How to distinguish leather boots from leatherette. How to distinguish genuine leather from a substitute. Need to smell the product

31.03.2019

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How to distinguish genuine leather from artificial? Manufacturers are required to label products, but, unfortunately, labels cannot always be trusted. Modern technologies allow you to easily simulate the skin. And what if you want to buy leather item, for example, in a market in Europe or in a small family boutique?

By what signs can you quickly determine what is in front of you: leather or leatherette?

website collected the main methods that can be used simultaneously to make the right verdict.

1. Skin keeps you warm

The artificial material does not retain or transmit heat, while genuine leather will warm up in your hands almost immediately and retain its temperature for a while.

Leatherette from touch can also heat up slightly, but its surface will be slightly damp. The skin is always dry.

If you hold leatherette and natural leather in your hands, you can almost immediately feel the difference.

2. Unique pattern

Genuine leather has its own natural and unique pattern, while artificial material is characterized by a repeating pattern and “islands” of the same size. But in this case, there is a risk of confusing leatherette with printed leather - its pattern is also monotonous.

In addition to a special structure, genuine leather has pores, and if you look at it up close or through a magnifying glass, you can always see them. The pores are also arranged randomly. Modern technologies can already imitate them, but still, if you look closely, you can see that this is just a pattern, not holes.

3. Check the wrong side or cut

Not on all products it is so easy to see the wrong side, by which one can judge the naturalness of the material. Try to find an unprotected cut to see the structure.

Genuine leather is a large number of suede fibers, and the basis of artificial material - natural fabric or synthetics.

Thus, it is possible to distinguish from genuine leather and high-quality artificial material - eco-leather: appearance may be almost identical, but the basis of eco-leather will always be fabric.

4. Weight is an argument

Genuine leather is always heavier than artificial leather. This is noticeable even in small products, and is especially noticeable in the example leather jackets. Of course, different types skin can also be different weight- for example, sheepskin weighs less than bovine.

But artificial leather will still be lighter than any natural leather. Moreover, it can sometimes be even lighter than some fabrics.

5. Smell is the difference

Everyone who has ever bought shoes made of leather substitute knows what this difference is: new shoes It has a strong chemical odor that takes a long time to dissipate.

Leather things have an unobtrusive and light smell (if we are talking about high-quality material). However, manufacturers may use special fragrances that mimic the smell of leather. But such flavors can deceive the buyer only if the artificial material good quality, because the smell of cheap chemical ingredients cannot be interrupted by anything.

6. Reaction to moisture

It is very light and visual way to distinguish leather from leatherette, but they are quite difficult to use when buying. Genuine leather always absorbs moisture. This is especially noticeable on fair skin: dark spot will show off on the product until the moisture is completely eroded.

Leatherette will not absorb water and will not change color.

7. Tactile sensations

Genuine leather (except patent leather) will never be smooth. The texture may be different, but to the touch it is always a little rough. Artificial material is smooth and slippery.

If you bend the skin, it will change color slightly at the fold, but there will be no trace of a crease. Leatherette will not change color, but there will definitely be a trace.

Experts advise to pay attention to price A:Good quality genuine leather can't be cheap. But at the same time it is necessary to take into account the types of skin.

Budget price segment

Pigskin, bovine, cowhide - these inexpensive varieties are distinguished by thickness, density and rigidity. For budget shoes and jackets, pig or cow leather is often used, and belts and backpacks are most often made from durable bovine leather.

Middle price segment

Calf, sheep, goat leather - soft and durable varieties. There are practically no creases on them. The leather is thin, but at the same time it is of very high quality and keeps its shape perfectly.

High price segment

Rare and expensive views leather - deer, crocodile, snake, ostrich. Products from them are of the highest quality and original appearance, but such a thing will cost the buyer a round sum.

Genuine leather products are considered classics in the world modern fashion, due to which they are very often faked. Unscrupulous sellers profit from the ignorance of buyers and sometimes pass off cheap eco-leather as natural. How not to make a mistake when buying a leather product? How to distinguish leatherette from natural material? You will find answers to these and many other questions in our article.

