At a glance
| Material | What it is | What the sources say | Where it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suede | Leather: the flesh side of the skin, napped | FIRA's leather page separates suede (flesh side) from nubuck (grain side); it gives no care or suitability for suede | Low-touch surfaces (practice) |
| Nubuck | Aniline leather with the grain surface lightly abraded to a velvet finish | FIRA: absorbent, soft but vulnerable to spills and contamination; the oil or wax version lightens where used hard, such as seats, and scuffs easily | Surfaces touched little (as our leather sheet says) |
| Finished (split) suede-type | A flesh split with a polymer surface coat | FIRA: weaker than grain leather, low-stress uses only | Light, low-stress use |
| Microfibre suede-effect | A man-made cloth with a fine surface pile; constructions vary | No source read defines it or gives wear figures | Ask for test results before any hospitality use |
| Polyurethane-coated suede-effect | A textile or backing carrying a polyurethane layer, finished to look like suede | Some polyurethane products age with heat and humidity; the test commonly named is ISO 1419 Method C (see the tests section below) | Only with an ageing test result |
| Woven or brushed textile suede-effect | A textile whose surface is brushed or napped to look like suede | No source read; treat as a cloth and use the cloth tests | Seating, as a cloth, with the performance tests |
'Where it suits' is practice, not a standard. Terms such as microsuede and faux suede are trade words with no standard definition in the sources we read: ask the supplier what the material is made of, in writing.
Suede and nubuck are leather; the rest are not
FIRA’s leather guidance (12 September 2022) describes nubuck as aniline leather whose grain surface is lightly abraded to a velvet finish, and separates it from suede, which is the flesh side. A search summary of BS EN 15987:2022, the leather terminology standard, says leather whose grain layer has been completely removed should not be called simply ‘leather’ but with a qualifier such as ‘suede leather’ or ‘split leather’. Our leather sheet covers the other leather types and the test list for leather.
Microfibre and faux suede are man-made. We found no source that defines them for upholstery, so the drawing is a schematic and the construction of a given product must come from its supplier: a fine pile over a polyurethane layer, a bonded or woven base, or a brushed textile are all described in the trade. The practical rule is to write what the material is on the schedule and not to rely on a trade name.
Wear and where each suits
What FIRA says is short. Nubuck has an absorbent surface, soft but vulnerable to liquid spills and contamination, and the oil or wax version lightens in heavily used areas, particularly seats, and scuffs easily. A finished split should be used only in low-stress applications because it is weaker than grain leather. The page gives no care or suitability for suede as a type. Those statements point one way: nap surfaces mark, absorb and scuff, so they suit surfaces that are touched little, such as a headboard, a wall panel or an occasional chair, more than a restaurant chair that is sat on and wiped daily. That is our reading, not a tested ranking.
For man-made suede-effects the picture comes from test results, not from the name. Microfibre can be cleanable and hard-wearing, and some polyurethane versions age, but we found no figure for either in a source. Ask for the supplier’s results (the tests section below) and for a sample to rub and stain.
Care: FIRA’s general leather care advice is to dust and vacuum with a soft brush, wipe spills promptly with a soft moist cloth without soaking, and avoid household detergents, polishes and abrasive cleaners. It is not specific to suede, so confirm the care method for the actual material in writing. Do not accept a claim of stain resistance, cleanability or freedom from a named chemical without a certificate or a test report.
Tests and evidence to ask for
No single standard tells you a suede-type is suitable for hospitality. Ask for the following, with the method named, and mark any gap on the schedule. Our fabric performance tests sheet explains rub, light and colour-fastness tests for cloths.
| Ask for | Method or test that may apply | Status seen | Caution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rub wear of a cloth suede-effect | BS EN ISO 12947-2:2016 (Martindale, specimen breakdown) | Current (listing) | A search summary says it does not apply to coated fabrics: ask which method the supplier used for a coated product |
| Hydrolysis or ageing of a polyurethane-coated material | ISO 1419:2019, Method C, the 'tropical test' (known in the trade as the jungle test) | Current (2019); the 2018 edition withdrawn | The test conditions and the pass level come from the supplier or the specification: we did not read the standard |
| Leather suede or nubuck | BS EN 13336:2022 and its test methods: see our leather sheet | Current, 2022 (as read for that sheet) | FIRA says it sets no end-use criteria; ask the laboratory to name the methods |
| Fire | A composite report for the finished stack: see the fire section and our interliner sheet | n/a | A report for the cover alone does not cover the seat |
Ageing deserves a note. Polyurethane-based suede-effects can degrade with heat and humidity, which shows as cracking, tackiness or flaking of the surface, and a hydrolysis ageing test is the usual way to ask. The sources do not give a pass level. Write the method, the duration the supplier states and the pass criterion into the specification, and have the supplier confirm them in writing.
