Modern manufacturers have learned how to make artificial leather, exactly like natural counterparts. Everything would be fine if the seller, during the sale, confessed and told the buyer about all the properties of the goods.

It often happens that on the shelves there are products made of artificial material, but sold as if from natural raw materials. There are many ways to not be deceived, and to be able to distinguish the original from the fake. The most effective and reliable methods are highlighted in this article.

Leatherette and genuine leather differ in properties and quality. Such characteristics directly affect their cost. A leather product is more expensive and has a number of advantages that affect its cost and durability:

• Attractive appearance products.
• The material is not torn and does not give in to pollution.
• Unpretentiousness in care. It is enough to wipe things with a clean soft cloth with a solution of soap, water and ammonia.
• Frost resistance.

The replacement is cheaper, but it requires additional care. Leatherette products must be cleaned and treated with water-repellent agents (especially shoes). It is not recommended to wear them in rain and cold. Under the influence of precipitation and low temperatures, the artificial material quickly fails.

External differences

There are many ways to distinguish a substitute from genuine leather. Differences can be found visually and empirically. Of course, no seller will allow you to set fire to and cut the material in the store, but any person has the right to inspect the purchased goods.

The quality of stitching and internal seams

Inspection is best to start from the wrong side. To do this, you need to find a sewn sample of the material from which the thing is made. If a piece is not found, you should look inside the shoes, bag, jacket and find the stitched seam.

Features of genuine leather:

• threads, textile lining or base should not stick out from the connection area of ​​the product parts;
• natural material does not exfoliate;
• inner side rough to the touch, has traces of underpainting.

Reference! Natural things are more expensive, because the details of them are more difficult to sew. They are thicker and denser than artificial material.

Material thickness and edge

Faux leather is thinner than its natural counterpart. Artificial material is usually thinner. It has a smooth and even edge.

The naturalness of the material is confirmed by its rough edge.

Elasticity and color when pressed or flexed

A fake is usually given out by its creases when bent and a smooth standard shade. At the fold, the substitute usually changes color.

Natural material quickly takes shape after deformation. It has a unique pattern, a small porosity.

The relief and pores of the material

Take a closer look at the texture of the product. If you do not see the pores or notice their identical and symmetrical arrangement, then you have a leather substitute. Natural material has random porosity and small wrinkles on the surface.

Back (fibers or fabric)

Leatherette has a textile or knitted basis. It is smooth and well crafted. Natural has a fibrous inner surface.

What to do in the store to distinguish products?

There are certain methods that are usually used in shops and markets. If it was not possible to recognize leatherette using the above methods, but doubts remain, you can try to perform the following manipulations:

• Warm up by hand and check the heat transfer. Put your hand on the material. If she quickly feels warm and does not moisturize, then you have real skin. Leatherette heats up and moisturizes for a long time, that is, it does not let heat through.
• Pay attention to smell. If the manufacturer has not taken care of and flavored the artificial leather, it can be given off by the pungent smell of the chemicals used to process the product. Natural material has its own specific pleasant smell.
• Examine the label (form, inscription), check the presence and shape of the tag. On things that are made in a factory, manufacturers usually mark the material with a label with a special icon or inscription. It is customary to designate leather on a small piece of a product marked: “genuine leather”, natural leather, etc. Leatherette is usually indicated by a diamond icon or the inscription "Leather".

Important! A leather substitute is any product that has undergone chemical processing. That is, even if the skin of an animal has been treated with chemical solvents, it cannot be considered natural.

Differentiation methods not used in the store

If, after a visual inspection, there are doubts, you can test the product with water and flame. It is unlikely that you will be allowed to make such experiments with the skin in the store. Experiments with heating and water are most often carried out at home.

Reaction to water

If on genuine leather drop a little water, and it will gradually be absorbed, so this is not a fake. Water drains from the leatherette and leaves a dry surface and a white mark behind. Even if the leatherette is completely wetted, only its lining will absorb water. WITH outside the water will drain without getting inside.

Wet items made of genuine leather can be ironed with a warm iron without steam through gauze. In this way, small creases are removed from the skin.

Reference! Genuine leather should not be dried on a battery or hot iron. After drying, it will change its size down and lose its appearance.

