Real leather is made from animal hide and develops a patina as it ages. Faux leather is a plastic coating, usually polyurethane, bonded to a fabric backing. The quickest way to tell them apart is the surface: real leather has an irregular grain with visible pores and small natural marks, while faux leather has a repeating pattern that looks the same everywhere on the jacket.
In a product photo the two can look identical. That is exactly why so many people end up disappointed by a jacket that cracks after one winter. Below are seven checks you can use, what the labelling actually means, and an honest look at when faux leather is the sensible choice.
Seven Ways to Tell Real Leather from Faux
1. Look at the grain
Real leather comes from skin, so the grain is irregular. Pores sit at uneven distances, and you will find small scars, stretch marks or insect bites. These are not defects, they are proof the material is genuine. Faux leather is stamped with a pattern, so if you look across a wide panel you will see the same texture repeat.
2. Check the edges
This is the most reliable check of all. Find a cut edge, usually inside a pocket or along a hem. Real leather has a rough, fibrous edge that looks slightly fuzzy. Faux leather has a clean edge where you can often see the fabric backing under the plastic coating.
3. Press it with your thumb
Press into the surface. Real leather wrinkles and creases around your thumb, then relaxes back. Faux leather resists and springs back flat without wrinkling, because plastic does not behave like skin.
4. Smell it
Real leather has a rich, slightly sweet smell that most people recognise immediately. Faux leather smells of plastic or chemicals. This one is obvious in person and useless online, which is why the other checks matter.
5. Feel the temperature
Rest your palm flat on the surface for a few seconds. Real leather warms to your body heat and starts to feel like part of you. Faux leather stays cool and slightly clammy, then gets sticky.
6. Look at the back
If you can see the reverse of the material, real leather has a suede-like, fibrous underside. Faux leather shows a woven or knitted fabric backing, which is a clear giveaway.
7. Check the price
Real leather has a floor price because hides cost money and skilled machinists are needed to sew them. A full grain leather jacket selling for well under a hundred dollars is almost certainly not what it claims to be. Honest pricing is a signal in itself.
What the Labels Actually Mean
Product descriptions use a lot of terms that sound similar but mean very different things.
- Full grain leather. The top layer of the hide with the grain left intact. The strongest and most durable grade, and the one that develops a patina.
- Top grain leather. The top layer with the surface lightly sanded to remove marks. Slightly more uniform, still real and still durable.
- Genuine leather. Confusingly, this is a lower grade. It is real leather, but from the split layers below the top grain. It works, but it will not last like full or top grain.
- Bonded leather. Leather scraps ground up and glued onto a backing with polyurethane. Legally it can carry the word leather, but it behaves like plastic and peels within a year or two.
- PU leather, vegan leather, leatherette. All names for synthetic material. No animal hide at all.
If a description says only "leather" without a grade, ask. A seller who knows what they are selling will tell you the hide type straight away. Every jacket at Leather Outlet lists the exact material on the product page.
How Each One Ages
This is where the real difference shows, and it takes about two years to become obvious.
Real leather softens with wear. It creases at the elbows and shoulders, darkens slightly where it is handled, and starts to follow your shape. That patina is why people keep leather jackets for decades and why vintage ones sell for more than new ones. With occasional conditioning, a good jacket will outlast most of what else you own.
Faux leather does the opposite. The plastic coating is under tension over a fabric backing, and as it dries out it starts to crack, usually at the elbows and the fold of the collar first. Once it cracks it cannot be repaired. Most faux jackets get two to four winters of regular wear.
When Faux Leather Makes Sense
We sell real leather, but it would be dishonest to say faux never has a place. It is the reasonable choice if:
- You avoid animal products entirely.
- You want to try a bold style, colour or shape you may not wear next year.
- You need something for occasional wear at a low budget.
Real leather makes more sense when you want a jacket you will actually wear often, when you care how it looks in five years, and when cost per wear matters more than the price on the tag. A jacket you wear for ten years works out cheaper than three faux jackets that each last three.
Which Real Leather Should You Choose?
Once you have decided on real leather, the hide type changes the feel of the jacket more than anything else.
- Lambskin. Soft, light and supple from the first wear. The best choice for fashion jackets. Less abrasion resistant.
- Cowhide. Thick, heavy and hard wearing. The standard for Motorcycle Jackets and biker styles because it takes real punishment.
- Goatskin. A middle ground. Lighter than cowhide, tougher than lambskin, with a distinctive pebbled grain.
- Sheepskin and shearling. Hide with the wool left on the inside. Warmest by a wide margin, used across our Shearling Leather Jackets.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell if a jacket is real leather?
Check the grain for irregular pores and natural marks, look at a cut edge for a rough fibrous texture, and press the surface with your thumb to see if it wrinkles. Real leather also warms to your hand, while faux stays cool.
Is genuine leather real leather?
Yes, but it is a lower grade. Genuine leather comes from the split layers beneath the top grain. It is real hide, but full grain and top grain are stronger and last considerably longer.
Does faux leather crack?
Yes. The polyurethane coating dries out over time and cracks, usually at the elbows and collar fold first. It cannot be repaired once it starts. Most faux jackets last two to four winters of regular wear.
Is bonded leather real leather?
Bonded leather is made from ground leather scraps glued to a backing with polyurethane. It can legally use the word leather but it behaves like a synthetic and typically peels within a year or two.
Does real leather smell different?
Yes. Real leather has a rich, slightly sweet natural smell. Faux leather smells of plastic or chemicals. It is one of the easiest checks in person.
Why is real leather more expensive?
Hides cost money, and cutting and sewing leather takes skilled machinists and specialist machines. If a full grain leather jacket is priced far below the market, the material is usually not what the listing claims.
Which real leather is best for a jacket?
Lambskin for soft everyday fashion jackets, cowhide for durability and riding, goatskin for a balance of both, and sheepskin or shearling for warmth in winter.
Buying with Confidence
The short version: check the edge, check the grain, and check that the listing names an actual hide rather than just saying "leather". Every jacket at Leather Outlet is made to order from real leather with the hide type stated on the page, in sizes XS through 5XL with free worldwide shipping. Start with Men Leather Jackets or Women Leather Jackets, and check the Size Guide before you order.
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