Genuine Leather VS Synthetic Leather: Find the 10 Key Differences

Last updated on October 29th, 2024 at 11:11 pm

All of us have debilitation in leather products. We prefer genuine leather when we go shopping and want a quality wallet or waist belt. But we choose artificial leather when we wish for outerwear or Shoulder bag.

So, which I would prefer to buy depends on the product, fashion, and price. And in some cases, it depends on the quality and durability of the products.

Genuine Leather VS Synthetic Leather: Find the 10 Key Differences

But the real problem is how do we know which is genuine leather and which is artificial leather? Or what is the difference between them? This article will learn about the difference between genuine and synthetic leather.

Table of Contents

Genuine Leather

Genuine leather is what we get directly from different animals’ hides. First, we select the appropriate animals. Then, after slaughtering the animals, we get this leather after various chemical treatments and finishing. Generally, we get genuine leather from cows, goats, lamb, camel, pig, and horses. Sometimes unique quality leather is extracted from crocodile hide.

Genuine leather has a natural look and is durable. It is soft but not easily damaged. It can absorb moisture, and air can also pass through it. So it is beneficial for our health.

But how do we know the genuine leather? The first one is its color. Its color has a natural look, making it different from synthetic leather. After then, its elasticity. It is very elastic, which prevents it from cracking and peeling.

Another one of its key features is its moisture absorption capacity. If you put a drop of water on its back side, it will absorb it in a while. If not, then it is not genuine leather.

Synthetic Leather

Synthetic or Textile leather looks like genuine leather made from bonding non-woven fabric and plastic. So first, it has a non-woven fabric base. Next, the plastic coating is given on top of it. Then color is added. And finally, a textured finish is provided as needed.

There may be different types of synthetic leather, but they are mainly two types. They are polyurethane (PU), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) coated. Among them, PU-coated synthetic leather is mainly used.

Synthetic leather is not only used to be cost-effective. There are many reasons behind this. However, if we use genuine leather in all the products, we need a lot of genuine leather. And for this, many animals must be slaughtered, which may imbalance the environment.

Again, leather industries are not environmentally friendly. Processing genuine leather requires a lot of chemicals and a lot of water. And this is also not good for the environment. So, due to eco-friendly and cost-effective, we can use synthetic leather instead of pure leather.

Difference between Genuine leather and Synthetic or Faux leather

Genuine Leather	Synthetic Leather
It is natural leather made from the hide of different animals.	It is a fake leather made from a fabric base coated with plastic.
It is costly.	It is cheap in price.
It is more durable.	It is not durable as real leather.
It has a natural-looking surface with stretch marks, grains, and scars.	It has a uniform and soft feeling surface appearance.
Limited color range.	Unlimited color range.
It has good moisture absorbency.	It is not moisture absorbent.
It has a natural smell like animals hide.	It has a smell like plastic.
In burning test it will smell like burnt hair.	In burning test it will smell like burnt plastic.
It is air permeable.	It is not air permeable.
It is perfect for all day long use due to its flexibility.	It is not perfect for all day long use due to its inflexibility.