Experience with fire

If you take a small sample of leather and bring it to the flame, the result will immediately allow you to recognize a fake from a natural product. The leather substitute melts immediately, and the skin gradually begins to deform, shrivel and emit the smell of burnt hair.

Conclusion. Secure Location Increases Purchase Guarantees

In order not to be deceived, you should buy natural things from trusted sellers who can provide a quality certificate and a guarantee for the purchased product.

The document confirming the quality must indicate the material from which the product is made. The certificate must be stamped and signed by a representative of the certifying authority.

With modern technology for the manufacture of fake leather, not every person will be able to identify whether the leather in front of him is natural or artificial. A natural question arises - how to distinguish leather from leatherette.

Leather

Genuine leather is made from whole animal skins: pig, cattle, goat, sheep, ostrich, crocodile and others. First, the skin is cleaned, then it turns into a semi-finished product, and then - tanning, dyeing, fixing.

Some types of leather production:

• chevro - soft, durable, elastic leather obtained from the skins of goats,
• shagreen is a thick, durable skin made from horses, the spinal part of cattle (cattle), as well as waterfowl: sharks, rays,
• kid skin - very thin, soft, elastic skin from lambs, kids. Lacquer gloves are made from this leather,
• suede - a type of skin from sheep, goats, cattle, pigs, deer with a soft fleecy surface,
• parchment - skin for drums, tambourines. And other types.

Genuine leather, depending on the quality, can be rough, medium dressing.

The main value of genuine leather is that it breathes, that is, it passes air.

Suede

The softness and thickness of suede depends on the quality of the dressing. The better the quality, the more expensive the thing, natural suede is much more expensive than artificial. How to distinguish real leather and suede from a fake?

• It is necessary, first of all, to feel the suede with your hand, it warms up from contact.
• The pile of natural suede, if you run your hand over it, bends, the surface changes its shade and texture.
• Real suede has no fabric back, it never delaminates.
• A sign of naturalness - the presence of pores, scratches, creases.
• Natural suede absorbs water.
• Natural suede cannot have absolutely one color over its entire surface.

Signs of genuine leather

How to distinguish genuine leather from other types of substitutes? Real leather has several features, differences:

• Genuine leather products are accompanied by a miniature sample that repeats the figure of an animal and a certificate of authenticity of the product.
• The skin has a specific smell. However, this does not give a 100% guarantee, because Now, with modern technology, everything is possible, including giving the material the smell of leather.
• Genuine leather has a fleecy and non-woven base, which can be seen at the seam, the cut is more rounded.
• Real skin shrinks, shrinks when exposed to fire, but does not burn.
• If even a drop of water gets on real skin, then a darkening will remain in this place until the water dries. With an artificial drop of water just drains.
• If you put your palm on a leather product, then after a while the palms will become warm.
• In natural leather, after bending, the original state returns.

If money is paid for a product made of genuine leather, then you must definitely figure out how to distinguish leather from a fake.

Skin substitutes

Modern leather substitutes have excellent qualities. They are durable and easy to maintain. Leather substitutes include:

• vinyl leather resistant to high temperatures, sunlight, moisture, stretching, abrasion,
• dermantin, today it is a high-quality leather substitute, is used not only for furniture upholstery, book binding, car covers, but also for the production of shoes and clothing.

Faux leather

Nowadays, artificial leather is widely used for the production of shoes, clothing, bags, furniture and so on. Artificial leather is homogeneous, can be very similar to natural, has a variety of colors. The great advantage of artificial leather is safety for humans, does not cause allergic reactions. In addition, artificial leather is much cheaper than natural.

Signs of faux leather

The following signs will give an understanding of how to distinguish artificial leather.

• A sample is attached to any leather product, if it is in the form of a diamond, then this is artificial leather.
• Leather substitutes have a fabric base, threads are visible on the raw cut.
• Artificial leather with a smooth, even structure.
• Faux leather melts and smells of burnt rubber, and if you hold it between your hands, this skin will remain cold.
• You can determine that a leatherette product is possible with a needle - it is pierced easily, and the holes remain with smooth edges.

Of course, each person is free to take what he likes best: genuine leather or leatherette. And he has the right to know how to distinguish leather from leatherette.

