What Does Leather Smell Like?

Leather smell is not one scent but a blend: researchers found more than 70 compounds that may contribute, and different leathers carry nearly the same ones in different proportions. Most of the smell comes from how the hide is made, mainly the fatliquoring oils, tanning and retanning agents, and preservatives. That is why a vegetable-tanned belt and a chrome-tanned car seat smell related but not the same.

This guide is part of our hub on leather properties and care.

Where the leathery smell comes from

A German study by the FILK leather institute and the German Research Center for Food Chemistry traced the main odorants to the production steps:

The study looked at unfinished leathers for cars, upholstery, shoe uppers and soles, plus a leather fiber board. It did not study off-odors.

Does real leather have a smell?

Yes, and buyers expect it. Many customers treat the smell as proof that leather is real, while most other materials are expected to smell of nothing. The smell comes from processing chemicals rather than the hide alone, so on its own it proves little. For better checks, see how to tell real leather from fake leather.

Burning is a different smell: real leather chars and smells like burnt hair. More on that in what happens when leather burns.

The leathery smell in perfume

Russia leather, a bark-tanned cowhide worked with birch oil, had a smell distinctive enough to become a fragrance in its own right. Examples include Chanel's Cuir de Russie (1927) and Imperial Leather soap (1938).

Perfumer Sam Macer smells the materials perfumers use to build a leather note, from a ready-made leather base to castoreum and smoky cade oil, and explains how birch tar gave Russia leather its scent. He gives 1924 as the launch year of Chanel's Cuir de Russie; the source cited above says 1927.

When leather smells wrong

• Musty or mildewy: check for mold. See is mold on leather dangerous? and leather spew vs mold.
• Perfume or hair spray: the store's Leather Collection care instructions advise not applying them while wearing leather.
• Too strong or unpleasant: removing odors is a how-to topic on hosob.com: how to get odors out of leather.

FAQ

How do you describe the smell of leather?

As a blend. It comes from dozens of compounds, mostly from the oils, tanning agents and preservatives used to make it.

Is leather an attractive smell?

To many buyers, yes: the smell is wanted and read as a sign of real leather. Different leathers vary because the same compounds appear in different amounts.