A GUIDE TO LEATHER TYPES FOR MEN'S SNEAKERS

FULL GRAIN, BOX CALF, CORRECTED GRAIN, SUEDE AND NUBUCK: WHAT EACH LEATHER IS AND WHY THE CHOICE DETERMINES THE LIFE OF THE SNEAKER

THE LEATHER A MAKER CHOOSES IS THE FIRST AND MOST TELLING DECISION IN THE MAKING OF A SNEAKER. EVERYTHING THAT FOLLOWS, CONSTRUCTION, FINISHING, LONGEVITY, IS SHAPED BY WHAT THE LEATHER CAN AND CANNOT DO. UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LEATHER TYPES IS THE FOUNDATION OF UNDERSTANDING QUALITY IN MEN'S SNEAKERS.

FULL GRAIN LEATHER

FULL GRAIN LEATHER RETAINS THE ENTIRE OUTER SURFACE OF THE HIDE. NOTHING IS REMOVED. NOTHING IS CORRECTED. THE NATURAL GRAIN, WITH ITS SUBTLE VARIATIONS IN TEXTURE AND CHARACTER, IS PRESERVED. THIS IS THE LEATHER THAT BREATHES, THAT DEVELOPS PATINA, THAT IMPROVES WITH CORRECT WEAR AND MAINTENANCE OVER YEARS. IT IS THE HIGHEST GRADE OF LEATHER AND THE CORRECT CHOICE FOR ANY SNEAKER BUILT TO LAST.

BOX CALF

BOX CALF IS FULL GRAIN LEATHER FROM A YOUNG CALF, CHROME TANNED TO PRODUCE A SMOOTH, TIGHT GRAIN WITH A HIGH NATURAL SHEEN. IT IS THE STANDARD MATERIAL FOR THE FINEST ENGLISH DRESS SHOES AND LUXURY SNEAKERS. EXCEPTIONALLY FINE GRAINED, DURABLE AND RESPONSIVE TO POLISHING, IT DEVELOPS A DEPTH OF SURFACE QUALITY OVER TIME THAT CHEAPER LEATHERS CANNOT REPLICATE.

CORRECTED GRAIN LEATHER

CORRECTED GRAIN LEATHER HAS HAD ITS SURFACE GROUND AWAY AND REPLACED WITH AN ARTIFICIAL GRAIN. THE PROCESS REMOVES THE NATURAL VARIATION AND CREATES A UNIFORM SURFACE THAT CAN BE PRODUCED CONSISTENTLY AT VOLUME. THE RESULT IS A LEATHER THAT LOOKS CLEAN AND CONSISTENT IN THE SHOP BUT DOES NOT AGE, DOES NOT DEVELOP PATINA AND DETERIORATES RATHER THAN IMPROVES OVER TIME. MOST MASS MARKET PRODUCTION USES CORRECTED GRAIN.

SUEDE

SUEDE IS THE INNER SURFACE OF THE HIDE, SPLIT FROM THE GRAIN SIDE AND BUFFED TO RAISE A CONSISTENT NAP. FROM A FINE HIDE, CORRECTLY PREPARED, IT HAS A SOFTNESS, DEPTH OF COLOUR AND TEXTURAL CHARACTER THAT SMOOTH LEATHER CANNOT REPLICATE. THE FINEST SUEDE COMES FROM THE SAME TANNERIES AS THE FINEST SMOOTH LEATHER. IT IS A DELIBERATE MATERIAL CHOICE, NOT A LESSER ALTERNATIVE.

NUBUCK

NUBUCK IS PRODUCED FROM THE OUTER GRAIN, THE SAME SURFACE AS FULL GRAIN, BUT SANDED TO CREATE A FINE NAP. IT IS STRONGER AND THICKER THAN SUEDE, WITH A MATTE SURFACE THAT SHIFTS UNDER LIGHT AND RESPONDS TO TOUCH. IT IS THE SUPERIOR CHOICE FOR APPLICATIONS WHERE SUEDE'S SOFTNESS IS WANTED BUT GREATER DURABILITY IS REQUIRED.

AT 1812, ALL LEATHERS ARE SELECTED FROM WORLD CLASS TANNERIES FOR THEIR CHARACTER, STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY AND ABILITY TO IMPROVE WITH WEAR. THE CHOICE OF LEATHER IS THE CHOICE OF HOW THE SNEAKER WILL LIVE.