Split: A term used to dscribe the under portion of a hide or skin, split into two or more thicknesses.
Suede: Generally the inner side of the hide or skin next to the meat of the animal, buffed to a smooth finish. Suede may also be split from a thick hide.
Tanning: A chemical process converting a raw hide into a stable product which is no longer susceptible to decay.
Top Grain: Leather that contains the top portion of the hide - the part that had hair
on it. The top grain portion of the hide is about the thickness of a penny.