Demystifying leather belt quality
From reading online, I know that full grain leather is "the best" and top grain leather is "second best" and genuine leather is some of the worst. This is mostly concrete to me, although I don't have a full grain leather belt. I do have one top grain leather belt that is in perfect shape after a few years, and I have had genuine leather belts split and break within two or three wears.
But what about everything else? I mostly get my clothes from thrift stores, and come across so many variations of leather descriptions. Two recent examples from pickups: (1) "Aniline Finished Leather - Made in USA". Got this today (it's essentially this: https://poshmark.com/listing/Aniline-Finished-Brown-Leather-Belt-64cbad5c02760bac75b7f672). (2) Coach made in USA burgundy belt made from "burnished cowhide". From my limited experience, these belts feel and look closer to the top-grain leather belt than the genuine leather belts I've felt and worn.
Is there a resource out there explaining all of the different kinds of belt leathers? Otherwise, would love to at least learn about aniline + burnished cowhide leathers!
But what about everything else? I mostly get my clothes from thrift stores, and come across so many variations of leather descriptions. Two recent examples from pickups: (1) "Aniline Finished Leather - Made in USA". Got this today (it's essentially this: https://poshmark.com/listing/Aniline-Finished-Brown-Leather-Belt-64cbad5c02760bac75b7f672). (2) Coach made in USA burgundy belt made from "burnished cowhide". From my limited experience, these belts feel and look closer to the top-grain leather belt than the genuine leather belts I've felt and worn.
Is there a resource out there explaining all of the different kinds of belt leathers? Otherwise, would love to at least learn about aniline + burnished cowhide leathers!
