Editing Leather (section)

==Grades==
In general, leather is produced in the following grades:
* '''Top-grain leather''' includes the outer layer of the hide, known as the grain, which features finer, more densely packed fibers, resulting in strength and durability. Depending on thickness, it may also contain some of the more fibrous under layer, known as the corium. Types of top-grain leather include:
**'''Full-grain leather''' contains the entire grain layer, without any removal of the surface. Rather than wearing out, it develops a [[patina]] during its useful lifetime. It is usually considered the highest quality leather. Furniture and footwear are often made from full-grain leather. Full-grain leather is typically finished with a soluble [[Aniline leather|aniline]] dye. [[Russia leather]] is a form of full-grain leather.
** '''Corrected grain leather''' has the surface subjected to finishing treatments to create a more uniform appearance. This usually involves buffing or sanding away flaws in the grain, then dyeing and embossing the surface.
** '''[[Nubuck]]''' is top-grain leather that has been sanded or buffed on the grain side to give a slight nap of short protein fibers, producing a velvet-like surface.
* '''Split leather''' is created from the corium left once the top-grain has been separated from the hide, known as the drop split. In thicker hides, the drop split can be further split into a middle split and a flesh split.
**'''[[Bicast leather]]''' is split leather that is coated with a layer of [[polyurethane]] or [[Polyvinyl chloride|vinyl]] with an embossed texture. This gives it the appearance of a grain. It is slightly stiffer than top-grain leather but has a more consistent texture.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bicast: what is it and how does it perform? - Leather International |url=https://www.leathermag.com/features/featurebicast-what-is-it-and-how-does-it-perform/ |website=www.leathermag.com |access-date=2022-03-26 |archive-date=10 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220510220509/https://www.leathermag.com/features/featurebicast-what-is-it-and-how-does-it-perform/ |url-status=live }}</ref> 
** '''[[Patent leather]]''' is leather that has been given a high-gloss finish by the addition of a coating. Dating to the late 1700s, it became widely popular after inventor [[Seth Boyden]] developed the first mass-production process, using a linseed-oil-based lacquer, in 1818. Modern versions are usually a form of bicast leather.
**'''[[Suede]]''' is made from the underside of a split to create a soft, napped finish. It is often made from younger or smaller animals, as the skins of adults often result in a coarse, shaggy nap.
* '''[[Bonded leather]]''', also called ''reconstituted leather'', is a material that uses leather scraps that are shredded and bonded together with polyurethane or [[latex]] onto a fiber mesh. The amount of leather fibers in the mix varies from 10% to 90%, affecting the properties of the product.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jSiRAAAAQBAJ&pg=SA9-PA119|title=Materials for Interior Environments |last=Binggeli |first=Corky |date=2013|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=9781118421604|pages=119|language=en}}</ref>

{{anchor|Genuine leather}}The term "genuine leather" does not describe a specific grade. The term often indicates split leather that has been extensively processed,<ref>{{cite web |title=Genuine leather: the difficult truth |url=https://www.carlfriedrik.com/blogs/magazine/genuine-leather |website=Carl Friedrik |access-date=2022-03-26 |language=en |archive-date=12 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220512034438/https://www.carlfriedrik.com/blogs/magazine/genuine-leather |url-status=live }}</ref> and some sources describe it as synonymous with bicast leather,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Popoff |first1=Ryan |title=The Ultimate Guide to Leather Grades |url=https://www.popovleather.com/blogs/from-the-workshop/the-ultimate-guide-to-leather-grades |website=Popov Leather |access-date=2022-03-26 |language=en |date=7 October 2019 |archive-date=9 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220209212002/https://www.popovleather.com/blogs/from-the-workshop/the-ultimate-guide-to-leather-grades |url-status=live }}</ref> or made from multiple splits glued together and coated.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Green |first1=Dennis |title=Why everything you thought you knew about buying quality leather is wrong |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-genuine-leather-2016-1 |website=Business Insider |access-date=2022-02-09 |archive-date=9 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220209211448/https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-genuine-leather-2016-1 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=What is Genuine Leather? |url=https://bestleather.org/types-of-leather/genuine/ |website=BestLeather.org |access-date=2022-03-26 |archive-date=15 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220415133609/https://bestleather.org/types-of-leather/genuine/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In some countries, when it is the description on a product label the term means nothing more than "contains leather";<ref>{{cite web |title=All You Need to Know About "Genuine Leather" |url=https://dalgado.de/en/the-journal/all-about-leather/all-about-genuine-leather |website=Dalgado |language=en |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230923120043/https://dalgado.de/en/the-journal/all-about-leather/all-about-genuine-leather |archive-date= Sep 23, 2023 }}</ref><ref name=LeatherDictionaryGenuine>{{cite web |title=Genuine leather |url=https://www.leather-dictionary.com/index.php/Genuine_leather |website=The Leather Dictionary |access-date=2022-03-28 |archive-date=12 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220512034442/https://www.leather-dictionary.com/index.php/Genuine_leather |url-status=live }}</ref> depending on jurisdiction, regulations limit the term's use in product labelling.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-24 |website=eCFR |title=US Code of Federal Regulations Title 16, Chapter I, Subchapter B, Part 24—Guides for select leather and imitation leather products |access-date=2022-03-27 |archive-date=31 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220131135900/https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-24 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=LeatherDictionaryGenuine />