Suede

Suede (pronounced /sweɪd/ SWAYD) is a kind of leather with a soft and fuzzy finish. It is often used for making jackets, shoes, fabrics, bags, furniture, and more. The word "suede" originally comes from French and means "gloves from Sweden."^[1]

Blue suede shoes

Suede boot

Suede leather is crafted from the underside of animal skin, which is smoother and more flexible than the top layer. However, it's not as tough or long-lasting. This material is great for making things feel soft and comfortable.^[2]

Production

Suede leather is created from the softer underside of animal skin. It's mainly made from lamb skin, although goat, calf, and deerskin are also used. Sometimes, even thick cow and deer hides are turned into suede, but they end up having a more rugged, shaggy texture because of the fibers in them.^[3]

In popular culture

Suede, with its unique qualities, has made appearances in various forms of entertainment:

• In the TV show Seinfeld, there's an episode called The Jacket where the character Jerry ruins his expensive suede jacket when he goes out in the snow.
• The famous early rock-n-roll song Blue Suede Shoes was written by Carl Perkins and later covered by Elvis Presley.
• The musician Weird Al Yankovic created a song called King of Suede.
• The term "Suedehead" is used to describe a subculture, and it's also the title of a song by English singer/songwriter Morrissey.