How to Tell Real Leather from Faux Leather

To tell if leather is real or fake, read the label first, then look at the back or a cut edge. Real leather is fibrous underneath, while faux leather is usually a plastic layer glued or laminated to fabric or a paper-like backing. Then check the surface for natural irregularities, because a stamped grain on faux leather often repeats like wallpaper.

This guide is part of our hub on real vs faux leather.

The tests at a glance

1. Read the label

US guidance says the plain word "leather" should be used only when all substantial parts of a product are leather. A leather-look product that isn't leather should disclose it. Bonded or reconstituted leather should state the share of leather fiber.

On EU footwear, the label shows the material of the upper, lining and sole, by pictogram or in words. "Leather" there means hide or skin with its fiber structure more or less intact. There's no single "fake leather" symbol in these rules. A synthetic upper is labeled textile or other materials.

Watch for "genuine leather". It isn't a grade, and it often marks heavily processed split leather. See what genuine leather means.

2. Look at the back or a cut edge

Turn the item over or find an unfinished edge inside a pocket or seam. Faux leather is usually a plastic surface on woven or knit fabric, or on a paper-like layer. Real leather's underside may differ in color from the top.

3. Check the surface and press it

Real hide shows scars, stretch marks and veining. Press it and it wrinkles and creases like skin. A grain that repeats at regular intervals points to embossing, but real leather can be stamped too, so treat this as a clue, not proof. For real-leather finishes, a magnifying glass on aniline leather shows hair follicles as small holes.

4. Smell, water and price

Leather has a smell that many buyers treat as proof it's real. Still, badly processed leather can smell of chemicals too. A water drop that soaks in points to real, unfinished leather. Color tells you nothing, since leather can be dyed any shade. A very low price is a warning sign, since faux leather is made by the yard.

5. The burn test: last resort

A flame makes leather char and smell of burnt hair, while synthetics melt or catch fire. It damages the item, so a leather maker advises against it on anything you haven't bought. If you do it, use a tiny piece from a hidden seam in a well-ventilated area. Burning PVC releases dioxins.

Materials that fool these tests

• Bicast (PU leather on a split): a split hide with a polyurethane layer embossed to look like top grain. The texture is artificially consistent, so the surface looks fake while the underside is a real split.
• Bonded leather: shredded leather scraps bonded with polyurethane or latex onto a fiber mesh, with 10-90% leather fiber.
• Patent leather: real leather under a plastic coating; see is patent leather real leather?

For the names you'll see on faux tags, read what leatherette is and what pleather means. If a tag says vegan, see is vegan leather real leather?. Buying from a brand? Use how to verify whether a retailer's leather is genuine.

Leather Collection lists no faux or vegan leather. On its men's leather jackets, each product page names the hide: cowhide, sheepskin, lambskin or goatskin.

FAQ

How can you tell if leather is real with water?

Put a small drop on a hidden spot. Unfinished leather absorbs it and darkens, then dries. Most synthetics repel it at once. Finished leather may not absorb it either, so a bead of water doesn't prove the item is fake.

What is the symbol for fake leather?

There isn't one universal symbol. EU footwear labels use a pictogram or the word for each category, and non-leather uppers fall under textile or other materials.

Is patent leather the same as faux leather?

No. Patent leather is leather with a glossy coating, though it's sometimes confused with glossy artificial materials such as Corfam.