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How to distinguish genuine leather from artificial? Manufacturers are required to label products, but, unfortunately, labels cannot always be trusted. Modern technologies make it easy to imitate the skin. And what if you want to buy a leather item, for example, in a market in Europe or in a small family boutique?

By what signs can you quickly determine what is in front of you: leather or leatherette?

website collected the main methods that can be used simultaneously to make the right verdict.

1. Skin keeps you warm

The artificial material does not retain or transmit heat, while genuine leather will warm up in your hands almost immediately and retain its temperature for a while.

Leatherette from touch can also heat up slightly, but its surface will be slightly damp. The skin is always dry.

If you hold leatherette and natural leather in your hands, you can almost immediately feel the difference.

2. Unique pattern

Genuine leather has its own natural and unique pattern, while artificial material is characterized by a repeating pattern and “islands” of the same size. But in this case, there is a risk of confusing leatherette with printed leather - its pattern is also monotonous.

In addition to a special structure, genuine leather has pores, and if you look at it up close or through a magnifying glass, you can always see them. The pores are also arranged randomly. Modern technologies can already imitate them, but still, if you look closely, you can see that this is just a pattern, not holes.

3. Check the wrong side or cut

Not on all products it is so easy to see the wrong side, by which one can judge the naturalness of the material. Try to find an unprotected cut to see the structure.

Genuine leather is a large number of suede fibers, and the basis of artificial material is natural fabric or synthetics.

Thus, it is possible to distinguish from natural leather and high-quality artificial material - eco-leather: the appearance can be almost identical, but the basis of eco-leather will always be fabric.

4. Weight is an argument

Genuine leather is always heavier than artificial leather. This is noticeable even in small products, and is especially noticeable in the example leather jackets. Certainly, different types skins can also have different weights - for example, sheepskin weighs less than bovine.

But artificial leather will still be lighter than any natural leather. Moreover, it can sometimes be even lighter than some fabrics.

5. Smell is the difference

Everyone who has ever bought shoes made of leather substitute knows what this difference is: new shoes It has a strong chemical odor that takes a long time to dissipate.

Leather things have an unobtrusive and light smell (if we are talking about high-quality material). However, manufacturers may use special fragrances that mimic the smell of leather. But such fragrances can deceive the buyer only if the artificial material is of good quality, because the smell of cheap chemical ingredients cannot be interrupted by anything.

6. Reaction to moisture

This is a very easy and visual way to distinguish leather from leatherette, but it is quite difficult to use it when buying. Genuine leather always absorbs moisture. This is especially noticeable on light skin: dark spot will show off on the product until the moisture is completely eroded.

Leatherette will not absorb water and will not change color.

7. Tactile sensations

Genuine leather (except patent leather) will never be smooth. The texture may be different, but to the touch it is always a little rough. Artificial material is smooth and slippery.

If you bend the skin, it will change color slightly at the fold, but there will be no trace of a crease. Leatherette will not change color, but there will definitely be a trace.

Experts advise to pay attention to price A:Good quality genuine leather can't be cheap. But at the same time it is necessary to take into account the types of skin.

Budget price segment

Pigskin, bovine, cowhide - these inexpensive varieties are distinguished by thickness, density and rigidity. For budget shoes and jackets often use pigskin or cowskin, and belts and backpacks are most often made from durable bovine leather.

Middle price segment

Calf, sheep, goat leather - soft and durable varieties. There are practically no creases on them. The leather is thin, but at the same time it is of very high quality and keeps its shape perfectly.

High price segment

Rare and expensive types of skin - deer, crocodile, snake, ostrich. Products from them are of the highest quality and original appearance, but such a thing will cost the buyer a round sum.

November 05, 2014, 15:56

Don't know what material to buy demi-season clothes from? From the skin is too expensive, but do you doubt the quality of the leather substitute?

Today, with the help of our experts Andrei and Roman, we will figure out when it is better to buy leather, and when leatherette will do.

For me, this question is very relevant, because they admit that I fell for the bait of unscrupulous sellers and was sure - both soft and durable, I all liked the jacket, I thought it was leather, it turned out to be leatherette, and I was not convinced of this very quickly.

