How To Spot Real Leather
Leather is one of an individual’s priced possession. Not only is it just expensive because it wants to be, but because of it durability, causing it to be favorite over many other kinds of products. With leather being used for various purposes that can benefit man it just obvious to say it is a must have in most homes and for individuals.
But with great quality, comes with great price. The purchase of leather is expensive which welcome our second party, the group that has made millions just as much as the first. These is the counterfeits makers, there is so much fake leather that one is confused on which is which, how to identify fake leather from an original.
Instructions
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1
The Quality Of Real Leather
Genuine leather is made from the skin of animals like goats, sheep, pigs, cattle etc. They are grouped in 3 forms aniline, semi-aniline, and pigmented. When purchasing leather do a research on how each of these leather is used and how the end products results to and also how long they last for. Real leather processing is different from fake leather. -
2
The Faux Leather
This is the cheaper one that is made from a fabric base, it is chemically treated with wax, dye or polyurethane for a color and the textile is made to look and feel like a real leather at a lower cost. There is a common type that is plastic like, it is lighter than real leather and can be dye in any color. -
3
Labels
On a real leather, the label proudly states that is real and other details that needs to be added. Whilst on a fake it is written "man-made". -
4
Edges
The finishing touches of an authentic leather is rough at the edges, check the edges of furniture, or bags etc. Fakes on the other hand will have a smooth edge around their products -
5
The Pores
The skin of an authentic leather will have uneven or inconsistent pores like a normal skin will do, whilst a fake will have consistently aligned pores. -
6
Touch
An authentic leather when touched will feel soft and supple, it will also have this coarse and smooth feel when touch. A counterfeit will feel smooth and plastic when touched. To help familiarize with this, is to check a reputable store and compare both. -
7
Smell
The smell of real leather cannot be replicated by synthetic or chemical materials. To be certain of the smell you are getting is to smell both. -
8
Water Test
Another test to show that you are dealing with a fake or an original is to pour water on other types, an authentic leather will absorb water, although it doesn't cause the bags to be wet, instead it makes it soft and supple unlike the plastic that tends to pool on the surface when and eventually soaks through. -
9
Finger Test
This is when one uses the hand to scratch the different textures of leather, on a real one, if you dig fingers it will leave imprints and slowly comes back up just like a skin, on a fake it won't have any effect or imprint at all. -
10
Fire Test
This is the ultimate test. This kind of test is irreversible when done, except if you are dealing with a fake then you've lost it. Light leather on fire, or use a candle or a lighter at a particular spot, on an original, the fur will shrink and afterwards it will return to its shape, but a fake will burn, because it is vinyl or plastic. -
11
To purchase the real thing, one has to buy from a reputable store. If a price is too good to be true for leather, then it’s probably a false one.
