear-resistant, is not afraid of abrasion . That's why they cover furniture and can withstand temperatures from -20 to 35 + degrees Celsius. Nubuck holds its shape, is suitable for making bags, bags and can be treated well with anti-damp spray.
After processing, the material is:
- Soft, like woven fabric;
- elastic;
- velvety on both sides;
- wear-resistant;
- absorbs moisture better than cotton;
- relatively easy to care for;
- it can be washed in soapy water if necessary.
There are disadvantages. Nubuck does not like water - you will have to use special dry cleaning products or steam cleaners. It is not as soft and gentle to the touch as suede.
Natural velour
Velour is obtained from spilk, i.e. e. The lower layer of the cover. Visually, velour is a material with a long pile, soft, suede-like. Its main difference is the smooth back side, without velvety. For sewing shoes, most often velour is used, although in the characteristics they write "suede". The fact is that the word "velour" in Russian buyers associate it with knitted pile fabric, which is cheap upholstered furniture.
Advantages:
- cheaper than nubuck and suede;
- easy to care for;
- looks almost identical to suede;
- homogeneous in texture.
Disadvantages:
- Thinner and therefore less durable than suede or nubuck;
- wears out relatively quickly;
- gets wet because it is not treated with grease during production.
Artificial piece is made in different ways. The most common woven version of its production (more qualitative), is when the material is made of microfiber threads, then split into small lint.
The second option for manufacturing artificial one is nonwoven. On the base (woven, nonwoven, knitted), a polymer coating is applied, which is then sanded (often by laser) to velvety. The second method of nonwoven artificial suede production is electrostatic. A layer of glue is applied to a smooth processed base, then viscose or polyamide fibers having a length of about 0.3-1 millimeters are perpendicularly glued to it. Such suede turns out to be quite beautiful in appearance but is subject to rapid wear and tear.
Convenience and comfort, style and configuration pleases the eye, and the coating was soft and pleasant. This is because such properties are valued sofa from artificial suede – most models look respectable, no worse than leather sofas for the office and home. However, they are not as in demand as models with more practical upholstery, because many people know how difficult it is to return a new look to shoes, gloves and bags made of suede leather. But sofas made of this material are a different matter, and it is much easier to take care of such upholstery than haberdashery products.
Natural nubuck
Nubuck is produced from hides of cattle by the simpler method of chrome tanning and sanding. The pile is short, relatively stiff and elastic. The advantages of nubuck - are density, lower price compared to natural fabric, homogeneous structure. The material is wear-resistant, is not afraid of abrasion . That's why they cover furniture and can withstand temperatures from -20 to 35 + degrees Celsius. Nubuck holds its shape, is suitable for making bags, bags and can be treated well with anti-damp spray.
After processing, the material is:
- Soft, like woven fabric;
- elastic;
- velvety on both sides;
- wear-resistant;
- absorbs moisture better than cotton;
- relatively easy to care for;
- it can be washed in soapy water if necessary.
There are disadvantages. Nubuck does not like water - you will have to use special dry cleaning products or steam cleaners. It is not as soft and gentle to the touch as suede.
Natural velour
Velour is obtained from spilk, i.e. e. The lower layer of the cover. Visually, velour is a material with a long pile, soft, suede-like. Its main difference is the smooth back side, without velvety. For sewing shoes, most often velour is used, although in the characteristics they write "suede". The fact is that the word "velour" in Russian buyers associate it with knitted pile fabric, which is cheap upholstered furniture.
Advantages:
- cheaper than nubuck and suede;
- easy to care for;
- looks almost identical to suede;
- homogeneous in texture.
Disadvantages:
- Thinner and therefore less durable than suede or nubuck;
- wears out relatively quickly;
- gets wet because it is not treated with grease during production.
Artificial piece is made in different ways. The most common woven version of its production (more qualitative), is when the material is made of microfiber threads, then split into small lint.
The second option for manufacturing artificial one is nonwoven. On the base (woven, nonwoven, knitted), a polymer coating is applied, which is then sanded (often by laser) to velvety. The second method of nonwoven artificial suede production is electrostatic. A layer of glue is applied to a smooth processed base, then viscose or polyamide fibers having a length of about 0.3-1 millimeters are perpendicularly glued to it. Such suede turns out to be quite beautiful in appearance but is subject to rapid wear and tear.
Convenience and comfort, style and configuration pleases the eye, and the coating was soft and pleasant. This is because such properties are valued sofa from artificial suede – most models look respectable, no worse than leather sofas for the office and home. However, they are not as in demand as models with more practical upholstery, because many people know how difficult it is to return a new look to shoes, gloves and bags made of suede leather. But sofas made of this material are a different matter, and it is much easier to take care of such upholstery than haberdashery products.