Manufacturers have learned how to make leatherette, which is almost indistinguishable from genuine leather; this has some advantages and, of course, there are disadvantages.

Indeed, now we can be deceived by unscrupulous manufacturers. They find a lot of ways to make a leatherette product look like leather. So that the methods that are accepted by the people for testing, for example, leather products, also work on leatherette. And today we will definitely figure it out in response to your numerous letters with questions about how to still distinguish leather from leatherette. And maybe sometimes you just need to buy leatherette, and not even worry.

And here's the first question that came to our forum:

“Hello, my name is Elena. I recently bought a handbag, paid 1,500 hryvnias for it, hoping that it was leather, and the handles cracked in two weeks - how come? Did I watch it all? Tell me - how to distinguish leather from leatherette?

In fact, the price is not at all an indicator that the bag is made of genuine leather. One of the most expensive bags in the world - Luivuiton, is always made of leatherette.

And it's not hidden?

Yes, yes, while a bag can cost up to three thousand euros.

Oh what a nightmare!

Those methods that are accepted by the people for checking the skin or leatherette - they do not always work. We have such a wonderful table:

We have collected the most popular methods that people use to determine whether it is leather or leatherette. Today we will check everyone with you - that is, we will conduct a wonderful experiment. Today we will cut, burn and set fire! Are there any drawings on the tags that conscientious leather or leatherette manufacturers sew on and could be identified by them?

Yes, there are two types of drawings - the first type of drawing means that the product is made of leather and the second type of drawing in the form of a rhombus, it means that the product is made of leatherette.

But that's not always true, let's just say, right?

Yes, unfortunately, sometimes manufacturers lie...

Today we will give you some tips and advice on choosing the right leather products.

Enough promises - let's do it already!

So we have a second poster that shows the things we're going to experience today.

- The table shows the same things that the mannequin is wearing or that stand next to him

And it was not in vain that Andrey showed us how leather or leatherette items are indicated on the tags. Under each of the things that is depicted on the poster there is such an icon, according to which we will know for sure whether the things that we have here today are made of real leather or leatherette. We will conduct the experiments indicated in this table, if the experiment is effective, we will put a plus in front of it, and if this method does not work for determining the skin or leatherette does not work, then it will be marked with a minus accordingly. As a result, after our meeting, you will know for sure, firstly: how to determine whether it is leather or leatherette? And, secondly, maybe a leather substitute will do?

Let's get started - the first method is the GROWTH ASSESSMENT:

Guys, please excuse me - you are experts, I study along with my guests and spectators. What is a neck score?

The neck is the actual pattern that we see on the skin. Many people think that if the pattern is asymmetrical, if there are pores on it, if the folds are uneven, then most likely this bag is made of genuine leather.

Well, how alive.

Yes, yes, yes - this is a bag, from any kind of animal. Nadia, what do you think, is it leatherette or leather?

Well, let's at least touch this bag?

Yes, sure.

Aha! Here is such a natural, in my opinion, embossing, it is quite dense. I have a guess that this is a leather bag.

We will check it - let's turn to our table, and what do we see? A rhombus is drawn - it means it's leatherette!

So, we definitely need to find out: how to determine what it is leatherette? although outwardly it looks solid, like leather!

Manufacturers can apply anything from large embossing to fine embossing, but most importantly, they seal the seams.

Leather is a single layer material

and leatherette is a material that consists of several layers, and then comes the top coat, which hides the structure of the material itself and actually constitutes an aesthetic component.

When I saw such soldered seams on the surface (as I considered leather products), I thought that this was for beauty, sort of like neatness.

Now I understand that if the product is leather, then on the contrary, the manufacturer will leave an open seam somewhere so that we, the buyers, can make sure that it is genuine leather, and if the seam is sealed, it means that they are hiding something from us!

Indeed, I take scissors, now we will cut.

A cruel experiment, it's good that you don't have to conduct such an experiment yourself.

That kangaroo skin!

…. I'm kidding. This is really leatherette - we see: lining, we see: foam rubber, in order to create softness to this material, we laminated it with foam rubber.
- In principle, if this multilayer material is so easily stratified without any additional special tools, then there is a suspicion that such a bag will not be worn for a very long time.

