Differences Between Alcantara and Suede

The biggest difference between suede and Alcantara is their source. Suede is made from leather or the hide of different animals. Alcantara is made in a science lab using a variety of chemicals and other products to make it look and feel like suede.

To let you know the differences between the two fabrics here is a quick comparison chart.

Category	Suede	Alcantara
Origin	a variety of animals found throughout the world	polyester & polyurethane
Years of use	since the beginning of time	maybe the 1970s at best or even the 2000s
Durable	not that strong	very durable
Stain resistant	no, it can stain easily	very stain resistant
Applications	found in cars interiors, clothing, shoes and a host of other applications	usually found in cars as a replacement for suede or leather
Feel & texture	soft, natural and has a great appearance	can be soft but artificial in texture and feel
Manufacture	made all around the world by many different companies	is a trademarked brand name like other modern synthetic fibers and made exclusively in Italy by a Japanese company
Price	can be both inexpensive and costly	mostly costly as the price per yard ranges from $40 to $99 and up

There really is no comparison. Alcantara is a synthetic fiber that is made from petroleum products, harsh chemicals and made to mimic suede. It may be more durable and flexible than suede can be but it is also more expensive by the yard than you would expect a synthetic material to be.

This material is perfect for those who do not want to have animal products in their vehicles. You will find this fabric more in luxury cars than any other model you can buy.

Suede, on the other hand, is soft, natural, and comes with a variety of applications as you can make handbags, coats, shoes, socks, and more out of this material as well as have it in your luxury or not so luxury car.

Unfortunately, suede does not last as long as Alcantara but it is still the better material of the two.