The History of Suede: From Swedish Gloves to Suede Jackets

Suede is leather with a soft, napped surface, made by buffing the flesh side of a skin or the inner layer split from a thicker hide, rather than using the smooth outer grain. The name comes from the French phrase "gants de Suède", meaning gloves from Sweden, because gloves were its first major use. This article explains where suede came from, how it is made, how it differs from nubuck and smooth leather, and why it needs particular care.

What suede is

Merriam-Webster defines suede as leather with a napped surface, meaning a surface of short raised fibres that feels velvety to the touch. The same word is also applied to fabrics given a similar nap in imitation.

The key point is which side of the skin faces out. Every hide has a grain side, the dense outer surface where the hair grew, and a flesh side underneath, where the fibre network is looser. Smooth leather shows the grain. Suede shows the fibres of the underside or of a split layer, which have been sanded or buffed so they stand up as a fine pile. According to Wikipedia's article on suede, this underside is softer and more pliable than the outer layer but less durable, which explains both the appeal and the weaknesses of the material.

Suede is used for a wide range of products. Wikipedia lists jackets, shoes, bags, upholstery and accessories, in addition to the gloves where it began.

Where the word comes from

The online etymology dictionary Etymonline records that the French phrase "gants de Suède" was in use in English by 1859. "Suède" is simply the French name for Sweden. The shorter word "suede" followed as a trade term for undressed kid skin. Dictionaries give slightly different dates for its first appearance as a noun: Merriam-Webster gives 1883, while Etymonline gives 1884, with the adjective sense recorded from 1874. Etymonline also dates "suede shoes" to 1885 and the imitation fabric "suedette" to 1908.

The phrase reflects a trade reputation rather than a documented invention, and the sources consulted here do not settle exactly how Swedish gloves earned it. Wikipedia notes that women's gloves were suede's first major use, long before it spread to shoes, jackets and bags.

Date	Milestone	Source
By 1859	"Gants de Suède" in use in English	Etymonline
1874	Adjective "suede" (of undressed kid) recorded	Etymonline
1883 to 1884	"Suede" recorded as a noun (sources differ by a year)	Merriam-Webster; Etymonline
1885	"Suede shoes" first attested	Etymonline
1908	"Suedette", an imitation, appears	Etymonline
1950	Clarks Desert Boot launched in suede	V&A
1956	Carl Perkins's "Blue Suede Shoes" released	Wikipedia
1965	Yves Saint Laurent suede tunic jacket	V&A
c. 1972	Aquascutum belted suede safari-style jacket	V&A

How suede is made

Suede goes through the same basic stages as other leather: the raw skin is cleaned and prepared, tanned (today usually with chromium salts), then dyed, lubricated and dried. The difference lies in which surface is worked and how it is finished.

Choosing the skin

Wikipedia's article lists lamb as the main source, with goat, calf and deer also common. Wikipedia's overview of leather describes suede as often coming from younger or smaller animals.

Splitting

Thicker cattle and deer hides are split horizontally into layers. The top layer keeps the grain and becomes smooth leather or nubuck. The lower layer, the split, has no grain at all and is often made into suede. Wikipedia notes that splits from thick hides have a shaggier nap because of their fibre structure, which is why split suede tends to look coarser than lambskin suede.

Raising the nap

After tanning and dyeing, the chosen surface is sanded or buffed until the fibres stand up as a nap. Unlike many smooth leathers, suede is not sealed under a surface coating, so the nap stays open and soft. As Leather UK points out, this also means damage cannot later be hidden under a finish.

Real suede and imitations

Imitations are almost as old as the word. Etymonline dates "suedette", a fabric made to look like suede, to 1908, and Merriam-Webster notes that "suede" itself is also used for cloth given a similar nap. Leather UK notes that many sofas sold with a suede look are actually microfibre. It advises checking the reverse: a fabric backing usually means the item is synthetic rather than leather.

For a closer look at how suede and smooth leather compare when made into outerwear, see our guide to suede vs leather jackets.

Suede vs nubuck vs smooth leather

Suede is often confused with nubuck. Wikipedia's article on nubuck describes it as top-grain leather that has been sanded or buffed on the grain side to create a short, velvet-like nap. The name combines "new" and "buck", after the young deer hides first used, though it now covers cowhide and calfskin too. Because nubuck keeps the strong grain layer, it is stronger and thicker than suede and has a finer texture. The article also notes that nubuck is generally more expensive, and that it must be well dyed to hide sanding marks.

Feature	Suede	Nubuck	Smooth (grain) leather
Surface used	Flesh side or a lower split	Grain side, lightly sanded	Grain side, left intact
Texture	Longer, soft nap	Very short, fine nap	Smooth, visible grain pattern
Strength	Lowest of the three	Higher, keeps the grain layer	Highest, especially full grain
Response to water and oil	Absorbs quickly, stains easily	Absorbs, marks easily	Less absorbent
Basic care	Dry brushing, suede eraser	Dry brushing, suede eraser	Water-based leather cleaner and protector

The science of a soft surface

Most of suede's character follows from one fact: its fibres are exposed. On smooth leather, the tight grain layer and any finish act as a barrier. On suede, thousands of loose fibre ends face the world.

