Full-Grain Leather vs Genuine Leather. What Is The Difference?

Genuine Leather Does Not Mean Authentic:
Being genuine is something everyone should strive for, in relationships, crossing paths with strangers & in the work they do. The Oxford dictionary defines genuine as "truly what something is said to be; authentic." Authentic!? We are talking about the real deal here then! “Genuine leather” has been a coined phrase blasted through the airwaves for decades. One could assume that genuine(authentic) leather sounds like a high ticket material. Genuine leather has been a misleading marketing term to maximize revenue for “leather” products that are anything but authentic. 

Genuine Leather is not a good thing
We learned where leather comes from & how leather is made from past posts. During the production process leather is separated into different layers. The first layer is called full-grain leather, guaranteed to be the best, highest quality leather. Next would be top-grain leather, another step in processing provides for a smooth, clean & uniform leather. Both full-grain and top-grain leather are made to make the highest quality products in fashion and outdoor gear. Genuine leather is among the lowest grade of leather. Although there is still leather in the product, it is commonly overlaid with glue or paint to provide a uniform appeal. Overtime you may notice paint peeling off from use or tears in genuine leather. Even below genuine leather is bonded leather, which is more appropriately named. A combination of bonded glue, paint, leather, wax, plastic and other unnatural materials to form an artificial leather material. When products are made & stamped with the “Genuine Leather” phrase remember to stay away! These products will be low quality, mass produced and eventually fall apart.

The Good Stuff
Full-grain and top-grain leather is what we use for our Trayvax leather. The full-grain leather has the least amount of processing. This provides for potential scarring or blemishes that happened during the animals story. Top-grain leather refers to additional steps in processing the material. Top-grain leather is commonly treated to be water resistant, also buffed and sanded on each side to provide a clean, smooth finish. Full & top-grain leather holds up the best overtime, it is nearly impossible to tear and will form a custom patina after long periods of use. This is why we confidently offer a 65-year warranty on all of Trayvax Products. We are producing products that will last the length of your story because we use the highest quality material. Check out the video below of Elliot explaining why we choose and how we use the leather for our products.

Summary:
-Genuine Leather is a marketing ploy 
-Genuine Leather is low quality, overly processed and will not last long
-Full-grain is guaranteed the highest quality of leather
-Top-grain leather is water resistant, smooth & has a uniform finish

Cheers,

Brian Zig - Trayvax Content Creator
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