Leather Finishes, Textures, and Natural Markings

A leather's finish is what the tannery does to the surface after tanning: dye only, add a thin or thick pigment coat, sand it to a nap, press a pattern into it, or seal it under a gloss film. The finish decides how much of the hide's natural surface you still see, including scars, growth wrinkles and insect bites. Reading the finish and the marks together tells you more about a piece's quality than the word "genuine" on the tag.

This hub links to every page in our finishes and characteristics section. Each part below gives the short answer, then points to the page that covers it in full.

Key takeaways

• Finishes run from "open" (aniline: dye only, no pigment) to "covered" (pigmented), with semi-aniline in between.
• The more pigment and correction, the less of the natural grain shows, and the less you can judge the hide underneath.
• Scars, neck wrinkles, veins and insect bites are natural marks of a real grain surface; holes, cuts, loose grain and peeling finish are defects.
• Softness is built in at the tannery: the animal, the tannage, fatliquoring, milling and staking all play a part.

Finish types at a glance

Finish types and how they differ

Aniline, semi-aniline and pigmented are the three main finish families, and their names come from how much pigment sits on the grain. Pigment buys rub resistance: one 2008 trade summary of EN 13336 lists 250 wet rubs for pigmented upholstery leather against 80 for semi-aniline.

• Types of finished leather and how they differ: the full comparison, with what each finish tells you about the hide underneath.
• How leather finishing works: the spraying, pressing and buffing steps at the tannery.
• What is treated leather?: what "treated" means on a label.

Surface effects: embossing, peeling and vegetable-tanned texture

Embossing presses a pattern into the leather on heated plates or rollers. The FTC Leather Guides say leather embossed to look like another kind must name its real kind. A coated finish that whitens or peels is a finish failure, not a natural mark.

• Leather embossing: how it changes the surface
• Does top-grain leather peel?
• Vegetable-tanned leather texture and appearance

Natural marks, scars and defects

A tannery guide on defects and natural marks puts it simply: natural marks show the hide is genuine full grain, while real defects weaken the material or should have been caught at grading. Scars, horn and barbed-wire scratches, insect bites, veins, stretch marks and brands are live-animal marks. Whether deep scars weaken the leather is disputed between makers.

• Common marks and natural features on leather: how to read each mark on a finished piece.
• Scars and scarring on leather: where scars come from and when they matter.
• Common leather defects and how to recognize them: the faults worth rejecting.

Softness and hand feel

Much of a leather's softness is set at the tannery. Fatliquoring coats the fibres to cut the friction between them, and milling drums and staking machines shake, stretch and soften the leather. The animal matters too: lamb and deer go into soft apparel leather.

• What makes leather soft?

For the layer names behind these finishes (full grain, top grain, split), see our guide to leather types, grades, and quality and understanding leather grain types.

Choosing a finish for a made-to-order jacket

If you order a custom jacket, the finish is a separate choice from the hide. Leather Collection's custom leather jacket lists Natural, Suede, Nubuck, Aniline, Semi Aniline, Nappa, Glazed, Distressed, Washed, Two Tone and Lambskin Shearling finishes, in sheepskin, goatskin, cowhide or buffalo. The page does not state pigment levels or tannage, so ask the maker if that matters to you.

FAQ

What does "leather finish" mean?

It is the surface treatment applied after tanning, such as dyeing, coating, buffing, embossing, glazing or tumbling. It sets colour, sheen and texture and how much of the grain shows.

What are the different finishes of leather?

The main families are aniline, semi-aniline and pigmented, plus surface effects such as nubuck, suede, patent and embossed. Our finished leather types page compares them.

What is a shiny leather shoe called?

High-gloss shoe leather is usually patent leather, which carries a lacquer or plastic coating.