I'm going to share with you my two tips for recognizing real leather, but first: some general information about leather to help you understand
When we talk about leather, many things come to mind.
The leather that we all know comes from animal skin but also other names such as imitation leather, vegetable leather, vegan leather, etc.
As a leather craftswoman, I am delighted with the enthusiasm created around it, but all these names are false !
Do not confuse VEGETABLE LEATHER and VEGAN LEATHER
And yes, the use of the word leather is used for many things and can cause confusion among consumers (see decree 2010-29 of January 8, 2010).
The specificities of leather are numerous:
The goal is not to create a controversy around leather, leathers are not all "good", "ethical" or "organic" it depends mainly on how they were made. The products used for tanning, respect for the environment and workers, but also what the animal ate.
So try to choose your leathers also according to these eco-responsible criteria.
However, the term leather is reserved for the material made from animal skin that has received tanning or impregnation that preserves the natural shape of the skin's fibers. Thus, products made from fruits or vegetables (such as mushrooms, apples or pineapples) cannot be called leather. There are no animal fibers in these materials and even if they are fibers, they do not have the same properties.
Here are some definitions to avoid getting fooled:
โถ๏ธ Vegetable ใtanningใ leather
๐ณ Tannins from plants, bark or berries are used . This is the oldest and most natural technique. It can also be called VEGETABLE LEATHER because that is its abbreviation, not to be confused with new materials made from plants.
โ ๏ธ It is always animal leather, most often cow leather from food industry waste, only the tanning technique is plant-based.
โถ๏ธ Leather ใ called ใ vegan
๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ These are actually vegan materials: this category includes materials that are not derived from the transformation of animal skin. Veganism excludes any product coming from an animal (whether it is its skin, hair, milk, etc.), so vegan leather cannot exist. We simply call them: materials derived from plant components.
โ ๏ธ By using the term "leather" to designate all these materials we give the impression that they are equivalent, which is false!
As with the expressions "soy steak" or "almond milk" we agree that not all consumers are stupid, but in order to clarify things the use of the term leather is therefore prohibited if it is not animal skin.
๐ฅ Yes I am an Easter egg
My tips for differentiating real leather from imitation leather
The leather has a smell
โถ๏ธ Even without being a nose you can easily tell the difference between a faux leather that will smell like plastic or nothing at all...
I can tell the difference between the smell of certain leathers, but first, just sniff!
Be careful though because if you are dealing with a leather crust that smells strong, you may be biased, after that it is the eye that you have to open to see the external aspect, its grain or its follicle holes :)
โถ๏ธ We live in a world of profit and some unscrupulous manufacturers go so far as to imitate the visual aspect of the flesh (the underside) and to perfume their imitation... yes I know it's crazy but I had some in my hands by a customer who had been fooled by his supplier.
- If you have any doubts, ask me for an expert opinion.
Leather does not burn
โถ๏ธ Indeed, if you take a lighter and it melts... it's plastic!
Leather cooks with snow, but does not burn with fire. But be careful though...
โ ๏ธ Avoid seams or lining and preferably choose a hidden area
๐ท๏ธ Labels for our leathers!
I am campaigning for clearer regulations on leather products.
Currently it is illegal to inscribe leather if the flower has been removed.
Otherwise you have to write "leather crust". And a crust without its grain has no qualitative interest because its most resistant part has been removed.
Little reminder: The grain of the leather is the top/outer part (think of the expression "on the surface of the skin" or "flower of salt"): this is where the collagen fibers are most numerous, short and strong.
The crust is therefore the flesh part: more flabby and which disintegrates easily with wear.
I hope I helped you, follow me on social media & share my work in thanks if you can.
