The word “suede,” according to its origin, comes from the French expression “gants de Suede,” which translates to “gloves of Sweden.” In the Romantic era, French nobility frequently imported Swedish leather. Instead of using the animals’ tough outer hide, Swedish leather artisans had discovered a way to use their soft inner skin to make incredibly soft gloves for women.
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Suede was used only to make gloves for a long time, but over time, Swedish and European craftsmen discovered suede could be used for much more. Over time, the production of suede expanded to encompass the development of contemporary suede items such as jackets, handbags, and shoes.
While the production of suede is a relatively recent addition to human history, garments and accessories made from animal skins have been utilized by people for thousands of years. Based on prehistoric evidence, the Neolithic peoples mostly made their textiles from animal skins; in fact, the process of turning hides and leather into textiles is being carried out today. The primary differences between leather from prehistoric times and leather from now are the variety of leather items that are available today and the technological know-how utilized to make modern leather materials.
Features of Suede
Suede’s fuzzy finish is commonly referred to as “napped.” Even though the majority of leather variants are smooth, suede feels more like cotton or another type of plant-based fabric than animal skin. Regular leather is glossy, whereas suede seems matte. Suede is also quite porous and stains easily, unlike ordinary leather is waterproof.
Because suede is sometimes thinner than ordinary leather, it is more appealing for use in delicate textile applications. Leather is normally rather thick. Since suede stains easily, owners of suede clothing, accessories, or shoes must have their suede goods professionally cleaned on a regular basis to preserve their good condition. Suede is notoriously difficult to clean, so machine washing is not a suitable option.
How Is Suede Used to Make Fabric?
Suede fabric is used in many different types of clothing and accessory designs. This cloth’s relative delicateness makes it unsuitable for industrial use.
Since Elvis Presley’s rendition of “Blue Suede Shoes” is so deeply embedded in our cultural memory, suede is a fabric that is frequently utilized in the production of shoes. Suede’s natural color is either light brown or gray, but it may be dyed using various methods to any desired hue, including blue, red, yellow, green, and other colors.
Only formal footwear should be made of suede. Due to its sensitivity, water absorption, and stain susceptibility, this fabric is not suitable for any outdoor shoe applications. Actually, suede shoes need a lot of upkeep to stay presentable, which is why many lovers of this fabric have moved to machine-washable, low-maintenance synthetic alternatives.
In addition to shoes, suede is widely used in jackets and other outerwear goods. Suede, however, is better suited for use in colder climates for outerwear; wet or snowy conditions would further accentuate the fabric’s damp texture and stain sensitivity.
Suede is also a popular material for luxury handbags. Suede handbags, like other upscale apparel and accessory items, aren’t designed to be used regularly or for demanding reasons, but their unique texture and suppleness make them desirable in this application. Using suede handbags in moderation preserves the quality of these high-end pieces.
Even if gloves made of suede are still occasionally made of it, other materials today frequently have more desired properties than suede. Suede fabric may also be used for belts, jacket internal linings, designer hats, and vehicle seat covers. However, synthetic alternatives to suede are seen to be more attractive for vehicle seat covers because to their increased durability and stain resistance.