By the way, just as Elena from Krivoy Rog wrote to us, her hands are cracked. In leatherette bags, this is the biggest problem, we hold on to the handles all the time, this thin layer is broken.

The main disadvantage of leatherette is that in winter it loses its elasticity due to frost, dry air and is even more damaged. But there is still such a nuance, many modern manufacturers even often apply a coating to the skin in order to give it some additional aesthetic properties, for example, what we call patent leather is in fact a layer of skin covered with polyethylene.

But this does not impair the quality of this product and durability?

This does not reduce durability, but it imposes additional requirements on operation - patent leather, even if it is genuine leather, can also burst from frost. It is not for nothing that they say about such a bag - an expensive pleasure, but in general, women's bags can withstand heavy loads, then we put in various loads, we constantly carry them in our hands, so my conviction is a good bag should come out of real leather. As for the wallet, which is always in the bag, the wallet can be made of high-quality leatherette.

Yes, yes, indeed, if you think that a wallet should be part of the image, they need to be changed along with bags and along with your outfit, then you can have several wallets and then of course you can save money and take leatherette.

Well, what is Andrew the Ripper, what is the bag inside?

The top layer peels off.

That's it …

It doesn't smell like leather. ... Unfortunately or fortunately, because now we know about it, we state the fact that the assessment of the fretboard is not yet a guarantee that you will definitely know leather goods or leatherette.

This method DOES NOT WORK!

Let's go straight to the second method this one HEATING METHOD.

There is an opinion that natural leather heats up in two or three minutes, then it stores heat, but the skin substitutes remain cold and it is very uncomfortable in it.

Put on gloves and it will take a minute or two, and we will find out what kind of gloves they are and how long they keep warm.

In principle, my house is so warm. You know, when I buy gloves, I like to smell them, it seems to me that the skin has such a warm, some kind of aroma, and, by the way, a friend told me that she works in a store that sells quality leather products that even fish oil can give a little. And here is a slightly artificial smell ... I don’t like it, so I think it’s not leather gloves, but from leatherette.

I’m already taking everything off, and now Andrei, a person with cold hands, will tell us if the gloves are warm enough, are they kept warm?

Yes, the gloves are really warm, they keep warm, according to the folk method, these gloves are made of leather. But Nadia says that she did not like the smell. … Let's check! are they really leather and can this folk method be trusted?

Let's check - our plate: so our gloves are leather! Apparently the smell is not an indicator ... so this one folk method- if the skin quickly warmed up and retains heat - it really works.

Note that THE HEATING METHOD IS SUFFICIENT AND TRUE, Well, the experiment with the smell is actually a failure.

Yes - the leather is covered with a lot of dyes, it is covered with additional vinyl and this can completely beat off the natural natural smell of the skin that we are used to.

Are there any other options?

Yes, there is an option - BURN THE SKIN.

Many say that you can bring a match or a lighter

Yes, I remember a saleswoman like this in the market - “Look at the girl, look at genuine leather, such David Copperfield :)

Taking advantage of the opportunity, I would like to spend, if flammable. We all know perfectly well that leatherette, when a flame is brought to it, will immediately melt or burn.

So let's burn our gloves, it's hard for me to watch.

Don't say... since we know they're leather!

Well, keep the glove...

Well, are you happy now?

What do we see? - the glove is deformed ... that is, the skin is deformed, but it does not burn.

Leather is actually a natural material, which, of course, is also affected by high temperatures. There are types of leather that can withstand more than one hundred and thirty degrees, but this leather is made only by the uniform and shoes of firefighters, while far from women's gloves, because it will really be very tough.

Let's try to set fire to the leatherette and see if our bag will burn? And ... set fire to -

leatherette and, unlike leather, melts or ignites almost instantly - BURNING METHOD WORKS! But if you use it, then the thing will still be spoiled, so I would advise you to use less radical methods, which, by the way, we are testing today.

We conducted another experiment - however, you should not use it, we have already done it for you.

We have three more interesting experiments and a few things that we do not know for sure - they are made of leather or leatherette.

In general, I am a supporter of less radical methods and always, when buying leather products, I check the seams first.

What will we check?

But on, here on this jacket we will check. Firstly, what do craftsmen pay attention to in order to hide a layer of leatherette, they always sew and tuck the edges. Here we see that we have a layer stitched twice, but at the same time it is quite thin.

