Leather finished on the flesh side, the inner face of the skin, and sanded to a soft, velvety nap.
Paraboot’s glossary sets the flesh side, the inner face of a piece of leather, against the grain, its upper part. Leather Naturally defines suede as the flesh side of the finished leather, a name also used for split leather: when a hide is split, the top layer becomes full-grain leather and the second is mostly used to make suede. Paraboot describes its suede calf, veau velours, as calfskin sanded on the flesh side.
Nubuck works the other face: Paraboot defines it as full-grain leather finely sanded to a slightly velvety look. Both carry a nap; the side separates them.
Loake’s care advice centers on the nap: brush it always in the same direction, let mud dry before brushing it off so it is not worked into the suede, and deal with water marks once the shoe has dried. It also advises a suede protector, even though some modern suedes have one tanned in.
In job listings
Suede is named in raw-material quality control listings, which have asked for knowledge of suede, reversed and fine leathers in addition to smooth calfskin. It also runs through footwear and leather goods roles in sourcing, development and production. See current footwear quality roles.
