Real and Faux Leather
Leather vs. Pleather: Key Differences
Leather is tanned hide; pleather is plastic made to look like it. How they differ in structure, breathability, wear, upkeep, price and labeling, item by item.
The key difference is what the material is: leather is tanned animal hide, while pleather is a plastic material made to look like leather. That one fact drives the rest: pleather is plastic layers such as PU or PVC over fabric, so it breathes, wears, cleans, costs and is labeled differently.
This comparison is part of our hub on real vs. faux leather.
Leather vs. pleather at a glance
Daniel DiTuro compares real, bonded and faux leather, lists the other names faux leather goes by, and shows a faux-leather chair arm that cracked after three years of daily use. That chair is one example, not a test, and his view that real leather lasts decades is his own.
| Column 1 | Leather | Pleather |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Tanned hide or skin | Plastic fabric made to look like leather |
| Back or cut edge | Fibrous; rough or smooth, may differ in color | Plastic surface glued or laminated to fabric or a paper-like backing |
| Surface | Irregular natural marks | Stamped grain that often repeats |
| Breathability | Depends on finish: aniline breathes well; pigmented finishes breathe less | Porous and breathable or impermeable, depending on how it's made |
| Water | Most absorbs some water unless finished to repel it | Almost all repels water at once |
| How it wears | Doesn't delaminate; a painted finish can flake | Surface may rub off over time; PU can break down from moisture in the air |
| Upkeep | Depends on the finish | Little maintenance; doesn't crack or fade easily |
| How it's sold | In hides or sides shaped like the animal | In bolts sold by the yard, usually far cheaper |
| US label (bags, shoes, belts) | "Leather" only if all substantial parts are leather | Should be disclosed, e.g. "Imitation leather" or "Vinyl" |
Pleather, faux leather and vinyl: same thing?
Mostly yes. Pleather, faux leather, leatherette, PU leather and vegan leather are names for the same family of artificial leathers. The real split inside that family is the plastic:
Leatherette is described as fabric with a PVC layer. Details are in what PU leather is, what PVC leather is and what leatherette is. Rexine, an early British leathercloth, is covered in leather vs. Rexine.
| Column 1 | PU pleather | PVC (vinyl) pleather |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning | Washable | Not easily cleaned |
| Flexibility | Not stated by our sources | Needs a plasticizer to stay flexible |
| Main caveat | Can degrade by hydrolysis | Releases dioxins if burnt |
Differences that matter by item
- Shoes (EU). Labels give the material as a pictogram or a word: Leather, Coated leather, Textile or Other materials. "Leather" allows a surface coating no thicker than 0.15 mm.
- Bags, wallets, belts and shoes (US). These are in the FTC leather guides' scope, so pleather should be disclosed as not leather.
- Sofas. Watch for "leather match": leather where you sit, synthetic on the sides and back. See what leather match is.
- Jackets. Breathability varies most here. Some pleather is porous, and the type with a non-woven microfiber backing is described as comfortable to wear.
How to tell which one you have
Start with the label and the back or cut edge. The water drop only helps on unfinished leather, because finished leather may not absorb it. All the home checks, with their limits, are in how to tell real leather from faux leather.
Which should you choose?
Choose leather if you want a material that doesn't delaminate and can be labeled plain "leather" on US goods. Choose pleather if a low price and little upkeep matter most, and check whether it's PU or PVC. For the word itself, see what pleather means.
Where to see real leather
Leather Collection doesn't sell pleather or any other faux leather. Its men's leather jackets name the hide on every product page.
HitKB Editorial Team
HitKB articles are researched from published sources, cited in the text, and reviewed before publication.