But this does not happen with genuine leather, the skin is much thicker than leatherette! Leatherette is lighter and leatherette is always thinner than leather. And by the way, by weight, it is also quite easy to determine - a jacket or coat if it weighs less than five hundred grams, then most likely it is leatherette. Here I feel that the product is very light, it is very soft and all the seams are completely closed and the seams are very thin. That is, when I feel them, I feel only the thickness of the thread, I do not feel the thickness from these folded edges. Of course, on natural leather products, they also try to close the seams. There are special techniques that form such a chamfer, make the edge thinner, but at the same time a roller is formed that is clearly palpable. If you do not feel any roller in this fold, then this is leatherette - one hundred percent!

Let's check on our table - is it leather or leatherette? As a result, it is a leather substitute, that is, this jacket is not leather.

This means - THE METHOD WORKS! PAY ATTENTION TO THE SEAMS the product that you are going to buy and with a high probability you will be able to determine whether it is leather or leatherette.

Also, when I go to the store and try to buy something leather, I take a small bottle of water with me.

Oh - I heard that if leather products are wetted, then water will be absorbed, because there are pores there, and if leatherette is used, then water will simply drain, and that's all.

Let's test our boots, but this method. Let's bring water.

Water is not absorbed at all, water rolls off, collects in drops, and if we remove the drops now, we will see that the skin has not changed - the skin has not swelled, has not deformed.

Presumably this is leatherette - but let's turn to our table. We see - these are leather boots!

We understand that these are winter boots that will be subjected to intense exposure to both frost and moisture and mechanical damage. Manufacturers add special impregnation in order to increase the moisture-repellent properties of the leather and if we look at the sole, we will see an icon here that indicates to us that these are genuine leather products.

But if they soaked the skin, so that it does not let moisture through.

Then leather boots lose the main advantage of leather? IN leather shoes, as we used to think, the leg breathes. But here he doesn’t let it into the water, so he doesn’t breathe?

The air molecule is smaller than water molecules and air easily penetrates through the pores and therefore we conclude: THE METHOD OF APPLYING WATER TO THE SURFACE DOES NOT WORK!

And by the way, a little tip, when you buy sneakers, pay attention to the fact that the inside is either cotton or leather, like the upper. Because if the upper part is leather, and the inner part is made of polyester non-woven fabric, then the bag effect will occur.

Another method that I use regularly is is to evaluate the elasticity of the material. As a rule, when stretched, leatherette either does not stretch, or is deformed or damaged.

You see - our leatherette bag does not stretch,

but the leather material is more elastic.

A truly elastic fabric stretches and shrinks, and judging by these pants that our girl is wearing, this is leatherette, because it has completely stretched - and it hangs like that.

The skin and nearby, as they say, did not lie!

This girl hasn't worn them yet, and he's already sprawled out. But let's check our table.

And we recognize these are leather pants or from leatherette.

What do we see? Leatherette!

Gloves we are sure that leather. That is, the stretching method works - the glove does not stretch and returns to its original state.

This confirms that the method of stretching leather or leatherette allows us to easily determine what leather or substitute leather products are made of. And it is logical to assume that if it is trousers or a skirt that we will wear directly on the body, then it is better that the material is genuine leather.

Looking at the table that we have already filled out, we can say with certainty that methods such as: HEATING, BURNING, CHECKING SEAMS AND STRETCHING WORK! in such ways you can determine where the skin is, where the leatherette is.

	Result
Fretboard rating
Heating
Smell check
singing
Checking the seams
Applying water to the surface
stretching

And we continue to gain knowledge on the topic of today's conversation. We have a letter from Ekaterina from Yagotin, which came to the program forum:

“For a long time I have been dreaming of buying myself a leather coat, but when I saw the prices on the market, I realized that I had saved up only for a product made of pressed leather. By the way, the saleswoman in the market assures that there is no difference, but why is it cheaper - pressed leather ?!

