Velor, nubuck and suede - let's determine your skin type in a couple of seconds!

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Published: December 27, 2020

Reading time: 4 min

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The soft, velvety materials look very similar. However, this similarity is only external. Natural velor and natural suede have differences in the manufacturing method, performance characteristics, durability and price.

It is difficult for ordinary buyers to distinguish between these 2 materials. However, you need to learn how to do this so as not to fall for the tricks of unscrupulous sellers who pass off products made from cheaper fabric as expensive. This information is also necessary to ensure proper care for velor and suede items.

1 Characteristics of velor
2 Description of suede
3 Differences and similarities between materials
4 What to choose depending on the desired properties of the product
5 Conclusion

Types of velvety skin

Nubuck, velor and suede are types of velvety leather.
Products made from such material can emphasize a respectable, elegant image, making it more feminine and attractive. Fans of accessories made of soft, pleasant-to-touch leather need to know that such material requires careful handling and proper care. But first, it is important to determine the type of skin.

It's no secret that not every one of us can distinguish suede from nubuck. In fact, it's simple.

You can identify suede, nubuck and velor in a couple of seconds. The main difference between them is the appearance.

If the leather has a high pile and is velvety on both sides, it is suede.
Nubuck and velor have low pile.
If only the front side is velvet, it is nubuck, if only the back side (bakhtarma) is velor.

Velvet nobility

Contributing to the confusion with the two pile fabrics is the fact that in French “velor” sounds like “velvet”. To clarify, let's learn everything about this material.

Velvet curtains, covers for a sofa or armchairs are not a cheap pleasure. After all, only silk fibers of the highest quality are used to produce this truly royal fabric. True, recently, in order to reduce the cost of the material, as well as add strength, elasticity and resistance to damage, cotton, viscose and even synthetics are used. But even this composition does not change the appearance of the fabric - it amazes with its unique depth of color, flashing new shades from different angles.

Classic velvet has a uniform color; Various technologies make it possible to apply drawings or patterns on it. They are printed on printing presses, etched with chemical reagents, or obtained by pressing down the pile on special presses. Whatever the material’s appearance, its characteristics remain unchanged:

softness and silkiness of the surface;
crease resistance;
drapeability;
color fastness.

Interesting fact! One of the most fashionable in recent decades, corduroy, used for sewing clothes, decorating car interiors or making furniture, is nothing more than a type of velvet.

Comparative characteristics of materials

Now, having familiarized ourselves with the basic properties of two fabrics that are so similar in appearance, let’s try to determine how velor and velvet are similar and different.

Velours	Velvet
Raw material type	Cotton, wool and synthetics	Silk, cotton and synthetics
Appearance	Has a long dense pile	Small villi located close to each other
Tactile sensations	Softer	More dense
Cost of products	Cheap	Expensive
Stain resistance	Gets very dirty	Does not accumulate dust
Treatment	Easy to cut and sew	Has a tendency to shed

Both velor and velvet look great in any modern interior. Due to their density, they absorb sounds well, bringing peace and comfort to the room. Both materials require daily care and do not like spilled liquids or contact with chemicals, so it is not advisable to use them in kitchens, children's rooms or bathrooms.

It is important to know! All materials with lint are not recommended to be washed at home. Both covers and curtains should be entrusted to professional craftsmen and dry-cleaned.

The main differences between suede, nubuck and velor

In addition to appearance, the main differences between types of velvety skin include:

raw materials;
type of tanning;
grinding;
view;
pile location;
methods of care.

Expensive raw materials are used to produce suede. Velor and nubuck are made from more affordable materials. This affects the lower cost of products made from these materials.

Caring for suede is easier; it does not absorb water well. In order to maintain the original appearance of nubuck and velor, more attention and effort will be required.

For those who would like to consolidate information about skin types, we will briefly list the features of each of the types under consideration.

Conclusions TheDifference.ru

Velor is velvety only on one side, and suede on both.
Velor is not as resistant to moisture as suede.
Velor is noticeably cheaper, and suede is more expensive due to expensive production.
Pores are not noticeable on velor, but suede is different.
Velor has a uniform color, but this is not typical for suede.
Velor does not smell like leather, while suede has a similar aroma.
Velor retains fingerprints, but suede does not.
Velor can be folded at the cut, but natural suede cannot.
Washing in soapy water is contraindicated for velor, but suede is not afraid of this.

