Commonly used to make boots, gloves and other fashion accessories, suede is a kind of leather with a smooth, velvet-like surface. The term was originally used in France to indicate a particular type of soft gloves imported from Sweden. Over time, the word came to refer to any leather material with a smooth nap finish.

Leather is manufactured from the skins of animals, generally cows. Once the skin has been removed from the animal, it is tanned in order to produce a supple, durable material that is used for a number of applications, such as manufacturing clothing and upholstering furniture. Leather that has not been sanded or split in any way is known as full-grain leather. Full-grain leather is usually manufactured from only the best, undamaged hides. As a result, it is the most expensive as well as the most durable of leathers.

When manufacturers seek to produce more material out of a single hide, the leather can be separated into two or more layers, or splits. These include the grain split, which is the outer surface of the hide, and the flesh split, or inner surface. In very thick hides, one or more middle splits may also be produced.

Generally, suede is created from either the inner split or the flesh split of a piece of leather. Because it comes from a thinner piece of hide, suede is less durable than full-grain leather. The nappy texture of the material also makes it more susceptible to damage from water and stains. However, because several pieces of suede can be produced from a single hide, it is also much less expensive than full-grain leather.