The fire route is the finished composite
A suede-type is a cover, and the fire test is made on the composite: cover, any interliner and filling together. A report for the cover alone does not cover the seat, and a headboard or wall panel has its own route. Our interliner sheet sets out the routes, our report sheet how to read the report, and our domestic or contract fire sheet who sets the level. Do not accept ‘passes’ without a report for the stack.
Make Bespoke Studio coordinates manufacture through partner workshops; which suede-type materials a partner uses and tests is confirmed project by project and is not stated here.
Specification wording
Paste into your schedule or specification and replace anything in [square brackets] with your own figures. Wording is a starting point: your specification governs.
Facing material [item ref]: [suede (leather) / nubuck (leather) / microfibre suede-effect / polyurethane-coated suede-effect / woven textile suede-effect], fibre or hide content [ ], backing [ ], supplier reference [ ], colour [ ]. Trade names are not accepted as a description. Supplier states the construction in writing before quotation.
[Supplier] provides, before approval, results for: rub wear to [BS EN ISO 12947-2:2016 / method for coated fabrics, stated] to [ ] cycles; colour fastness to rubbing and light to [method and grade]; for polyurethane-based materials, an accelerated hydrolysis ageing test to [ISO 1419 Method C or equivalent, duration and pass criterion stated]; for leather, the tests listed in the leather clause. Laboratory and method are named on each result.
[Supplier] states the cleaning method, the products to avoid, and the cleaning regime the material was tested for. Claims of stain resistance, cleanability or the absence of a named substance are accepted only with a certificate or test report naming the material and the date.
Fire route for each item: [composite with route A / B / C] to [BS 7176:2007+A1:2011 / current edition] [Medium] Hazard, with a test report for the finished composite as supplied: cover, any interliner and filling. A report for the cover alone is not accepted. [Supplier] confirms the composite in writing before the sample is approved.
Terms used on this page
- Nubuck
- Aniline leather with the grain surface lightly sanded to give a velvety feel. It absorbs liquids easily and stains, and is often confused with suede.
- Suede
- Leather with a soft, napped surface made from the underside (flesh side) of the skin. It is delicate and marks easily, so use it where it is touched little.
- Faux suede
- A man-made fabric, usually microfibre, that imitates suede. It can be hard-wearing and cleanable, but some polyurethane versions age or crack, and the fire route must be checked.
- Split leather
- A layer cut from the flesh side of a hide. A finished split is coated with a polymer to imitate grain, and suits only light, low-stress use.
- Hydrolysis
- The breakdown of a polyurethane layer by moisture and heat, which can show as cracking or flaking of a coated suede-effect over time.
Standards and sources
- FIRA, Leather types, characteristics and maintenance: 12 Sep 2022, read 7 Nov 2026.
- BS EN 15987:2022; ISO 1419:2019; BS EN ISO 12947-2:2016: search-listing summaries read 7 Nov 2026, standards not read: 15987 current (2 Nov 2022); ISO 1419:2019 current, 2018 edition withdrawn; 12947-2:2016 current. Confirm on BSI Knowledge.
- BS EN 13336:2022: see our leather sheet for its status and the test list; not read.
Questions we are asked
What is the difference between suede and nubuck?
FIRA describes nubuck as aniline leather whose grain surface is lightly abraded to a velvet finish, and suede as the flesh side of the skin. Both are leathers with a nap, and both mark easily.
Is faux suede the same as microfibre?
Not necessarily. Both are man-made suede-effects, and the words are trade terms with no standard definition in the sources we read. Ask the supplier what the material is made of and see the test results.
Is suede suitable for restaurant seating?
FIRA says nubuck is vulnerable to spills and scuffs, and a finished split should be used only in low-stress applications. A nap surface that is sat on and wiped daily is a hard job. A tested suede-effect with cleaning and rub results may be a better fit; confirm with the supplier.
Do polyurethane faux suedes fall apart?
Some polyurethane-based materials degrade with heat and humidity, and an accelerated hydrolysis test such as ISO 1419 Method C is the usual way to ask. We found no pass level, so write the method and criterion into the specification.
Can I specify faux suede as PFAS-free or stain-proof?
Only with a certificate or test report for that material. Do not write such a claim on the strength of a trade name.
Download the factsheet
A two-page A4 PDF with the material table, the tests to ask for, the fire route and specification wording.