Attributes of Suede
The undeniable benefits of the fabric are its attractive appearance and pleasant texture. The material is very soft, lightweight and elastic for all its density and strength. In addition, it is perfectly breathable, but does not lose heat. This combination has made it in demand in the manufacture of outerwear. Suede jackets keep you from sweating and freezing. However, not only outerwear but even evening wear is made of this material.
Being leather, in its appearance, it is still closer to velvet, which makes this clothing suitable in any situation. If clothes made of leather look aggressive, this material looks soft and noble, like velvet. Therefore, in a suede leather outfit you can appear at a social and cultural event.
Another advantage of the material is its hypoallergenicity. For health , it's also not terrible to get clothes in the rain or snow – the material gets wet to a certain layer, so you can't get wet through it. But for the jacket itself, such walks are dangerous. Moisture has a negative impact on the material, resulting in the product losing its attractive appearance.
Being leather, in its appearance, it is still closer to velvet, which makes this clothing suitable in any situation. If clothes made of leather look aggressive, this material looks soft and noble, like velvet. Therefore, in a suede leather outfit you can appear at a social and cultural event.
Another advantage of the material is its hypoallergenicity. For health , it's also not terrible to get clothes in the rain or snow – the material gets wet to a certain layer, so you can't get wet through it. But for the jacket itself, such walks are dangerous. Moisture has a negative impact on the material, resulting in the product losing its attractive appearance.
How Is Suede Fabric Made?
The process of producing suede includes several stages, each of which is important for obtaining a high quality and durable material. Let's consider the main stages:
1. Raw material purification.
Initially, the raw material for the production of suede, animal skin, undergoes cleaning. This includes removing bristles, undercoats, and other impurities. Decreasing with the help of special substances is also carried out.
2. Crushing.
After cleaning the raw material, the skin undergoes the crushing process. It consists of dividing the leather into separate layers. As a result, the scrap (the top layer of leather) is separated from the soft crush (the bottom layer of leather).
3. Dressing.
The next step is dressing the pellet. During dressing, various chemicals such as chromium salts are applied to give the material resistance to decay and increase its strength.
4. Dehydration.
Next is the dehulling stage, where special reagents are used to remove scrap residues and organic matter from the pellet. This makes it possible to obtain a soft and fibrous structure characteristic of suede.
5. Surface treatment.
After de-humidification, the fabric is treated on the surface to give it additional properties. Protective coatings, dyes, and polishing may be applied.
1. Raw material purification.
Initially, the raw material for the production of suede, animal skin, undergoes cleaning. This includes removing bristles, undercoats, and other impurities. Decreasing with the help of special substances is also carried out.
2. Crushing.
After cleaning the raw material, the skin undergoes the crushing process. It consists of dividing the leather into separate layers. As a result, the scrap (the top layer of leather) is separated from the soft crush (the bottom layer of leather).
3. Dressing.
The next step is dressing the pellet. During dressing, various chemicals such as chromium salts are applied to give the material resistance to decay and increase its strength.
4. Dehydration.
Next is the dehulling stage, where special reagents are used to remove scrap residues and organic matter from the pellet. This makes it possible to obtain a soft and fibrous structure characteristic of suede.
5. Surface treatment.
After de-humidification, the fabric is treated on the surface to give it additional properties. Protective coatings, dyes, and polishing may be applied.
How Is Suede Fabric Used?
Suede is a versatile material that is widely used in various sectors of the fashion industry. Its softness, pleasant tactile appearance and durability make it ideal for creating a variety of products. Here are some popular clothing items and accessories that can be produced from this fabric:
Boots
Suede boots and booties are some of the most popular footwear for both men and women. Their softness and suppleness make them very comfortable to wear.
Jackets and coats
Jackets and coats made from suede are characterized by their stylishness and elegance. They also retain heat well, making them a great choice for colder seasons.
Bags and purses
Leather bags and purses are a popular accessory that adds chic and style to any outfit. They usually have plenty of compartments and pockets to conveniently store your belongings.
Gloves
Suede gloves are the perfect choice to protect your hands from the cold. They also look great and add a touch of elegance to any look.
Hats and caps
Hats and caps are a stylish and practical accessory that protects your head from the sun and cold. They can be of different styles and shapes, allowing you to find the right model for any outfit.
Boots
Suede boots and booties are some of the most popular footwear for both men and women. Their softness and suppleness make them very comfortable to wear.
Jackets and coats
Jackets and coats made from suede are characterized by their stylishness and elegance. They also retain heat well, making them a great choice for colder seasons.
Bags and purses
Leather bags and purses are a popular accessory that adds chic and style to any outfit. They usually have plenty of compartments and pockets to conveniently store your belongings.
Gloves
Suede gloves are the perfect choice to protect your hands from the cold. They also look great and add a touch of elegance to any look.
Hats and caps
Hats and caps are a stylish and practical accessory that protects your head from the sun and cold. They can be of different styles and shapes, allowing you to find the right model for any outfit.
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