Materials · Full-Grain
Full-Grain Leather Shoes, Built on the Strongest Cut
The outer layer of the hide, left intact. Full-grain is where premium men's footwear starts — and the grade whose retail story is easiest to tell, because it ages in front of the customer.
The grade, defined
What full-grain means in a quotation
Full-grain leather is the top layer of the hide, used with the grain surface intact. It is not sanded, not corrected and not embossed — scars, neck wrinkles and growth marks stay in the leather. In our codes it is specified as FG-01 (full-grain calf, matte) or FG-02 (full-grain, hand-burnished), at a working thickness of 1.2–1.6 mm.
Because the grain fibers run uninterrupted, this is the strongest cut of the hide. It resists wear, takes a polish, and — the property buyers keep asking for — it burnishes with age instead of wearing out. A full-grain toe cap after a season of wear looks lived-in; a corrected panel just looks older.
Choose it for premium-tier brand programs and high-end dress lines — Oxfords, monk straps, dress boots — and for any retail positioning that promises the shoe improves with age. It pairs naturally with Goodyear welting, though Blake-stitched full-grain styles sit in the range as well.
On the spec sheet
Grade: Full-Grain · Code FG
Thickness: 1.2–1.6 mm
Tier: Premium
Seen in: OX, MS, BT premium styles
Typical specification
How we quote the FG hide
| Parameter | Our standard |
|---|---|
| Thickness | 1.2–1.6 mm |
| Finishes | Aniline, semi-aniline, pigmented, hand-burnished |
| Tanning | Chrome (standard); vegetable tanning arranged per program |
| Common uses in our range | OX, MS and BT premium styles |
| Hide codes | FG-01, FG-02 |
Indicative figures for planning purposes — binding quotation upon specification.
Programs on this material
FG-01 and FG-02 in the current range
Style reference
Style reference
Style reference
Ordering indicators
Numbers for your planning sheet
| Indicator | Typical figure |
|---|---|
| Pilot MOQ | 50–100 pairs per style, mixed sizes |
| Standard MOQ | 300 pairs per style per color |
| Sampling | 7–14 days on existing lasts |
| Bulk lead time | 30–45 days ex-factory |
| FOB reference — FG + Goodyear welted | US$28–50 / pair |
| FOB reference — FG + Blake | US$18–30 / pair |
Indicative figures for planning purposes — binding quotation upon specification.
Related pages
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Specifying full-grain?
Send the silhouette and your target tier. We confirm hide availability, finish options and an indicative FOB band for the program.