You're making one of the best style purchases you can make if you invest in real leather. Authentic hides are extremely durable, have a natural rich scent and the patina they develop over time is gorgeous. But for synthetic materials such as polyurethane (PU) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which are at an all-time level of realism, it is now essential to know how to tell if leather is real.
If you're testing a car, buying a new purchase or you just want to make sure that a thrift store item is genuine, knowing how to tell real leather from fake can save you money from paying too much for a fake leather product. In this extensive guide, we will analyze the necessary sensory checks, structural indicators, and physical tests, so you can know how to tell if something is real leather.
Visual & Tactile Inspection: How to Tell Real Leather
The first place to look is with your sense of sight and the first place to touch with is your hands in order to know how to tell real leather apart. Real animal hide is an organic material and it contains some natural flaws and imperfections which the machines can never replicate.
Look at the Surface Pores and Grain Patterns
To distinguish real vs fake leather, take a close look at the surface. Natural animal hide has an irregular grain with randomly distributed pores, small insect bite marks or natural stretch lines. Fake leather, on the other hand, has a totally uniform repeating geometric design that is produced through industrial stamping rollers. When all the squares are the same, it's synthetic.
Look at the Edges and Seams
Recognizing how to tell real from pleather can sometimes depend on checking out raw seams. Rough edges are found on authentic leather and they are fuzzy with rough fibres at the edges where the hide was cut. The cut edges of synthetic products in real vs faux leather are smooth and look like plastic, or have a fabric backing that shows through the top layer.
The Wrinkle and Press Test
To determine how to tell real vs fake leather, take your thumb and press it into the leather:
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Real Hide: temporary changes color slightly around the pressed area, like human skin does under pressure, under pressure naturally will cause wrinkles and creases.
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Synthetic Hide: A type of hide that doesn't form natural micro-wrinkles, but rather is depressed like rigid plastic or vinyl.
Quick Guide: Real vs Fake Leather Comparison
When you compare the physical characteristics of fake leather and real leather side by side, it's much easier to understand how to tell fake leather from real leather:
|
Characteristic |
Real Leather |
Synthetic / Pleather / Faux |
|
Scent |
The leather has a rich, organic, earthy scent. |
Scent of chemicals, plastics or petroleum oil |
|
Texture |
Soft, warm, malleable, slightly irregular. |
Cold, smooth, rubbery or unnaturally stiff |
|
Water Reaction |
Holds water on its surface for seconds before absorbing it |
Does not absorb water. |
|
Edge Finish |
Natural fiber edges that are rough. |
Smooth and sealed plastic or fabric string backing |
|
Patina |
Grows better with age and develops a nice luster. |
Cracks, peels and deteriorates over time. |
How to Tell If a Leather Jacket Is Real
When it comes to outerwear, it can be costly, so it's crucial to determine if a leather jacket is authentic before purchase. The difference between a real vs fake leather jacket will be very different in weight, ease of breathing, and flexibility.
When examining a jacket:
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Feel the Weight: Real cowhide or thick sheepskin outerwear will have weight to them. If the biker jacket is bulky and lightweight, it's probably made of synthetic polyurethane.
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Test Breathability: The natural porosity and breathability of real hide keep bodies at a comfortable temperature. Synthetic coats will hold body heat and moisture, and will make the wearer feel damp and clammy almost instantly.
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Check Flex Points: Elbows and shoulders. A real jacket will exhibit more softening and grain variation around those movement points after a few years, while a fake jacket will begin to have those hard cracks and tears in the surface of the jacket after the first few years.
4. Simple Physical Tests: How to Know If Something Is Real Leather
When you can't tell from sight, these hands-on tests will tell you how to know if something is real leather in a few seconds.
The Water Drop Test
Place a small amount of water on an out-of-sight area of the clothes:
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Real hide is porous and will absorb the water droplet during a 10-30 second period, making a temporary darker spot which will dry out.
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The synthetic material will be water-receptive, which results in the water droplet rolling off and not absorbing.
The Smell Test
When in doubt, use your nose which is one of the best answers to “how can you tell if something is real leather?” Only real hides have a natural and warm smell which is impossible to replicate. Synthetic jackets and accessories produce a strong chemical, plastic or rubbery scent when first unpacked.
The Warmth Test
Real leather is good at absorbing and retaining body heat. Place palm on material, hold for 5 seconds. Real hide will get warmer and warmer when you put it on, while plastic or vinyl remains cold and clingy.
Decoding Labels & Terminology
But once you learn about leather industry labeling, you get the answer to how do you know if something is real leather. There are terms used to classify materials, which are used by manufacturers:
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Full Grain Leather: The top layer of the hide that is used for the outer layer. Untouched, very strong and full of nature.
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Top-Grain Leather: Sanded slightly, but still strong and supple, the second highest quality.
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Genuine Leather: This typically refers to less expensive "split" leather used with surface binders, though it can also be real leather. Having the ability to know how to tell genuine leather from top-grain is the way to make sure you know the quality you're getting.
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Pleather/ Faux/ PU/ Bonded: Construction of synthetic or reconstituted materials that are combined with plastic resins. If you understand how to identify real leather, you'll never be charged actual prices for fake leather items.
Understanding how to identify pure leather will make it easier to invest in quality leather, such as the items offered in the ZOQ Leather catalog - which use only 100% pure top-grain and full-grain leather.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do real leathers peel with age?
No, nothing will peel or flake off in sheets from any real full-grain or top-grain hide. The most common sign of synthetic plastic coatings that have come apart from fabric backing on fake products is peeling.
Is there any synthetic leather that has the same scent as real leather?
Some manufacturers add artificial leather fragrances to synthetic goods, but this chemical fragrance goes away after just a few days, and is accompanied by an artificial rubber or plastic smell beneath.
Which is better, a real leather jacket or a fake one?
Animal hide will be marked with natural scratches and minor color variations, and will have slight grain marks. That is the most reliable way that experts can distinguish real pure hides from machine-printed plastic hides.
What to look for in a leather jacket?
Focus on the hide grade, and look for full-grain or top-grain leather for durability. Look at the hardware; zippers must be made of good quality metal (YKK for instance), not plastic; lining should have breathable materials. Lastly, check to see if the texture feels natural, and has an earthy aroma, which indicates that it is a genuine piece.
How to know the quality of the leather?
Good leather is soft, warm and somewhat uneven. It has an earthy and organic scent and has a slight moisture absorption. Poor quality or fake leather feels cold, stiff, smells heavily of chemicals and has a perfectly repeating machine stamped out surface grain.
How much is a men’s real leather jacket?
An authentic top grain or full-grain men's leather jacket will cost between $200 and more than $1,000 depending on the thickness of the leather, the sophistication of the design, and hardware. Any jacket that is for sale for an amount much less than $100 will almost always be made from synthetic plastics or a substandard split leather.
How to identify fake leather?
Artificial leather repels water immediately, gives a petroleum or plastic smell and does not have natural surface pores. When forced, it will sink into the material, but no natural micro-wrinkles will be created. Also, the edges of faux leather are entirely smooth and frequently show a weave behind. reveal a woven fabric backing.
Are pricey leather jackets worth it?
Yes. A leather jacket is a family heirloom. An authentic full grain hide offers excellent wind protection and is tough on tearing, and will slowly develop a beautiful patina over time. On the other hand, low-quality synthetic jackets will, in a year or two, end up in a landfill.