Suede

Suede is an expensive, practical, wear-resistant material. This is a type of sanded leather with soft high pile on both sides. Created using fat tanning. Fat tanning or suede is carried out by impregnation with fats, due to which the leather becomes moisture-resistant, soft, porous and elastic.

Tanning is the processing of leather, during which its properties change. This happens by soaking the skin in special solutions. Thanks to tanning, the leather becomes strong and elastic, and acquires the ability to be preserved without decomposition.

For the production of velor and nubuck, the common chrome tanning is used. Chromium salts are used for this. This is a relatively quick process, which determines the availability of this type of skin.

Manufacturing

The materials have noticeable differences because they are produced differently. Manufacturing processes and raw materials vary.

Suede

It is made from the skin of elk, deer, and small livestock (sheep, goats) through fat tanning. Production process:

natural animal skin is prepared without wool;
coated with linseed oil or sea animal fat;
put into impact grinders for several hours, the skin must be completely saturated with fat for the oxidation process to start;
pieces of material are folded for self-heating, oiled again and sent to the grinders, the process is repeated several times;
the finished skins stop heating and become yellow-brown and soft;
in the prepared solution, rinse the finished pieces for degreasing - first the material allows moisture to pass through, after some time it becomes water-resistant;
the finished leather is dyed.

The result is a soft, thin and velvety material made from genuine leather.

Velours

Velor is leather or fabric:

natural velor is made from animal skin;
There are artificial types that are made from wool or cotton.

Velor is obtained by chrome tanning from the leather of cattle, small cattle and pigs. For production, skins with external defects are used. Therefore, usually the front part of the finished material is the inner side of the skin - bakhtarma.

It is thoroughly sanded and the skin receives a thick, low pile of uniform shade. Titanium or zirconium salts are often used for tanning. This results in a pleasant velvety finish after sanding.

Velor leather is treated with silicone, chrome or aluminum soap for water resistance. Vegetable glue, starch or albumin will add density to the pile. These substances are used for filling.

Velours

Unlike suede, the pile of velor is lower and thicker. For its production, dense skins of small and large horned animals and pig skins are used. The leather is processed into velvet only on the reverse side by sanding.

Velor gets wet and easily loses its shape; abrasions easily form on the leather. Therefore, this skin type requires proper care using special products.

Signs

If the pile is low, thick and shiny, this speaks in favor of suede, but sometimes also velor, so it is quite difficult to distinguish one from the other based on one such feature.

Suede is a breathable material, so it should have pores and scratches, whereas this is not noticeable on velor.

Run your finger over the natural suede - a trace of a different shade should remain. If you are offered a plain material, it is unlikely to be a real product, since suede rarely differs in one shade over its entire area.

If you look at the place where you just held the thing, there may be marks left on it. This is a sign of velor, whereas suede does not leave marks.

The cut of the product should be examined very carefully. Usually natural suede is not folded, but velor is.

After washing, a suede item will not lose its presentation, but velor may well.

And one more sign of suede: a barely noticeable smell of leather.

Nubuck

In the production of nubuck, cattle hides and chrome tanning are used. On the front side, nubuck is processed into velvet by sanding. If not properly cared for, the low pile of nubuck becomes rubbed and shiny.

We recommend wearing velvety leather accessories at any time of the year in dry, sunny weather. If the bag does get wet from rain or snow, you need to wipe it with a dry cloth and dry it by hanging it by the handles. At the same time, you should avoid hair dryers, batteries and direct sunlight, which can cause the skin to burn out and change color.

Accessories made of suede, velor and nubuck go perfectly with any type of clothing. With their help, the image becomes more feminine, emphasizing the similar properties of the skin and the character of the woman herself: softness, smoothness, variability. After all, genuine suede leather does not have a uniform color and changes it when touched.

Choose models of bags and accessories with the “Empire of Bags”! Don't forget to use special care products. With proper care, velvety leather products will last a long time and retain their attractive, original appearance.

