What is microfiber suede?
Microfiber suede is a composite material made from microfibers as the base fabric, and processed through post-treatment techniques such as grinding and raising the nap to create a surface that resembles the texture of natural suede. It is not genuine animal skin, but it overcomes almost all the troublesome drawbacks of real suede (difficult maintenance, high price, inconsistency), while firmly retaining its core advantages - that soft, matte, and delicately velvety luxurious touch. Essentially, it is a high-end artificial leather/synthetic leather, a "high-performance alternative" to suede that was developed by artificial leather engineers in the laboratory to replicate the charming feel of genuine suede.
What is genuine suede?
Traditionally, genuine suede refers to the leather of the muntjac (a small deer species) after tanning and napping treatment. However, due to the scarcity of muntjacs and their status as protected animals, the so-called "genuine suede" available on the market nowadays is mostly the split leather (or second layer leather) of sheepskin, goatskin or calfskin, which has undergone surface sanding to expose the fine fiber nap, imitating the effect of suede. A more accurate professional term should be "nubuck" or "suede". It is genuine animal leather with natural irregular pores and textures, excellent breathability, and a warm touch. However, it is expensive, requires high maintenance, is afraid of water and oil, and is not dirt-resistant.
Microfiber suede VS Genuine suede
| Features | Microfiber Suede | Genuine Suede |
| Essence | Chemical synthetic materials, the main components of which are polyester, polyamide (nylon), etc. | Natural animal leather (usually the second layer of sheepskin or cowhide) |
| Source | Factory industrial production, with stable raw material sources and not restricted by animal resources | Dependent on animal husbandry and slaughterhouses, it is an animal by-product |
| Structure | Uniform and neat. The base fabric is made of woven ultra-fine fibers, reinforced by bonding with resins such as polyurethane (PU), and then subjected to a brushing treatment. The pile feels uniform and consistent. | Natural and irregular. It features a genuine skin grain layer (which has been sanded off) and a fiber tissue layer, with the nap derived from natural leather fibers, and the texture exhibits natural variations. |
| Abrasion resistance | Exceptionally excellent. High fiber strength, dense structure, more scratch and wear-resistant than genuine leather | Good, but the suede is prone to snagging and pilling when caught by sharp objects. |
| Waterproof/Easy to care for | It has obvious advantages. Most of them have stain resistance and water-repellent properties. They are easy to wipe clean after getting wet, dry quickly, and are less likely to deform or harden. | Very afraid of water. Water stains are hard to clean, and it tends to leave dark marks when exposed to water. After drying, it may become hard and flaky. Professional care agents are needed. |
| Breathability | Medium. High-quality ultra-fine fiber materials can achieve good breathability through special structures, but they are usually still not as good as genuine leather. | Excellent. The natural leather fiber structure can effectively wick moisture and allow air circulation. |
| Consistency | Excellent. The color, thickness, and softness of each batch of products are almost indistinguishable, making them suitable for large-scale standardized production. | There are differences. Each hide, and even different parts of the same hide, have natural variations in thickness, texture, and density. |
| Price | Relatively affordable with high cost-effectiveness | Expensive, especially high-quality suede |
| Environmental Protection and Ethics | It does not involve animals, but involves chemical energy in the production process. Modern technology can also use recycled materials. | It belongs to animal products and involves issues related to the environmental impact of livestock farming and animal ethics. |
If suede fabric is compared to a mobile phone, then microfiber suede is like the "top-notch Android flagship phone" in the mobile phone industry. Although it is not as luxurious as an Apple phone, it uses the most advanced technology and materials (microfibers) to meticulously imitate and even surpass the texture, smoothness and functionality of Apple in certain aspects. It is not afraid of water, durable, easy to maintain, and has a more affordable price. Its color and style are also particularly stable and unified. Its emergence is to provide a "luxurious suede feel" similar to real suede in a more controllable and durable way.
"Genuine suede" is more like a "handmade cashmere sweater". It is a natural, living material (animal leather). Each piece is unique, with its own natural texture and breathability. But it also requires careful care, just like cashmere sweaters are afraid of moth damage. It is very delicate and sensitive, afraid of water and oil, and requires a lot of effort from you to maintain. The value of true suede lies in that unrepeatable natural texture, and its belonging to the luxury category. It represents a tradition and taste.
