How to distinguish genuine leather from synthetic

When buying leather clothing and footwear, you need to be careful not to overpay for a fake. Such material looks like genuine leather on the outside, but naturally differs in durability, softness, strength, and other characteristics. Eco-leather is a fabric coated with a thin layer of polyurethane. Today, you can also find bonded leather—it is made from scraps and waste from the tanning industry, which are joined using synthetic resins and pressed. This type of substitute is very short-lived, does not tolerate contact with water, and cracks quickly.

## How to distinguish leather from eco-leather and other substitutes

Method #1

If an item has an exposed edge (for example, a shoe tongue or heel counter), pay attention to it. The edge or hem of genuine leather is not additionally treated or hidden, allowing you to see the material's structure. With substitutes and eco-leather, the raw edge is covered with a layer of rubber, which is a sign of a fake.

Method #2

If it is a jacket or coat, try to separate the material from the lining and rub it in your hands. With genuine leather, even well-processed, the underside remains rough. With substitutes, the layers slide easily against each other. Also, high-quality leather is soft but remains elastic, while a substitute can be either stiff or too thin, which can be felt by touch.

Method #3

If you crumple and hold a leather item in your hand, it warms up quickly; this is especially important when buying gloves, which can be made of synthetic material and will remain cold.

Method #4

Use a drop of water. Genuine leather absorbs it quite quickly, and a darker spot remains where the moisture hit. On synthetic materials, water simply rolls off.

Method #5

The most reliable one. The best manufacturers attach a tag made of the actual leather used to make the item (footwear or clothing). Expensive items may also have a certificate of authenticity, but in that case, checking them is usually not required.

## Which methods DO NOT work

Smell. **Modern manufacturers often use special fragrances to give the product the smell of leather, so you should not rely on this point.

Flame test. Genuine leather and surrogates can behave the same way if you are dealing with a high-quality fake.

Embossing. Today, no one is surprised by a "crocodile" belt made of eco-leather with a specific pattern applied to it.

## How to identify leather by the label

Pay attention to the factory label. If it is footwear, it often schematically indicates the parts and the material they are made of. Special symbols are also used for clothing.

A diamond shape means synthetic leather. A figure imitating an animal hide indicates a natural material.

Also pay attention to the inscriptions:

English: genuine leather

Italian: vera pelle

French: cuir

German: echtleder