Varieties of genuine leather

There are several types of genuine leather. These include:

Shevro - genuine chrome leather, made exclusively from goat or sheep skins, has a coarse-grained structure, increased softness and elasticity;
Shagreen leather - natural vegetable tanned leather, made from sheep, donkey, horse and goat skins;
Lacquer - genuine leather with a glossy lacquer coating, which gives the product additional strength and unusual appearance;
Suede - natural leather made from the skins of deer, elk, cattle.

exists patent leather, suede, shagreen and chevro

Types of eco-leather

Eco-leather is a new type of leather substitute that has nothing to do with natural material does not, although many dishonest sellers claim otherwise. There are several basic types of ecological leather. These include:

Vinyl is an artificial material made with the use of polyvinyl chloride, which gives the product additional strength, and to soften the material and elasticity, various plasticizers are usually added to the composition of vinyl;
Dermantin is an artificial material with increased abrasion resistance, thermal resistance, and is mainly used for the manufacture of car covers.

eco-leather can be represented by dermantin and vinyl

Methods for determining genuine leather

If you want to determine what material is in front of you - natural or not, then it is important to remember the following:

the price of a leather product will never be too low, so this is the first factor that should alert you at the time of purchase;
the presence of a leather label, which has the appearance of a reduced copy of the skin of the animal from which the genuine leather was made;
natural material quickly becomes warm after you hold it in your hands, eco-leather, on the contrary, remains cold;
the edge of genuine leather is thick, rough and uniform, while that of leatherette has several layers, one of which includes matter;
if you bend the leather product, then there will be no cracks on the natural material;
pay attention to the lining if it is made of cheap synthetic fabric, then in front of you is definitely eco-leather or leatherette, the manufacturers of which very often save;
try to bend the material, if it has changed its color at the bend, then you have artificial leather in front of you;
you can also determine the naturalness of the product using an ordinary lighter, for this it is enough to bring the flame to the material: genuine leather will remain unharmed, and artificial leather will begin to melt;
apply a little water to the product, if the skin is natural, then it will darken in the place of accumulation of moisture, the eco-leather will remain dry, as it has water-repellent effects;
the elasticity of natural material is much higher than that of artificial;
usually genuine leather has a distinct specific smell that cannot be confused with anything else, and eco-leather smells like chemistry;
products made from natural materials have a calm, discreet shade, and eco-leather is very bright and colorful.

artificial leather looks different from natural

How to check leather clothes for naturalness?

If you decide to buy some leather clothes for yourself, but doubt its naturalness, you can try the old proven methods. Each of which we will consider on the example of a specific wardrobe item.

Shoes

Before the purchase leather shoes it is necessary to determine its naturalness. It is not recommended to wear shoes made of eco-leather, as the foot will not breathe and sweat a lot. Genuine leather, on the contrary, will not allow your leg to sweat, get wet or freeze. Wearing boots or boots made of genuine leather, you will feel incredible softness and elasticity, the product will adapt to the shape of your foot. Eco-leather cannot do this. Replacement shoes are usually very stiff, rough, and have a strong chemical smell. You can also look at the cut of the product, if you see a suede layer, it means that you have a natural material in front of you.

Jacket

With outerwear, everything is much more complicated, since in most cases all the edges of the product are sealed, and it remains only to determine the naturalness of the material from which it is made. outward signs. Check the product for elasticity, it should stretch well and fit comfortably to the body. The edges of genuine leather can be folded, and due to the fact that leatherette has increased rigidity, it is usually soldered with a special compound (this applies outerwear). Buy a jacket only in trusted stores, never trust the markets. Also pay attention to the smell, if there is a strong chemical aroma, then you have a fake.

Gloves

Leather gloves are usually very soft and elastic. If the product is made of genuine leather, then it should fit your hand. Gloves made of eco-leather or leatherette are quite hard, the hand will not be comfortable in them. Also pay attention to the label, because very often special tags are hung on small leather goods in the form of the skin of the animal from which it is made.

Bag

Determining the naturalness of a leather bag is somewhat easier than with other products. On the leather bags always hang labels made from the same material. If it is not, then this should alert you. Pay attention to the cuts, if you see a layer of suede, then you should not worry, this is a natural material. If a fabric layer is visible, this may mean that you have leatherette in front of you. Sometimes it happens that the seams of the product are completely sealed, in which case you will have to evaluate the external data of the bag. Drop a little water on its surface, if the skin darkens, then it is natural, if the water remains on the surface, it is eco-leather or leatherette.

Distinguishing genuine leather from artificial is quite simple. Follow all the above rules, never rush to buy this or that product, choose calmly, do not succumb to the persuasion of the seller.

