How to Spot Fake Leather? (10 Simple Steps)

Leather is a natural material used to create products like bags, furniture accessories, and clothes. Advancements in synthetic leather manufacturing have been labeled as “refined manufacturing advancements,” but honestly, they just make it harder to tell if something is fake.

Unfortunately, the market has adopted the habit of selling artificial products as real leather.

Sellers market fake leather pieces as being made from cowhide, lambskin, calfskin, sheepskin, and snakeskin. People who are looking for something that looks real but isn’t enjoy the “manufacturing advancements.”

We don’t have time for that.

However, for those who want to buy real leather jackets and goods, this blog is very helpful for learning how to spot fake leather. Let’s understand the difference between real and fake leather.

Real Vs. Fake Leather

Real and fake leather often look similar, but some features differentiate them. Before doing any analysis or testing to check for authentic leather, you must know the difference.

Real Or Genuine Leather

Real leather is made with genuine animal hide.
It has an earthy and musky scent.
Real leather is long-lasting with proper care.
Natural grain and unique texture.
More breathable from synthetic leather material.
Sustainable option if made from sourced leather.

Fake and Synthetic Leather

Fake leather is artificially made with plastic and polyurethane.
Less durable and shows signs of wear over time.
Uniform texture with no natural variations.
Less breathable compared to real leather.
It is not eco-friendly due to its manufacture with synthetic material.
Less expensive than genuine leather.

Let’s go through some ways to test out your leather jackets, pants, bags, and accessories to determine whether they are made with real or fake leather.

1. Check the Tag For Authentication of Genuine Leather

Many genuine leather products have a label to signify that the product is genuine leather. Despite this, manufacturers are enthusiastic about showing that their products are real, so the label should be an easy spot to check.

Leather products without any label and with the label “man-made materials, so you understand immediately that the product has not been crafted with real leather. Moreover, relying only on the label is insufficient to know whether the leather material is real or fake.

Authentic leather is always labeled as genuine leather, real leather, and complete/top-grain leather. Besides, many leather goods and clothing manufacturers use labels that might be “Made with animal products” to explain that they contain animal-skin-based leather.

Fake leather, also called synthetic leather, is made with plastic and polyurethane. Sometimes, this leather is also labeled as pleather, vegan leather, faux leather, PU leather, or leatherette.

However, used leather goods may have lost their tags, so other signs must be considered to determine the leather’s originality.

2. Press the Leather for Creases

The next test is to press into the leather and look for creases and wrinkles. Real leather pants and outfits are much like human skin, which naturally wrinkles when touched. Wrinkles form as the leather flexes and moves, showcasing its authenticity and softness to ensure comfort.

In contrast, fake leather tends to depress under your finger but quickly returns to its rigid shape. Like real leather, fake leather lacks natural texture and flexibility. Thus, this difference in how they react to touching fake or real leather pants for men is the easiest way to tell which one is real or fake.

3. Examine the Grain for Texture

Another easy way to determine the difference between real and fake is to examine the grain texture. Look at the surface grain of an imperfect “pebble” texture on a genuine leather women’s bag to identify its originality.

Remember, genuine leather is fabricated with animal skin that has a grainy surface made of pores. Additionally, each piece is as unique as the animal it came from, that’s why real leather is always imperfect with random grain patterns. Here are some points which help you to choose authentic leather jackets, shirts, bags, and accessories.

The regular, even, and similarly patterned grains then indicate machine-made leather.
Real leather might have creases, wrinkles, and scratches compared to fake leather.
Faux leather manufacturers get more skilled, and their designs are better at mimicking real leather.

4. Bend the Leather to Test Stretch

Genuine leather is highly elastic and stretches easily without losing its shape. However, when you bend the real leather, it often changes color and forms wrinkles that are evidence of its natural qualities.

On the other hand, faux leather is rigid and lacks the same flexibility. The inflexibility is the major sign to explain the synthetic leather, it is much harder to bend and tends to resist stretching. When you buy a real leather jacket women, you must ensure the bend test for flexibility and color changing.