The microfiber suede in the picture is one of our microfiber suede products. The microfiber suede produced by our company not only has a realistic texture and strong pile feel but is also super wear-resistant, scratch-resistant, and highly breathable, which has been deeply loved and recognized by customers at home and abroad. If you are looking for a reliable manufacturer of microfiber suede, please contact us promptly (whatsapp: 0086-18002658713, email: shihongleather@163.com ). Our business team will provide you with micro suede products with excellent cost-performance ratio and high-quality service. Choosing Shi hong Leather means choosing a super supplier of microfiber suede.
The advantages of microfiber suede:
1. Durable and long-lasting: The structure strength of the microfiber suede is much higher than that of natural leather. Its wear resistance is 3-5 times that of genuine suede. It is unlikely to shed fibers, get tangled or wear out during daily wear and use. It is suitable for high-frequency usage scenarios (such as shoes, backpacks, car steering wheel covers), and can still maintain good condition after 3 years of use.
2. Waterproof and stain-resistant, easy to clean: The surface of the microfiber suede has undergone special finishing treatment, which has hydrophobic and anti-stain properties. When liquids drop on the surface, they will form water droplets that roll off and do not penetrate. Coffee and stains can be wiped clean with a damp cloth, without the need for professional care like genuine suede, which is convenient and labor-saving.
3. Resistant to wrinkles and deformation, easy to store: The super-fiber suede fabric has good elasticity. After folding or squeezing, it doesn't leave wrinkles. After hanging and drying, it can return to its original flat state without the need for ironing. The weight is about 30% lighter than natural suede, making it easy to store without taking up much space and convenient to carry (suitable for travel gear, coats).
4. Breathable and skin-friendly, suitable for all seasons: The micro-pore structure between the fibers of the super-fiber suede fabric allows for air circulation, ensuring good ventilation and preventing excessive sweating. It is not sticky in summer and can retain heat and provide warmth in winter. It also has no natural leather odor and is friendly to sensitive skin.
5. Strong expandability in functions: The super-fiber suede fabric can achieve touchscreen functionality by adding conductive fibers (such as touchscreen gloves), enhance waterproof performance by adding composite waterproof membranes (for outdoor clothing), and achieve antibacterial effects by adding antibacterial components (for close-fitting clothing), adapting to various scenarios.
How can consumers quickly distinguish them?
1. Check the label: The label of faux suede fabric will indicate "polyester fiber (polyester)", "nylon", "superfine fiber", etc. for synthetic fiber components; genuine suede fabric will indicate "leather" "suede" etc.
2. Feel the texture + examine the cross-section: The texture on both sides of faux suede fabric is very similar, and there is no "leather fiber texture" on the cross-section, which is more like fabric; the back of genuine suede fabric is the leather fiber structure, and the cross-section has natural pores and fiber layering.
3. Test water resistance: Drop a drop of water on the surface, faux suede fabric usually can temporarily resist water (the water droplet does not penetrate); genuine suede fabric will quickly absorb water and leave water stains.
4. Conduct a burning test: Observe the flame, smell and ashes (under safe conditions). Faux suede fabric will produce a bright flame, accompanied by melting and dripping phenomena, emitting a "plastic burning" irritating smell, and the ashes are hard lumps that are not easy to be crushed, and the color is mostly black or gray. While genuine suede fabric does not produce a bright flame when burning, it appears charred, emitting a similar "burning hair, feathers" burnt smell; the ashes are black brittle powder, which can be crushed by a finger without any lumps.
In conclusion, from a practical perspective, the microfiber suede fabric outperforms genuine suede in terms of durability, easier maintenance, water resistance, affordability, and even color uniformity. This makes it widely used in demanding performance areas such as high-end car interiors (seats, steering wheels, dashboards), fashion shoes and bags, electronic product protective cases, furniture and home decor, touchscreen gloves, etc. When you desire "having it all" - both the luxurious suede texture, durability, and ease of cleaning, while keeping a limited budget. Microfiber suede fabric is a "smart material" designed for modern fast-paced lifestyles. If you seek the unique charm of natural materials, ultimate breathability, and collectibility, and are willing to invest in high costs and effort for maintenance, then you can choose genuine suede leather.