Pressed leather is a material that is made from leather scraps - they are ground, a homogeneous mass is obtained, then mixed with some kind of polymer, that is, in fact, with rubber. The resulting mass is pressed and baked. Thus, a material is obtained, which consists of 40 percent of the remnants of genuine leather and 60 percent of this polymer. That is, it is such an intermediate option. It is as if the sausage were from sausage scraps. In principle, yes, but there would be sausage, but not sausage. Sausage from sausage scraps is liver.

So wait! The skin is still present there, but the quality of pressed leather is much worse?

There are pluses, there are minuses. What are the advantages: that hygroscopicity is preserved. That is, pressed leather, like genuine leather, can absorb moisture. We are talking about the fact that the skin on the inside absorbs some of the moisture that is released - due to this, you can comfortably stay in it. For example, if it was trousers, if it was a skirt. The downside is that, like any polymer, it is extremely susceptible to temperature changes, so in winter such a raincoat, a sheepskin coat can simply burst.

By the way, it will be absolutely impossible to wear a bag in winter if it is made of pressed leather. Is it possible to somehow determine externally where the skin is, where is the pressed skin?

In appearance it is very difficult to determine whether it is leather or pressed leather, but if you use the methods that we have already tested here, then pressed leather will behave like leatherette.

Just this topic is addressed by a letter from our spectator from the forum Anna from Khmelnitsky:

“I bought myself a leather skirt for my birthday. I put it on and went to the cafe. The holiday was a success, everyone appreciated my new thing! But when I came home and took it off, I saw that my legs and thighs were stained. I realized that my new skirt is not so good…. How to buy leather goods understand how well it is painted?

You need to look at the inside of the flap. There under the lining right here:

as a rule, it is not stitched in leather products - the color should be uniform. Spotting is not allowed. If you just move your hand, you won't see anything. To do this, take a cotton swab, get wet with water and wipe the skin with it. By the way, products made of both leather and leatherette can be poorly colored.

Look, the fleece is stained - most likely, the thing will shed. During dyeing, the dye must chemically bond with the skin structure. In any case, the coloring remains in excess.

And therefore, after painting, the process of rinsing the skin at the enterprise takes place. If the skin is not rinsed well, we get an uneven color and the skin will eventually shed, as happened in this case. Now let's test another skirt with the same test.

Now we take the second skirt, we carry out the same experiment - we rub under the lining ... the fleece is clean! This suggests that the technology is maintained correctly and this skirt was properly rinsed in production.

A great test and most importantly, we should remember that we need to wet the skirt like this from the wrong side.

Leather, in principle, is quite an expensive material, so how to take care of the leather so that it is more wearable?

I would recommend going to a dry cleaner. Professionals know the type of leather, the type of coating, and they will select the cleaning method that will not harm your leather product. This applies to both leather goods and leather goods.

I would also like to add that you need to be careful with the skin, remember that this is a natural material and in no case do not wear leather goods in heavy rain. If you still get caught in the rain, then you need to wipe your clothes or shoes, then with a dry cloth and dry not on the battery at room temperature. And by the way, if you wash your shoes after you have wiped them with a damp cloth, immediately wipe them dry with a cloth, then the leather will last longer.

And how do you store leather things properly?

- Never store leather clothing in plastic bags. They allow air to pass through, and the skin does not breathe; it is better to use either pillowcases or fabric bags, which often come with bags or shoes.

Real leather is quite expensive, it’s not without reason that today we are discussing the topic in which situations you can buy a non-leather item, but in order to save money, replace it with leatherette items. If you strive to follow fashion and cannot afford expensive branded items made of genuine leather, you can choose leatherette. It will last a wonderful year and will allow you to stay on the cutting edge of fashion. Moreover, some designers use leatherette and ideological considerations. Paul McCarthy's daughter is Stella McCarthy, a famous British designer. she has absolutely all bags and absolutely all clothes only in leatherette, because she believes that it is incorrect to kill animals for the sake of fashion.

When choosing a leather item or a leatherette item, it seems to me that the most important thing to remember is that this is not only a matter of beauty, but also of practicality.

Happy shopping!

When buying any thing supposedly made of genuine leather, whether it be a belt, wallet, bag, jacket, sneakers or other shoes, we always remain at risk of being deceived by the seller, especially if the goods are purchased via the Internet.