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Care

Despite the different characteristics, there are many general rules:

Six hours before the first use, the product is treated with a water-repellent spray. It protects from moisture and dirt. This must be done in advance; the remedy does not begin to act immediately. If possible, spray the liquid three times, eight hours apart. This will provide maximum protection.
For cleaning, purchase a special brush. The packaging says what material it is for – suede, velor or nubuck. There are many universal brushes suitable for all these materials at the same time. Instead of a brush, use an eraser or soft sandpaper.
Anti-dirt and moisture spray is recommended to be applied before each use. To restore color, there are cream and aerosol dyes. Like brushes, there are universal ones, suitable for suede and velor.
Drying under ultraviolet rays or near heating elements is not allowed. Products are permanently deformed.

How is care different?

Suede clothing and shoes should be cleaned with soapy water if they are heavily soiled. Then wipe with a damp cloth without soap and the items are clean again.
Soap leaves stains on the velor, and the ingress of liquid deforms the product. Dry cleaning recommended.

If quality is more important than cost, the weather is often damp and rainy, you should pay attention to suede. When living in a dry area, you don’t have to spend a lot; velor products are suitable.

What not to do with velor shoes

Knowing the properties of the material, it is easy to understand what actions in relation to velor shoes are unacceptable:

Natural velor should never be wetted, be it rain or slush outside, or washed in clean water;
aggressive and abrasive substances will quickly cause irreparable damage to the material;
rough brushes and hard sponges will remove dirt along with the lint;
Strong pressure when cleaning even with a soft brush will not give the expected result, but will only ruin the shoes.

The main rule for using velor shoes is proper care. Do not allow velor shoes to come into contact with water and various chemicals. Take care of your pair regularly, using only gentle substances and suitable tools, and then you will wear your shoes for as long as possible.

Characteristics of split leather and shoes made from this material

“Oh, this is natural split wood, workwear and safety footwear are made from it. This pair will not be torn down,” says the seller, praising the cute shoes made of a slightly velvety material. In some ways he is indeed right.

Natural split leather is indeed used to make workwear, but not because it is super strong or durable. It is simply cheap and fireproof, and with the help of additional impregnations - PVC or polyurethane - it can be made even stronger and more resistant to aggressive environments.

This shoe material is loose, heavy, and porous. It has a rough, slightly fleecy surface. On the one hand, it’s good - the legs “breathe.” On the other hand, not very well - the base quickly absorbs moisture and dries slowly. Split leather, of course, is more reliable than suede, but is significantly inferior to grain leather.

To give the split leather a presentable appearance, it is polished and rolled under a hot press, which reduces the strength and elasticity of the leather by 1.5-2 times. So you shouldn’t take a pair one size smaller and hope that when you wear it, it will stretch by 1-3 mm.

How to choose a quality pair

Velor is an elastic and lightweight material, so when choosing shoes, you need to pay attention to its size. You should not buy a pair that is too big - after a few days your foot may sink in it, which will not add comfort. Such shoes are usually worn for a short time, as they quickly lose their appearance and become defective.

To choose an excellent pair of “leather velvet” you should follow simple rules:

Smell the shoes. Natural material has no odor.
Examine the surface. The base should not be fabric or have pronounced porosity.
The pile should be dense and short.
The color of natural velor is monochromatic and rich.
After touching, fingerprints remain on the surface that can be easily smoothed out.
The seams are processed with a hem, but in the sections you can see that the material has a velvety texture on one side and smooth leather on the other.

Natural velor is great for almost any season. In the summer, shoes will delight you with comfort, preventing chafing and sweating. Autumn-spring boots will get rid of the blues. And in winter, boots will save you from the biting frost. The only exceptions are slushy and rainy periods.

The right pair of velor shoes will serve its owner as an excellent addition to any outfit. Proper care and careful storage will allow you to enjoy the exquisite material for a long time. The perfect shoes combined with a good bag made of natural velor will allow you to look your best on any day, regardless of the weather or mood.

Smell the shoes

Examine the surface

The pile should be dense and short

The color of natural velor is monochromatic, rich

After touching, fingerprints remain on the surface

How to wash and dry velor shoes

Washing and drying velor shoes is possible only in one case - if the material is artificial. In doing so, follow certain rules and recommendations.