• Softness and drape. Without a stiff grain layer, the leather bends easily and feels soft against the skin. Wikipedia describes the underside as more pliable than the outer layer.
• Absorbency. Wikipedia notes that suede's textured surface and open pores make it absorb liquids quickly and show dirt. Salt, water, oil and general moisture can all stain it.
• Lower durability. Wikipedia describes the underside as less durable than the grain, and raised fibres can be flattened by wear. Leather UK suggests steam and brushing to lift a nap that has gone flat.

Suede in fashion

After its origins in gloves, suede moved into footwear and then outerwear. Several moments stand out in the record.

Blue suede shoes

Carl Perkins's "Blue Suede Shoes", released in early 1956 on Sun Records according to Wikipedia, was a major hit. Britannica calls it a touchstone of 1950s rockabilly, and Elvis Presley's recording opened his debut album the same year.

The desert boot

Clarks launched its Desert Boot in 1950. A label for a pair in the Victoria and Albert Museum collection explains that the design grew out of rough, crepe-soled suede boots that officers in Montgomery's army had made in a Cairo bazaar, and records that more than 10 million pairs had been sold by 1997.

Suede jackets in the 1960s and 1970s

Museum collections show suede moving into high fashion. The V&A holds a 1965 tunic jacket by Yves Saint Laurent in brown suede, lined with silk and fastened with wooden buttons. It also holds a brown suede jacket by Aquascutum from about 1972, a belted, single-breasted design with a safari-style cut, patch pockets and epaulettes. Both show suede used in high-end design.

The same spirit runs through suede outerwear today, from a brown suede biker jacket to lighter shirt-style designs.

Caring for suede

Because suede has no protective finish, care is mostly about keeping it dry and clean without flattening the nap. The UK leather trade body Leather UK gives practical advice:

1. Check the material. Some items that look like suede are microfibre. A fabric backing on the underside is a common sign.
2. Brush only when dry. Use a stiff suede brush with quick, light strokes in one direction, ideally with the item on a towel. Press harder only for stubborn marks.
3. Use a suede eraser to lift smudges, and hold a flattened area over gentle steam for a few seconds before brushing to revive the nap.
4. Deal with water gently. Dab away excess with a sponge or dry cloth until the area is evenly damp, then leave it overnight somewhere dry and well ventilated. Never dry suede next to a heater or in a tumble dryer.
5. Treat stains with the right product. Leather UK suggests a suede solvent cleaner for stains and very fine sandpaper to revive small patches that have worn smooth.
6. Leave ink to a specialist. Leather UK warns that suede and nubuck can be hard to repair because damage cannot be hidden under a finish.
7. Store it in a breathable dust cover rather than plastic.

Our care guide covers both suede and smooth leather garments.

Is suede a good choice for a jacket?

Suede suits people who value softness, a matte texture and a relaxed look, and who are prepared to keep it out of heavy rain. It works well for mild-weather layers, such as a suede shirt jacket. For daily wear in wet climates, smooth grain leather will cope better. In each case, buying real suede rather than a synthetic imitation means a material that can be brushed, revived and worn for years.

Sources

1. Merriam-Webster – Suede definition and meaning
2. Etymonline – Suede: etymology, origin and meaning
3. Wikipedia – Suede
4. Wikipedia – Nubuck
5. Wikipedia – Leather
6. Victoria and Albert Museum – Pair of boots (Clarks Desert Boot)
7. Victoria and Albert Museum – Tunic, Yves Saint Laurent, 1965
8. Victoria and Albert Museum – Jacket, Aquascutum, ca. 1972
9. Britannica – Carl Perkins
10. Wikipedia – Blue Suede Shoes
11. Leather UK – Leather care

FAQs

Is suede real leather?

Yes. Genuine suede is real leather whose flesh side or inner split has been buffed to raise a soft nap. Imitation materials such as microfibre or "suedette" look similar but are fabrics, and they usually have a fabric backing on the reverse.

Why is it called suede?

The word comes from the French "gants de Suède", meaning gloves from Sweden. English adopted the French phrase by 1859, and the shorter word "suede" was recorded as a noun for the leather itself in the early 1880s.

What is the difference between suede and nubuck?

Suede is made from the flesh side or a lower split of the hide and has a longer, softer nap. Nubuck is made by lightly sanding the outer grain side, so it keeps the stronger grain layer, has a shorter and finer nap, and is usually more expensive.

Can suede get wet?

Suede absorbs water quickly and can stain, so it is best kept out of heavy rain. If it does get wet, blot it evenly with a dry cloth, let it dry naturally overnight away from heaters, and brush the nap once it is dry.