Genuine leather is an incredibly durable material used for the production of clothing, footwear and accessories. Leather items are expensive. Many manufacturers offer shoes and accessories from more affordable leatherette. Things made of this material are visually similar to real leather. For this reason, the question becomes relevant: "How to check the skin for naturalness when buying?".

Surface inspection

The choice of any leather product, start with a close inspection of it. Natural without bends and wrinkles, any deformations can appear only in the process of prolonged wear. Study the relief and surface pattern. One of the easiest ways to check the skin for naturalness is to carefully examine the pores. On leatherette, they will be even and the same. While genuine leather has a unique pattern. Our mothers believed that The best way to calculate leatherette - to smell the product. But today, natural leather is subjected to complex processing. Some types of impregnations kill and mask the natural smell. And yet, natural haberdashery leather cannot have a pronounced, irritating chemical aroma.

Attention to detail: checking the inside and seams

Examine the places of bends and the edges of the product. Real leather is homogeneous, does not exfoliate. Still wondering how to check the skin for naturalness? Try to find an opportunity to look at its wrong side. Genuine leather will have a fleecy surface. Try to stroke the inside, traces will remain on it - these are the villi that have changed their direction. If a wrong side woven products, in front of you exactly leatherette. One of the qualities haberdashery leather possesses is elasticity. Try to bend or wrinkle the product, when you straighten it, there should not be any folds or wrinkles. Pay attention to how the item you like is packaged. Genuine leather manufacturers do not save on beautiful boxes and protective wrappers. Very often, a sample of the material is offered for quality assessment of leather products. Studying it is another way to check the skin for naturalness. If the sample has the shape of a regular rhombus or rectangle, it demonstrates the quality of leatherette. Pieces are included with genuine leather products. irregular shape, symbolizing the skin removed from the animal.

Checking patent leather

Products made of patent leather look stylish and bright. How to determine natural this material? Patent leather, like matte, is quite elastic and elastic. Try to crumple the product and straighten it, there will be no wrinkles and bends on the natural material. Place your hand on the surface of the material. Real leather will keep you warm. Natural material absorbs moisture, while water droplets remain on the surface of the artificial material. However, this method, how to check patent leather for naturalness, can be considered outdated. Today the skin is often processed special formulations making it impermeable. A specific test method is to put your hand on the surface of the product. The artificial polish should make your palm sweat.

Does real skin burn?

One of the most popular options for checking the naturalness of a leather product is to expose it to a flame of fire. Do not know how to check the skin for naturalness with a lighter? It's very simple - set fire to the product in an inconspicuous place. Leatherette will melt, while genuine leather will remain in its original form. This method is suitable for home check. You can determine what a product sold as leather is made of by piercing it with a needle. The sewing tool will fit into leatherette with ease. Genuine leather is denser, it will not be easy to pierce it. Before buying, evaluate the uniformity of coloring of the material. Expensive real leather should have an even, pleasant hue. Drawings and sticker prints can be applied to natural material. If you like just such a product, check it in a place where only background paint is present. And the most main feature quality: genuine leather cannot be too cheap. Even at sales and discount stores. Production leather goods and pre-treatment of the material have a high cost. It is on its basis that the market price of clothing and accessories is formed.

What modern manufacturers do not come up with in order to attract the attention of consumers to their product. For example, if you do not know how to distinguish genuine leather from artificial, you can easily buy a fake, and even in a trusted store with a big name. People who do not want to be deceived have long learned to distinguish eco-leather, ordinary leatherette and its pressed analogue from natural raw materials.

In practice, everything is quite simple, you just need to know what points to pay attention to in which cases. Do not forget about quality certificates - sellers are required to provide them upon request. In case of suspicions about the acquisition of a fake, you should not be shy about demanding money back, you need to insist on an examination.

Pressed and eco-leather - how do they differ from natural?

First of all, people who are far from understanding the specifics of creating leather products need to understand one thing. important point- no matter how the version of the leatherette is called and produced, in terms of quality it will never be compared with natural material. Today, many people think that products made from eco-leather or pressed leather are made from a natural product, they just use special technologies. In fact, it's not like that at all!

To know how to distinguish pressed leather from natural, you need to understand the technology of its production. The material is based on the most common leatherette, to which, in very limited quantities, not even leather is added, but its residual fibers (trimmings, up to villi and dust). The raw material is pressed, obtaining a smooth product that looks like natural leather. Distinguish it from quality and expensive analogue possible by the following signs:

First, just consider the pattern on the material. If it is symmetrical, and the pores are arranged in a strict order, this indicates artificial origin raw materials. The pores on natural leather are arranged randomly, guaranteeing a unique pattern.
Now we bend the object a little and let it return to its original position. If wrinkles and folds are quickly restored, the material is most likely natural.
Pressed leather is distinguished by unusual roughness, the presence of creases. It wears out very quickly and bursts, which can be detected when examining even completely new things.

