In today’s days of fast fashion, you have probably seen a tag that proudly states an item was Genuine Leather. Or maybe you noticed a discreet tag that said PU Leather. Ever wondered what these tags are actually telling you? Genuine leather sounds good, it sounds like a high-quality leather good, and PU Leather sounds like just a type of leather. And these assumptions are what the fast fashion industry is banking on. They created these terms in the hopes that you would read the label and not look any deeper into its true meaning. Much like how the “Organic’s” brand plasters their name across their food packaging, hoping you don’t realise it’s a company name, not a state in how the food is prepared/grown. But what is the truth behind these terms? Are they good quality leather goods? Not really, no.
PU Leather
PU Leather stands for Polyurethane Leather and is alternatively called vegan leather. This stuff isn’t even leather. It’s a fibre base, usually some kind of woven fabric, but can be anything from shredded pressed plant fibres to recycled plastic materials. But normally it’s a poly-crylic blend fabric for its durability and flexibility. It also allows it to drape more like a fabric than a leather, making it very popular in the fashion industry. This fabric base is then coated in a polyurethane plastic, which gives it its leather-like look and texture. But that is where its similarities end. PU Leather is possibly the worst leather alternative available. It is just plastic-coated fabric. It off-gasses harmful chemicals, which can lead to harmful health effects, and sheds microplastics into the environment. It does not decompose and will remain in a landfill side by side with the millions of water bottles and plastic bags destroying ecosystems.
PU Leather and vegan leather are one of the worst cases of greenwashing that can be found. Often marketed as “vegan”, it can be found in many clothing stores and is used for anything from vehicle upholstery, jackets, bags and shoes. PU Leather will eventually deteriorate, and the polyurethane coating will start to peel and flake off, usually in high-stress areas first. If you have even seen a fake leather good start to peel, you know what I mean. If you are not sure if an item is true leather or PU Leather, try pinching a piece; if you can make a clean fold with the faces of both sides touching, it is probably PU Leather. True full-grain leather has long fibres, which make it harder to fold in a crisp crease.
If you want to learn more about the greenwashing of PU Leather, you can read my other post here.
Genuine Leather
This is where things get complicated. It’s a term that can be used to describe any item that is made using real animal hides. It is usually used to describe some of the lowest grades of leather. But to truly understand what you’re getting, you need to have a little understanding of the grades of leather:
- Full Grain Leather: This is the highest quality leather. It is made from the top layers of leather, utilising the full grain, giving it amazing durability and allowing it to patina over time.
- Top Grain Leather: This is a slightly lower grade of leather. As its name implies, it is made from the top layers of leather and is usually split from a slightly lower grade of leather; however, it is sanded and refinished to remove imperfections. It is slightly less durable and doesn’t patina as much.
- Genuine Leather or Bonded Leather: This is the lowest quality Leather; it takes the leftovers from the first two grades and it’s glued back together. It is then sanded, buffed and sometimes embossed before being re-coated or painted to look more uniform. While technically made from leather, it retains very little, if any, of the original fibre structure, making it the least durable. It can sometimes have a very thin layer of top grain glued on top to give it the look and feel of high-quality leather. This is the cheapest kind of leather. and will not patina.
Genuine Leather is a term from the fashion industry designed to confuse the consumer. Because it technically is real leather. However, as it is not a regulated term, it can be used on items created from large pieces of leather that have been layered together and recoated to look like full-grain or from smaller pieces blended with glue and pressed into sheets that are then either coated with a thin piece of top grain leather, or in the worst case, coated with a Polyurethane coating like PU Leather. As any item that uses real animal hides can be labelled as “Genuine Leather” there is a huge range in quality that can be found under the same label. The only two constants are that they use real animal hides, and the process of creating genuine leather destroys the natural fibre structure of leather. relying on chemical binders and glues for its strength.
The easiest way to tell which level of quality the genuine leather is, is to find a seam or an area where you can see the raw edge of the “Leather” If the grain is uniform and goes mostly in the same direction, then it’s probably a slightly better grade. If the grain looks like it’s been through a blender… it is the worst kind.
The fashion industry is rife with conflicting terms and labels. Designed to confuse or deceive the average consumer. Unfortunately, most of these are not regulated. Knowing and understanding what these labels mean is the only way to make informed decisions on how you will spend your hard-earned cash. Ideally, for the best high-quality leather, look for labels that say “full-grain,” “top-grain,” or animal-specific leather, such as goat leather or buffalo leather. Or try purchasing your leather from makers you can actually talk to.