TexSupplyHubGlobal Textile Sourcing & RFQ Network
Sourcing Guide

Synthetic Suede Fabric (麂皮绒): Woven, Knitted and Upholstery Sourcing Guide

Synthetic Suede Fabric is a woven, knitted or nonwoven polyester-based textile with a brushed, raised or sanded nap that imitates suede leather. Buyers should specify construction, surface treatment, GSM, width, nap, backing and end-use testing because apparel and upholstery qualities require different performance controls.

麂皮绒Synthetic Suede FabricPolyester Fabrics

Quick Answer

  • Choose woven suede for greater dimensional stability and cleaner tailoring, knitted suede for stretch and softer drape, and nonwoven microfiber suede when a dense, leather-like surface is the priority.
  • Confirm fiber content, base construction, GSM, width, nap direction, surface treatment, backing, stretch, colorfastness, abrasion and pilling requirements in the RFQ.
  • Request production-lot swatches because sanding, brushing, dyeing and heat setting can change shade, nap uniformity, handle and dimensional stability.
  • Use upholstery-specific testing and seam evaluation for furniture, rather than applying apparel fabric benchmarks to seating or contract interiors.

Fabric Gallery

3 reference images

What Is Synthetic Suede Fabric?

Synthetic Suede Fabric, or 麂皮绒, is a man-made textile finished to imitate the soft, matte and napped surface of suede leather. Commercial qualities commonly use polyester or polyester microfiber, sometimes with polyurethane as a binder, coating or backing component. The base may be woven, knitted or nonwoven, and the surface is developed through processes such as brushing, raising, sanding, sueding and shearing. Construction, fiber fineness, nap height, backing and finishing determine handle, drape, stretch, abrasion behavior, color appearance and price. A buyer should therefore specify the base construction and finishing route rather than purchasing by the word suede alone.

Common Specifications Buyers Compare

SpecificationCommon OptionsBuyer Note
ConstructionWoven polyester, warp knit, weft knit, microfiber nonwoven, single-sided suede or double-sided suede.Do not accept "suede" as the construction description; require the supplier to state the base and surface process.
Fiber content100% polyester, polyester microfiber, polyester/elastane knit, polyester with polyurethane binder or laminated backing.Composition affects softness, stretch, abrasion, moisture response, recycling claims and price; require percentages for face, backing and binder where applicable.
Finished weight, GSMApparel qualities are often lightweight to medium weight; upholstery qualities are typically heavier or backed, but values are supplier-dependent.Use a target and tolerance rather than a single nominal value, because density and finishing can vary between suppliers.
Finished widthSupplier-dependent finished widths, with separate face width and usable cutting width where relevant.State whether width is usable after finishing and whether the nap or selvedge must be excluded from cutting width.
Nap and surfaceShort, even nap for apparel; denser or more stable nap for upholstery and interior panels.Nap height and density control the visual depth, handfeel, shading and resistance to flattening; approve against a physical standard.
Surface finishingBrushed, raised, sanded, emerised, sheared or combinations of these processes.Brushing, raising, sanding, sueding and shearing are not interchangeable descriptions; request the actual route and any heat-setting stage.
BackingUnbacked, tricot-backed, foam-laminated, nonwoven-backed or polyurethane-backed constructions.A backing or lamination can improve stability and body but may reduce breathability, drape or cleanability.
Stretch and recoveryNonstretch woven, mechanical stretch, two-way stretch or four-way stretch knit.For knitted fabric, define extension and recovery by direction; for woven fabric, confirm whether stretch comes from elastane or mechanical construction.

Main Applications

Apparel such as jackets, skirts, dresses, trousers, shirts, trims and accessories.Upholstery for residential seating, cushions, headboards, panels and decorative interior products.Automotive and contract-interior components when the construction, lamination and performance testing meet the project specification.Footwear, bags, gloves, display products and other applications requiring a soft, suede-like surface.

How Buyers Should Source It

  1. Ask the supplier to identify the base construction before comparing prices; a similar face appearance can hide major differences in stretch, backing, yield and durability.
  2. Compare face and reverse sides under directional light, because the nap can create apparent shade changes and reveal uneven brushing or sanding.
  3. For apparel, select woven qualities when tailored shape and seam stability matter, and knitted qualities when stretch, softness and close-body drape are required.
  4. For upholstery, prioritize construction-specific abrasion, pilling, colorfastness, seam and dimensional tests instead of relying on touch or a single rub result.
  5. Approve a garment or upholstery trial before bulk order, because cutting direction, pressing, sewing tension, foam lamination and nap orientation can change the finished appearance.
  6. Keep bulk rolls from the same approved dyeing and finishing route where possible, and define shade-band tolerance before production.
  7. Confirm whether the fabric is sold piece-dyed, yarn-dyed, printed or solution-dyed, because the route affects shade matching, minimums, lead time and colorfastness.
  8. Ask whether the fabric can be laminated, perforated, quilted, embossed or high-frequency welded when the product design requires secondary processing.
  9. Review care-label and cleaning instructions with the supplier, particularly where polyurethane, foam backing or specialty finishes may react to heat, solvents or repeated washing.

RFQ Checklist

  • State whether the required base is woven, weft knitted, warp knitted or nonwoven, because construction controls stretch, stability, cutability and sewing performance.
  • List the fiber composition and identify whether polyurethane is a binder, coating, foam laminate or separate backing, because these options affect hand, breathability and cost.
  • Specify target GSM and finished usable width as typical ranges or tolerances, because weight and width affect marker efficiency, yield, drape and upholstery coverage.
  • Describe the nap requirement, including one-side or two-side suede, nap direction, target nap height, surface density and acceptable shade variation after brushing.
  • Request a signed sample approval covering face, back, nap direction, color, handfeel, thickness, stretch and recovery before bulk production.
  • Define colorfastness requirements for washing, rubbing, perspiration, light and water according to the destination market and end use.
  • For upholstery, specify the abrasion method, cycle target, pressure, abradant, rating or failure endpoint, because results from different methods are not directly interchangeable.
  • Request pilling and surface-change testing using the agreed method, since loose fibers, binder level and nap structure can alter visible wear.
  • Check tear strength, tensile strength, seam slippage and dimensional change when the fabric will be cut, stretched, upholstered or exposed to repeated loading.
  • For knitted qualities, specify course and wale direction, stretch percentage, recovery and skew, because these affect garment fit, panel alignment and sewing accuracy.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Treating all suede-look fabrics as the same construction when woven, knitted and nonwoven versions behave differently.
  • Approving color from a flat swatch without checking nap direction, brushing uniformity and light-shade variation.
  • Specifying only a high abrasion result without defining the test method, abradant, endpoint and intended end use.
  • Assuming polyurethane content, coating thickness or lamination is interchangeable between apparel and upholstery qualities.
  • Ignoring seam slippage, edge fraying, stretch recovery or dimensional change during garment and upholstery sampling.
  • Approving a handfeel before laundering, dry cleaning, pressing or upholstery conditioning trials are completed.

Related Textile Guides

Fabric Knowledge

Taslan Fabric: Air-Textured Yarn, Coatings and Buyer Specifications

Taslan Fabric uses air-textured filament yarn to create a matte, bulked and less slippery surface, usually in nylon sportswear and outdoor constructions. Buyers should specify the base fiber, ATY yarn, weave, GSM, finish and test targets because Taslan alone does not define waterproofness or durability.