What Is Eco Leather?

"Eco leather" has no single meaning, so the name alone tells you nothing about the material. In Italy, where the word ecopelle comes from, it is meant for real leather made to a reduced-environmental-impact standard. In shops it is also used for polyurethane sheets bonded to fabric, which isn't leather at all.

So read the label for the material, not the "eco" prefix. This answer is part of our hub on real vs faux leather.

Two products sold under one name

What ecopelle means in Italy

UNI 11427 is an Italian standard. It sets minimum production-process and product requirements a leather must meet before it can be called "reduced environmental impact leather", "ecological leather" or ecopelle, and it regulates those terms. Under it, the words must not identify materials other than leather. The 2022 edition is listed as withdrawn and replaced in May 2024, so check which edition a certificate cites.

Italian law goes further. Since October 24, 2020, pelle and cuoio are reserved for animal hide. They can't be used for other materials as nouns, adjectives, prefixes or suffixes, or in other languages, and Ecopelle and Similpelle are given as examples of banned combinations. Manufacturers and importers face fines of €3,000 to €20,000.

Is eco leather real leather?

Only if the label names a hide. In the US, plain "leather" should describe a covered product only when all its substantial parts are leather. A leather-look product that isn't leather should say so, with words like "Not leather", "Imitation leather" or "Vinyl".

If the tag says PU, P/U or polyurethane, you're looking at faux leather. Our pages on what PU leather is and what leatherette is explain those materials. To check an item in hand, use how to tell real leather from faux leather.

What an "eco" label can and can't claim

EU. From September 27, 2026, EU countries must apply a ban on generic environmental claims that the trader can't back with "recognised excellent environmental performance". The Directive's examples include "eco-friendly", "ecological" and "green". A claim isn't generic when its specific meaning is stated clearly on the same label or page. That performance can be shown through the EU Ecolabel or an EN ISO 14024 ecolabel recognized by an EU country. Two more practices are banned: sustainability labels that aren't based on a certification scheme or set by a public authority, and claims about a whole product when only one part qualifies.

"Eco" in a product name uses the same wording the Directive lists. Whether a particular label breaks the rules is for regulators and courts to decide, not us.

US. The FTC Green Guides say marketers shouldn't make unqualified general environmental benefit claims. Any claim should be limited to a specific, stated benefit.

What this means for you: a seller can name a standard or certificate you can check. "Eco leather" by itself proves nothing, about the material or the environment.

FAQ

What is eco-certified leather?

It's leather certified against a published scheme, such as conformity to UNI 11427 shown by a registered logo from ICEC. Under the new EU rules, a sustainability label must rest on a certification scheme or come from a public authority.

Is Ecco leather real?

ECCO is a shoe brand, not an eco label. The company says it owns and operates four tanneries and has made its own leather since 1985. Check each product's material line all the same.

Is eco leather the same as vegan leather?

When "eco leather" means PU on fabric, it's the same family of artificial leathers sold as vegan leather. See is vegan leather the same as faux leather?

Where to see the hide named

Leather Collection doesn't sell faux or vegan leather; store searches for those terms return no products. Its men's leather jackets name the hide (cowhide, sheepskin, lambskin or goatskin) on every product page.