In the descriptions on popular sites like, they always write that the product is made of genuine leather, but in fact, with a detailed study of the product and carrying out simple actions for naturalness, you can find a fake made of artificial leatherette and eco-leather.

In this material, we have collected many interesting and simple ways that will allow you to quickly and reliably determine the authenticity of a leather product right at the place of purchase or at home.

The first thing that should alert you: the discrepancy between price and quality - a genuine leather thing cannot be cheap.

1. Appearance. Stripes and curves on natural leather do not repeat, while on leatherette the pattern will be the same. The exception is the so-called "printed leather" with a repeating pattern.
2. Smell. The natural characteristic smell of a leather product is difficult to confuse with the smell of plastic, which is emitted by synthetic raw materials.
3. Tactile sensations and heat retention. Warm the product with the warmth of your hand: real leather will keep the temperature for a while, the fake will not heat up from touch. The surface of genuine leather is soft, uniform, easily restores its shape after a slight tension. There is no color change at the place of bends and folds, and the inside of the material resembles suede.
4. Interaction with water. Genuine leather absorbs moisture, except when it is treated with a special moisture-resistant coating. If this is not the case, after interacting with a drop of water, a dark spot will appear on the surface of the skin, which will lighten as moisture evaporates.
5. The cut of the material. The fibrous structure of the skin is easiest to see on the cut of the product. The cut on the fake is uniform and smooth.
6. Creases and pores. On an artificial surface, it is easy to find creases that differ in color from the main product, and the traced pores are arranged in a strict geometric order. Neither the first nor the second can be, when it comes to the skin of an animal.
7. Availability of a material sample from the manufacturer. Ask the seller to show you a sample of the material attached to the thing by the manufacturer himself: for a leather substitute, the sample is made in the form of a small rhombus, for leather - in the form of a butchered animal skin.
8. Interaction with fire. We do not recommend testing products with fire, so as not to damage their color and structure: leather treated with an anil coating may catch fire. However, when exposed to fire, natural leather shrinks and emits a characteristic smoky odor. At the same time, the artificial turf melts like a piece of plastic, gives off a suffocating, pungent odor, and emits black smoke.

The difference between genuine leather and eco-leather

Eco-leather - another name for leatherette. The material is a breathable polymer coating applied to a fabric web. Ecological skin synthetic material is named due to the hypoallergenicity and safety of the polymer film during operation.

Eco-leather is a high-quality "breathable" leatherette - it heats up when touched. Like genuine leather, it is resistant to minor deformations.

Tactile sensations from touching a product made of eco-leather are more pleasant than from touching leather treated with acrylic emulsions. But expensive leathers with aniline finish are more pleasant to the touch than any eco-leather.

The difference between natural leather and pressed

The main thing you need to know about pressed leather is that it has nothing to do with real.

Simply put, "pressed leather" is a short-lived substitute for leather with low breathability. The artificial material got its name due to the presence in its composition of shavings and dust from genuine leather, which remained after cutting the material and were used as secondary raw materials.

If a seller in a store with a straight face tells you that a product is made of pressed leather, you should know that leather dust is indeed present in the composition of the product, but the main material in its production is synthetic fiber. In addition, very toxic thermoplastic resins are used in the production of "pressed leather".

In appearance, pressed leather is very difficult to distinguish from real, because manufacturers have learned to copy the texture of the skin of an animal so accurately that you can see the pores on the product.

It is quite difficult to determine the naturalness of a bag or jacket by cost.. Unscrupulous sellers inflate the price of a fake, taking advantage of the ignorance of buyers.

Fire and Water. From the surface of the pressed leather, a drop of water will quickly roll off without being absorbed, and when exposed to a flame, the fake will begin to melt, like ordinary plastic.

Attention.You will not be allowed to resort to such reliable methods of verification as fire and water in the store, but methods with a test for smell, tactile sensations and heat retention will unmistakably point to a fake.

Pay attention to the location of the pores: artificially drawn pores are lined up with a ruler, which cannot be on the skin of an animal.

Note.Follow our simple tips to save your money and good mood, but remember: depending on the type of leather, the way it is processed and dyed, the product may have its own characteristics and be sensitive to some of the proposed methods. The best way out of this situation is to ask for advice from a specialist who, even by eye, can determine the authenticity of a leather item.