Tip: Unfortunately, even a professional cannot tell you exactly how to distinguish artificial patent leather from natural without damaging the product. Here you have to trust the manufacturer and believe that the label complex shape(and not a rhombus) really symbolizes the natural origin of raw materials.

Eco-leather products are a separate issue, because modern fashionistas love the “eco” prefix so much, being sure that it can only be present in natural materials. But here everything is not so rosy, because in this case, the product is based on the most common leatherette. The only difference is the use of polyurethane film as a coating.

Thanks to this, eco-leather breathes and lets moisture out. As a result, the material does not release during wear. harmful components because they were not used in production. How to distinguish eco-leather from genuine leather? Exactly the same as the pressed counterpart. The manufacturing process in all cases is approximately the same, therefore, the properties of the raw materials are similar.

Simple and effective tricks to help identify a fake

If the seller actively and confidently offers "leather", you need to quickly and discreetly verify the naturalness of the material in order to avoid counterfeiting. The following manipulations will help with this:

The material needs to be sniffed. If it was created artificially, it will give off a strong chemical smell. Genuine leather has a specific, but not repulsive aroma. Although, today some manufacturers add certain flavors to the raw materials, because of which the leatherette begins to smell more natural.
You just need to hold the material in your hand for a few minutes. If it gets hot and stays warm for a while, it's leather. Artificial analogues do not even heat up.
Even if you just touch the skin, you can find that it is much softer and more elastic than substitutes, has a more uniform texture. In addition, it is filled in a special way. If you press on the material, you will feel a pleasant softness, and the print will quickly straighten out.

Tip: Some "specialists", answering the question of how to distinguish leatherette from genuine leather, suggest setting fire to the edge of the material. Allegedly, the skin does not burn and nothing will happen to it. They do not take into account that today more and more paints and coatings are used that give the skin a unique look, but they can catch fire, which will lead to damage to a quality item.

Natural leather is difficult to stretch, and after such attempts, it quickly returns to its original state.
If a natural product bent, its color on the fold will not change. If you act on leatherette in this way, you can detect several shades at once.
To quality things a sample of the material is always attached. If it is made in the form of a rhombus, then one of the leather substitute options was used in the manufacture of the product. A figured sample with a corresponding inscription testifies to the naturalness of the raw material.
On a section of the skin, numerous interweaving of fibers can be seen. If they are absent or fabric is used as the basis, then this is definitely not a natural product.
Finally, the wrong side of the natural quality leather covered with short soft pile. If you run your hand over it, then due to a change in the position of the villi, the color of the surface will change.

It is worth considering that modern products made of eco-leather, leatherette and its pressed counterpart differ quite high quality. Sometimes they even excel natural product, so do not completely refuse to include such things in your wardrobe.

Knowing how to distinguish genuine leather from even the most quality fake sometimes bring a lot of benefits. Having certain information, you can protect yourself from deception and waste of money.

How to distinguish genuine leather from leatherette: important parameters

If you decide to update your wardrobe with leather products, but do not know how to distinguish genuine leather from fake, pressed material or eco-leather, expert advice will help you. When choosing leather products, experts recommend paying attention to the following important parameters and important points:

Heat transfer. Place your palm on the surface of the leather product - good way how to distinguish genuine leather from leatherette. The fact is that high-quality natural material in contact with the human body always heats up and begins to emit heat, as it is endowed with good heat transfer. At the same time, it must remain dry. If you have leatherette in front of you, it will not heat up immediately, but after a while, and moisture will appear on its surface from the heat of the hand.

Edge thickness and edge. How to distinguish genuine leather from artificial, given this parameter? According to experts, genuine leather is always thicker than artificial leather and has a more rounded and rough edge. In artificial products, this part is always rounded and quite smooth.

The foundation. When buying a product, it is advisable to pay attention to its inside: there should always be a small open area that allows you to consider the material used in sewing. On the cut natural skins multiple weaves of fibers should be visible. If there are no such fibers, there are few of them, or instead of them there is a fabric base, in front of you is a leatherette product.

