Leather is a massively important material in the fashion industry, but distinguishing it from cheap copies such as Faux Leather is becoming increasingly difficult. Being able to spot these differences improves the buying experience as nobody wants to waste money on authentic copies. Here are a few tips on how to find the differences between the two and spot faux leather.

Firstly what is Faux Leather?

Faux leather is manmade and designed to emulate real leather but at a fraction of the cost. The type used most frequently is P leather which can be dyed any colour.

How to spot Faux Leather?

Spotting the difference between the two can be difficult however the biggest difference between the two materials is the durability and quality, real leather is much more durable and a much higher quality. Here are a few tips to identify faux leather.

• Look at the product label or source you are purchasing from- Company’s will openly say if the product is authentic, however if the label reads “manmade material” the product is made of an artificial material. Some products may not have this so if you’re in doubt with the product, make sure to contact the source you are buying it from to establish the material used in the construction of the product.
• Look at the edges of the product- Faux leather products have pristine looking edges which can feel spongy or like plastic; whereas an authentic leather product will have rough looking edges.
• Inspect the pores of the material- This is as the pores on Faux leather are perfectly aligned and consistent whereas on an authentic leather the pattern of the pores are unpredictable.
• The Texture- Real leather can feel course or smooth to the touch however it depends as the quality is different from others whereas Faux Leather can have a plastic manufactured appearance and is quite stretchy, however real leather doesn’t stretch as much.
• Smell the leather (yes really)- Leather has a distinctive musky smell which is a lot stronger than the smell Faux Leather has.

That’s all for our top tips on ensuring you pay the right money for the right leather product. It would be a good idea to become familiar with leather products beforehand because we wouldn’t want you wasting your money and neither would you!   

View our exceptional range of 100% genuine leather sofas by calling in to our stunning showroom; or call us on 0800 085 2822 and a member of our sales team will be more than happy to find the right sofa for you.