This guide provides definitions for many of the terms encountered when shopping for leather to purchase. All leathers described are available for purchase inside our EBay store:

http://stores.ebay.com/Wholesale-Leathers-And-Upholstery

Full Grain Leather:  Leather that has not been altered beyond hair removal.  Full Grain is the most natural type of leather. It retains all of its original markings and texture.

Split Leather:  Leather made from the lower layers of the hide that have been split away from the upper, or grain, layers.  Split leather is generally thicker than top grain leather.

Antiqued or Distressed Leather:  Leather that is dyed by using one color over another to create highlights and an antiqued or aged finish.

Grain:  Describes the characteristics of a particular hide. Such as top grain or split.

Suede:  Leather that has been buffed and brushed to create a soft surface. 

Top Grain:  Leather that has all the top surfaces left intact. 

Weight: Leather term used to describe the thickness of a hide. Usually given in ounces or millimeters.

Whole hide:  Refers to a leather hide in its complete state. 

Leather is purchased by the square foot rather than by yards.  Leather is tanned in lots similar to fabrics.  This is why it is important to purchase enough at one time to complete your entire project.  There is a risk of not having an exact match otherwise.