5. Feel the Softness and Warmth

Genuine leather softness is incredible, that’s why you should run your hands over the leather surface to get a sense of its feel. The soft feel with a subtle bumpy texture is the prominent identity of genuine leather.

Apart from this, it also warms up your hands after you hold onto it. In contrast, most synthetic leather is made of plastic, which means it usually feels hard, cool, and smooth when you experience the touch. Whether you want to access women’s genuine leather skirts, jackets, or pants, this tip is helpful to know on the spot about the originality of products.

6. Smell for a natural, Musty Odor

Real leather is made from animal skin, which has the smell of animal hide. The smells are like must, earth, and wood.

However, if any brand tries to sell you leather shirts and pants with real leather labels, it gives off chemical and plastic scents.

At that moment, you can smell the leather for authentication. Faux, man-made, and synthetic leather has plastic and chemical secrets.

Those who are still unsure about the real leather skin smell can just head into a store and ask the salesperson for genuine leather goods and sniff a few of them.

You also need to smell the synthetic leather products. Now, you can experience both products’ smells and choose the best real leather pants for women and men to complete your outfits.

7. Look for Rough, Not Perfect Edges

Machine-made leather provides perfectly cut, straight, and sharp edges. In comparison, genuine leather is a fibrous material, so when it is cut it’s naturally frayed around the edges and looks rough. Faux made from plastic, doesn’t have these fibers, so the edges remain clean and smooth. This tactic is a clear indicator when you differentiate the genuine and synthetic leathers. Whether you buy bags or men’s real leather shirts, look for rough edges instead of perfect and even.

8. Test Leather Through Water Absorption

An easy, breezy activity in which you don’t need to smell the leather and run your hands on the surface multiple times. Just take a small drop of the water on the good and check whether it absorbs the moisture or not.

Real and genuine leather will absorb the tiniest drop of water in seconds. On the faux and mend-made lather, the water will simply puddle up on the top.

9. Real Leather Isn’t Cheap

A pro piece of advice for you, who never imagined buying real leather products at low prices: it doesn’t work. A man or woman must know that real leather goods are rarely ever cheap. Products made with real leather are more costly than those made with synthetic leather.

Therefore, faux leather is easier, while tanning animal hides requires skills and time. Always remember that real leather is more expensive than fake alternatives, and keep in mind that there are different types of leather at various price ranges.

10. Use the Fire Test (With Caution)

The last tip is to use the fire test, for people who do not recognize the real vs. fake leather comparison yet. For this experience to succeed, a person needs a small and hard-to-see area that they can easily damage, like an underside piece of cloth and a couch.

Hold a flame up to the leather for 5 to 10 seconds and watch what happens. Real leather only chars when heated; instead, faux leather catches the flame instantly. Also, real leather smells a bit like burnt hair, and plastic smells like burning plastic.

Wind UP

The above-mentioned steps are perfect for checking the originality and authentication of leather goods and patties. “The Urban Tannery" offers high-quality leather jackets, shirts, and pants that are essential for a timeless and refined look for men or women.

FAQ:

Q: How Can You Tell the Quality of Leather?

You can assess the leather quality by checking the label, examining the grain texture, and feeling the warmth. Also, you can smell the product because genuine leather always has a musky and earthy odor.

Q: What Is Considered Fake Leather?

A man-made leather material design that resembles real leather by a manufacturer from a fabric coated with synthetic materials like PVC and PU, is considered fake leather.

Q: Can You Scratch Real Leather?

Yes, real leather has flexibility and is starched; however, it is usually less prone to damage than faux and synthetic materials.

Q: Does Real Leather Turn White?

No, real leather doesn’t turn white unless particular conditions damage it or if it has prolonged exposure to moisture or harsh chemicals. However, leather may show discoloration when stretched and exposed to other elements.

Q: What Is the Difference Between Genuine and Real Leather?

“Real leather” typically refers to 100% authentic leather made from animal hides. Similarly, the term “genuine leather” can encompass lower grades of leather. “Real leather” and “genuine leather” can often be used interchangeably.