Smell. Presenting the product and sniffing its smell is another common method of how to distinguish genuine leather from leatherette. Artificial materials have a strong chemical smell that natural animal skin will never emit.

Pore location. To understand the natural material or artificial you are offered by sellers, carefully examine the pores on the skin. On the faux leather they are identical in shape and depth, located at the same distance from each other. On products made of natural material, the pores are arranged in random order, they have different shape and depth.

Color. Natural materials do not lose their color when they are compressed and pressed, it remains unchanged. If such actions are performed with artificial material, it may acquire a different shade.

Elasticity. Good elasticity is one of the main criteria for natural materials. If you fold a quality product or put pressure on it, fine wrinkles, when the material returns to its original position, these defects themselves disappear.

How to distinguish natural patent leather from artificial: options for choosing a varnish material

Leather lacquered products look beautiful - clothes, shoes, bags, but fakes are often sold under their guise, because it is difficult to determine them. There are several tricks on how to distinguish natural patent leather from artificial. First of all, such products are well bent, while wrinkles will never appear on their surface.

There is another way to distinguish natural patent leather from artificial. You can run your fingernail over the surface of the material, if there are no scratches left, you most likely have natural patent leather in front of you, however, it may be that the leather is artificial, but high-quality varnish has been applied to it.

When choosing leather clothes, shoes or accessories, you should also pay attention to the label, which should indicate the origin of the material.

If you are offered products made from high-quality natural materials, the following inscription should be on the label:

genuine leather - in English;
vera pelle - Italian;
cuir - French;
echtleder - German.

Given these parameters and the criteria for choosing natural material and given, you can avoid buying low-quality products.

How to distinguish pressed leather from natural?

Do you want to know how to distinguish pressed leather from natural, because it is much cheaper, but often sold at a high price?

The following points should be taken into account here:

products made of genuine leather are always soft, elastic, the color is uniform over the entire surface, while the pressed material is rough and hard, it may have stains;
if possible, imperceptibly place a drop of water on the material: if the moisture is absorbed, you have a quality material in front of you.

Do not forget: genuine leather can't be cheap, while pressed or artificial leather can often be found at a bargain price.

How to distinguish genuine leather from artificial eco-leather

How to distinguish genuine leather from eco-leather is one of the topical issues that customers want to know before buying a product. In principle, eco-leather is the same artificial material, just in recent times more and more new terms are being used to refer to it.

Eco-leather is made from polyurethane, it is a high-tech material. Eco-leather has much in common with natural material, its quality is several times superior to artificial leather.

A parameter such as thermal conductivity will not help determine what kind of material is in front of you. The fact is that eco-leather also heats up from heat. human body, but at the same time does not emit moisture, like other artificial materials.

Smell and color often help buyers understand what sellers are offering them. Eco-leather does not have a specific smell of animal skin. If we talk about the color of products, then clothes, shoes and accessories of their polyurethane film have more saturated shades, because the paint falls on them better, so they always look brighter.

How to distinguish saffiano and genuine crocodile leather from a fake

Recently, reptile skin products have been at the peak of fashion. They are not cheap, but at the same time the market is often high price selling cheap knockoffs. Learn how to distinguish genuine crocodile skin so as not to become a victim of deception.

There are three types of crocodile reptile skin on the leather market today:

alligator skin - it is distinguished by characteristic tubercles arranged in rows 2-2-2, which are located on the head of the reptile. Second important difference Alligator skin is a peculiar pattern in the form of a cobweb, which is located on the abdominal part of the body. It can't be faked, so famous designers place this "web" in the most prominent place of the product to emphasize its naturalness.

Crocodile skin. On the scalp of a crocodile there are pronounced tubercles arranged in rows 4-2. Another valuable part of the skin of a crocodile is the peritoneum, it has geometric pattern with clear lines parallel to each other. If you look closely, then in the center of each such square you can see a point - an undeveloped horny growth.

Caiman leather. On the head of this reptile, the tubercles are arranged in 4-4-2 rows. Its skin is very thick and rough, so the products will not be soft and elastic.

Now you know how to distinguish genuine crocodile skin from a fake, so you can safely go shopping.

Saffiano leather is popular with many designers. It is used by the fashion house Michael Kors and Prada when creating collections of outerwear and accessories. Let's find out how to distinguish natural saffiano leather, because it is now so popular! This sheep or calf is very elastic, therefore, after any manipulation - stretching or pressure, it takes its previous shape.

Knowing some secrets and owning useful information, you can choose quality products from genuine leather.