Real and Faux Leather
What Is Leatherette?
Leatherette is faux leather: a fabric base covered with a soft PVC layer, with no animal hide. What it's made of, where it's used and how it compares.
Leatherette is a faux leather. It's a fabric base, of natural or synthetic fiber, covered with a soft PVC (polyvinyl chloride) layer. It contains no animal hide, so it isn't leather.
This answer is part of our hub on real vs faux leather.
What leatherette is made of
Leatherette has two main parts: a fabric backing and a plastic top layer. To make the PVC flexible, it needs a phthalate plasticizer, and PVC production often uses petroleum feedstocks. The grain comes from embossed release paper or a textured roller, not from skin.
"Leatherette" is one of several names for artificial leather, alongside pleather, faux leather and PU leather. Makers use the names loosely, so the coating matters more than the name. Our page on what PVC leather is covers the plastic itself.
Leatherette vs. leather
Artificial leather in general needs little maintenance and doesn't crack or fade easily. For a fuller comparison with real grades, see full-grain, nappa and leatherette.
| Column 1 | Leatherette | Leather |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Fabric with a PVC layer | Tanned animal hide or skin |
| Cleaning | PVC types are not easily cleaned | Depends on the finish |
| Wear | Surface may rub and wear off with time | Doesn't delaminate, though a painted finish can flake |
| If burnt | PVC releases dioxins | Chars and smells of burnt hair |
Where leatherette is used
Leatherette is used in bookbinding and was common on 20th-century camera bodies. An early relative, Rexine, covered car and railway-carriage interiors from the 1920s. Our leather vs. Rexine page has more on that.
Is leatherette the same as vinyl?
Leatherette is usually vinyl-coated fabric, since its top layer is PVC. US guidance lists "Vinyl" as one acceptable way to tell buyers a leather-look product isn't leather.
Is leatherette waterproof?
It depends on the construction. Some artificial leathers are porous and breathable, while others are impermeable and waterproof. See is faux leather waterproof?
Related answers
Leather Collection doesn't sell leatherette or any other faux leather. If you want the real material, its men's leather jackets name the hide on every product page.
FAQ
What is leatherette made out of?
Leatherette is made of fabric covered with a soft PVC layer.
What are the downsides of leatherette?
The surface may wear off over time, and PVC types are hard to clean. PVC also needs a plasticizer to stay flexible.
HitKB Editorial Team
HitKB articles are researched from published sources, cited in the text, and reviewed before publication.