Are you after a stylish brown leather pencil case but aren’t sure how to check if the leather is good quality? Maybe you have been ripped off in the past and want to know what to look out for this time? Or are you curious about good quality leather goods and want to know more? Whatever the question is that brought you here, we have the answer for you!
We know how hard it can be to find good quality leather goods. The market is full of goods at the moment, claiming to be good quality leather goods, but how do you know they are telling the truth? You head online for some guidance but are met with page after page of confusing and conflicting advice, leaving you unsure where to turn or who to trust.
And that is where we come in to save the day! Keep reading to see five ways you can identify good quality leather goods. We will walk you through how you can spot good quality leather good to never get ripped off again!
Let’s dive straight into it! Below is a list of the five ways you can identify good quality leather goods. Each of these methods will help you to tell if the leather goods you are looking to purchase are of good quality or not. You can use one or a few of these, but we recommend using all five to ensure that the goods you are buying are the quality you deserve! Let’s dive into our list now.
First, check the underside of your leather goods. This might not always be possible, but you can unzip a cushion on a sofa or look at the underside of any leather clothes, pencil cases, or shoes you are purchasing.
Real, good-quality leather will have a thick black underside that has a texture similar to suede. If synthetic leather has been used, there will be a thin fabric backing. It can be tricky to see the underside of some goods, especially if you are viewing them in a store, so you might want to ask the store assistants for some help here.
Country of origin matters when it comes to leather, there is no getting away from it! Tanning leather is a technical process and it is the established tanneries with years of experience that can produce high-quality leather that is durable too!
Look for Italy listed as the country of origin. Italian leather is renowned for its leather, having had generations to refine the tanning process. When you shop for Italian leather craftsmanship at Vivien Lauren, you can check the label or see if the country of origin has been stamped on your leather goods.
Another way you can check the leather is to smell it. Our sense of smell rarely lets us down, especially when it comes to leather! Smell the leather goods you are purchasing, if there is a plasticky smell, the likelihood is it is not real leather or a good quality leather.
If you have never smelled leather before, we recommend heading somewhere you know sells good quality leather to know what scents you are looking for.
The label on the leather can tell you a lot! Good quality leather is usually listed as full-grain or top-grain leather. And if someone has used high-quality leather on their goods, chances are they will want to tell you and it will be listed as such on the label.
However, if you see the phrase, ‘genuine leather,’ you should take care. Genuine leather will mean that leather was used, but it tends to be a lower-grade leather that is less durable. Where possible, avoid goods that have genuine leather listed on their label.
Finally, you will want to feel the leather. Good quality leather feels tough, but soft. It should feel thick, rather than hard, thin, or plasticky. If the leather feels thin or plasticky, chances are it is synthetic or low-quality leather.
You can also use the wrinkle test to determine the quality of the leather used. Real leather wrinkles when it is bent or depressed like your skin does. Bend, or put some pressure on the leather to see what happens. If it wrinkles, it is leather. If it doesn’t, it is synthetic.
And there you have it, five ways to identify good quality leather! Most of these ways will involve you heading to a store and seeing the goods up close for yourself. If you don’t have that ability, check reviews and the label online to ensure your leather goods are made with top or full-grain leather!
