• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • Forum
  • Design Studio
  • Upholstery Jobs
  • Newsletter
  • Sponsors

The Hog Ring

Auto Upholstery Community

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Is the Back of Leather the Same as Suede?

May 23, 2019 By Nadeem Muaddi 1 Comment

The Hog Ring - How do I Store Leather in a Small Shop

What’s the difference between suede and the flesh (fuzzy) side of a leather hide? Is it possible to use the flesh side as the finished side when covering an interior panel or even a seat? Or is it better to use actual suede?

I have free rein to trim the interior of a 1994 Nissan 300ZX any way I like. The door panels and console were originally partially covered in an Alcantara-type of material. I was thinking of using the flesh side of leather as an alternative. Any thoughts, ideas or suggestions?

– Bryan Owens of Brookline Leather Co. in Bristol, Virginia.


Bryan,

That’s a great question. There’s not a simple answer to this one.

In my opinion, the big issue is the material itself. Pigmented leathers have their UV protection in the opaque pigment layer on the surface. Therefore, no UV protection gets added during the aniline dying process that colors the hides through to the back. So the problem with a pigmented leather is going to be fading in sunlight.

Suede is made from the flesh side of a hide. It is usually the second layer after splitting the hide for thickness.

Suede is essentially an aniline dyed leather only with no pigmented surface. So, this will have a limited amount of UV protection from the aniline dye. The color in a real suede is going to last longer than the backside of a hide for sure.

Another issue is that suede is a controlled cutting for consistent Nap (hair), while the backside of a leather hide will usually be varied depending on the area of the hide. None of this is a big deal really, as long as you’re happy with the look.

I’d say that the only real use for suede in a car is for steering wheels in racing cars. If you’ve ever seen a racing wheel, they aren’t black for very long.

To recap, I really wouldn’t recommend using leather reversed. As it’s not really the ideal use since we can’t say how much protection has been added.

I hope this helps in your decision making. Thanks for a great question.

Aaron


Aaron Laithwaite is founder and CEO of Hydes Leather. To ask him a question about automotive leather, email info@thehogring.com. Learn more about Hydes Leather at HydesLeather.com. You can also follow them on Instagram and Facebook.

Filed Under: Archive, How-to, Site Sponsors Tagged With: Ask Aaron, Auto Trim, Auto Upholstery, Car Interior, Genuine Leather, Hydes Leather

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Bryan Owens says

    May 24, 2019 at 1:32 pm

    Thanks Aaron for taking the time to answer my question. The UV protection is definitely something I hadn’t thought about. Makes perfect sense to me! Thanks again for your time.

    Bryan Owens
    Brookland Leather
    Bristol, VA

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

THR Sponsors

NC Sewing Machines
Miami Corporation RIght Rail - Ad 2
Top Down Group
Apex Leather
  • Douglass Interior Products
  • Premium Auto Fabrics
  • Keyston Bros
  • Hyde Leather
  • GAHH Automotive
  • Moore & Giles Ad 1
  • Albright's Supply

THR Favorites

The Hog Ring - The Shop Features Interview with Bux Customs

Bux Customs: ‘We’ve grown from each build’

Chris McClintock of Bux Customs is a rising … [more] about Bux Customs: ‘We’ve grown from each build’

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Seat Airbag

Should We Not Resew Backseats Either?

Seat airbags have complicated the work of … [more] about Should We Not Resew Backseats Either?

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Mercedes-Benz Interior Paint

Mercedes-Benz SLK: Painting Interior Plastic

I recently purchased a 1999 Mercedes-Benz SLK … [more] about Mercedes-Benz SLK: Painting Interior Plastic

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Volkswagen Multivan Alltrack Concept

VW’s Multivan Alltrack Concept Hinge Seam

If you thought Faurecia’s flat-seam stitch … [more] about VW’s Multivan Alltrack Concept Hinge Seam

The Hog Ring - 5 Gorgeously Trimmed Motorcycle Helmets

5 Gorgeously Trimmed Motorcycle Helmets

You won't find a lot of auto upholstery shops … [more] about 5 Gorgeously Trimmed Motorcycle Helmets

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - 1973 Ford F100

Putting The Hog Ring Design Studio to Use

Since launching The Hog Ring Design Studio in … [more] about Putting The Hog Ring Design Studio to Use

Categories

Footer

Recent Articles

  • There’s a New Bitchin Stitchin Class for Building Consoles
  • Enter to Win Hydes Leather Build of the Month!
  • Ferrari Adds a Convertible Soft Top to its Lineup
  • Trimmer Sharon Perkins Dies at 78
  • Global Auto Upholstery Market Will be Worth $10 billion by 2033

Recent Comments

  • Mitra Surik on Clothing Line Inspired by Auto Upholstery
  • Tif on Clothing Line Inspired by Auto Upholstery
  • David on Rolls-Royce Says Vegan Leather isn’t Luxury
  • Kimberly Richey on Convertible Tops in Any Color You Want!
  • James Adonnis on Convertible Tops in Any Color You Want!

Advertise With Us!

We're always looking for companies to collaborate with. Watch this short video about the benefits of sponsorship and then email us to say hi.
anal porno bangbros rus porno yaşlı porno konulu porno olgun porno porno izle sarışın porno bakire sex 69 porno

Copyright © 2023 · Magazine Pro On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in