REAL OR SYNTHETIC? HOW TO TELL
Telling the difference between real and synthetic leather isn’t always easy – especially with how advanced synthetic materials have become. Sometimes, products marketed as 'genuine leather' may actually contain only a tiny amount of it. That’s a clever marketing trick, but it can easily mislead you.
If you want products that are truly high-quality and built to last, it’s worth learning how to recognize real leather on your own.
Here are a few simple tips that will help you spot the difference between genuine and synthetic leather.
Sometimes, products marketed as 'genuine leather' may actually contain only a tiny amount of it.
That’s a clever marketing trick, but it can easily mislead you.
If you want products that are truly high-quality and built to last, it’s worth learning how to recognize real leather on your own.
Here are a few simple tips that will help you spot the difference between genuine and synthetic leather.
How to Tell if Leather is Real?
We’ve often met surprised and disappointed customers who came to our workshop asking us to restore a ‘leather’ handbag or belt. It would turn out that, despite being marketed as ‘genuine leather,’ these accessories were falling apart after just a few months – sometimes even weeks.
Products labeled as natural leather are often made from what’s called bonded leather – the lowest grade of leather. It’s essentially ground-up tannery scraps glued together with synthetic compounds. In many cases, the manufacturer will describe an item as leather when it actually contains only a small percentage of real leather (10–20%), with the rest made up of synthetic layers.
Things to look for
If you come across an item labeled as bonded leather, PU leather, vegan leather, leatherette, ocean leather, Piñatex leather, or synthetic leather – it’s not real leather. Always pay attention to the percentage of actual leather in the composition.
Honest leather products proudly carry labels such as '100% genuine leather'
or 'full-grain leather.
Also pay attention to the price. Everyone loves a good deal, but genuine leather usually comes at a higher cost compared to imitations. If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Close-up examples of genuine leather
Real leather is a natural material, and when you run your fingers across it you’ll notice it isn’t perfectly smooth. Press on it and see if wrinkles or creases appear. Genuine leather should flex and wrinkle under your touch, much like our own skin. Imitations, on the other hand, usually stay stiff, hold their shape when pressed, and are harder to bend.
There’s no reliable way to replicate the smell of real leather.
Genuine leather has a distinct,
natural smell –
a trace left from the tanning process.
Don’t worry if you can’t quite recognize the typical scent of natural leather – you’ll definitely notice the smell of synthetic material! Fake leather usually just smells like plastic. Keep in mind, though, that products made from bonded leather (those with only a small percentage of real leather) can also give off that characteristic natural scent. That’s why it’s always worth checking the label to see exactly what the product is made of.
Synthetic leather usually has a repeating pattern, perfectly even edges, and a uniform texture.
The surface texture of leather is never completely uniform and often contains marks and imperfections. Surprisingly, these imperfections are actually considered desirable. Real leather is an animal-derived material, which makes every piece as unique as the animal it came from.
Classic beauty
Timeless elegance
Information
Company information
kontakt@mdotm.pl
P.P.H.U. Majkowski
NIP: 1250084257
05-270 Marki
Zygmuntowska 10A