Action plan:

Remove the insoles and laces.
Wash heavily soiled areas with stain remover.
Place the pair in a laundry bag.
In the machine, set the machine to a delicate wash function without spinning at a temperature not exceeding 40 degrees.
After washing, crumple up the newspaper, place it inside the shoe and change it as it gets wet.
Leave the steam to dry at room temperature away from heating appliances.

If you do everything correctly, the shoes will regain their original attractive appearance.

Fabric production

Although microvelor is similar to velor in appearance, the method of its production is much more similar to creating flock, as well as an artificial type of suede. The fibers are secured thanks to a specialized composition with adhesive properties. As a result, the glue creates fixation and a porous base. The stitches create a structure of a non-standard type, it looks like a honeycomb. This shape helps the material maintain a high level of strength. The glue allows the fabric to remain elastic. Fiber crushed to the required degree is poured on top of the glue layer.

The electrostatic field gives a strong bond; the pile undergoes a chemical reaction, which results in the placement of fibers. They puff up and are located perpendicular to the base layer. Standard velor also has stitches on the base (fabric), micro-velor does not have them.

The fibers used are polyester, polyamide or cotton. In order for microvelour to be able to reject water and dirt, manufacturers impregnate it with a Teflon compound.

Description of fabric

The attractive appearance of microvelor is undeniable; the material is also very pleasant to the touch, and is similar to expensive and noble types of materials. Even direct exposure to sunlight will not have a detrimental effect on the saturation of the shade; it lasts for the entire period of use. Comparing with similar types of fabrics, we can highlight the affordable cost of microsuede. For this reason, the material is used very widely.

Positive traits

The material is very comfortable when using furniture; the porous structure allows air to circulate normally. Microvelor belongs to the category of environmentally friendly materials; it is also antistatic. With such upholstery, furniture will not attract dust pollution.

It is produced in a wide range of colors and does not lose color over the years. The durability and strength of the fabric are high, so rapid wear and tear is not typical for it.

Hypoallergenicity is also a big plus; even immediately after production, the material does not emit concentrated chemical odors. People prone to allergies can use this material for upholstery. The coating does not suffer from moisture, and the beautiful design, structure and variety of shades allow you to create very beautiful furniture.

Microvelor can be decorated with patterns, drawings, and be of varying degrees of brightness.

Advantages and disadvantages

Both natural and artificial velor are used for sewing shoes. Modern developments make it possible to make materials almost indistinguishable from each other. Not only shoes are made from them, but also:

outerwear;
classic style suits;
trousers, skirts;
bags;
decorations;
ties;
belts, belts.

The use of natural or artificial material has its advantages in each specific case. The main advantages of synthetic material:

low cost;
relative moisture resistance;
resistance to damage;
less amount of care products.

The disadvantages of artificial fabric include its fragility and simpler appearance. Natural velor has its undeniable advantages:

strength;
richness of color, deep tone of color;
uniformity of pigment;
environmental friendliness;
retains heat perfectly.

The main disadvantages of shoes made from natural material are the difficulty of care, intolerance to dampness and chemical reagents.

Natural

Artificial

How to care for velor shoes in winter

Warm velor boots are suitable for not very snowy and warm winters. To ensure that your shoes remain in proper condition immediately after entering the room, shake off the snow that has not yet melted from the surface. If you still fail to protect the surface from the effects of snow and reagents on the sidewalk, you will have to resort to effective methods.

Folk remedies

If you get your shoes dirty in the sand that is sprinkled on snowy sidewalks, try cleaning the dirt with a white or silicone eraser. Rub stains and stains with an eraser, and then lift the pile with a special brush.

If there are stains of unknown origin on your shoes, you can remove the stains by moistening them with turpentine or a solution of vinegar and water. In order not to spoil the surface, before the procedure, see how the material will behave under the influence of the substance in an inconspicuous area of the product.

Professional products

To prevent stains from melted snow and reagents from appearing on the surface, treat your shoes with intensive impregnations before leaving the house. If dirt does appear, use a stain remover suitable for velor, after testing it on an inconspicuous area.