How to tell real leather from fake

What is the most reliable way to tell real leather from fake?

Look at the reverse. HideItalia advises that the only sure-shot way to verify real leather is to look at the back side. Real leather has a fibrous, slightly rough, suede-like underside. Imitation materials show a woven or knitted fabric backing or a smooth plastic layer.

The catch, which HideItalia is open about, is that once a material is clad on a finished sofa you usually cannot see the back, so authenticity is hard to verify after the fact. That is why checking before purchase matters.

What visual and touch clues help?

On the face, real hide has a naturally irregular grain: pores and fine lines vary from place to place. Imitation often repeats the same pattern with perfect regularity. Be careful, though, because some real leather is embossed with a uniform grain and some imitations are very convincing.

• Grain: natural variation suggests hide; a perfectly repeated pattern suggests embossing, which can be either.
• Edges: a cut edge of real leather looks fibrous; imitation shows layers of fabric and coating.
• Feel: leather usually warms to the touch and has some give; plastic surfaces tend to feel cooler at first and then clammy.
• Flex: real leather generally creases and recovers naturally, while coatings may look stiff or plasticky.
• Smell: real leather has a distinctive natural smell; strong chemical smells suggest synthetic material. This is a weak clue on its own.

Should I use burn or water tests?

Online you will see burn and water-drop tests. We do not recommend them on furniture or on any piece you intend to keep: they can damage the material and they can mislead, since finished and coated real leather often behaves differently from untreated hide. A damage-free check of the reverse side or a swatch from the supplier is far safer.

Why is the price a clue?

Genuine tanned hide is costly to produce, so a price far below the market for a large leather piece is a reason to ask questions. Prices in real leather also differ for legitimate reasons, such as origin, tannery, testing, hide size and finish, as explained in our price guide. A low price does not prove a product is fake, but a very low price on a 'leather' sofa should prompt you to check the material.

How do I protect myself when buying?

Buy from a source that deals in authentic leather and can document it. Ask for the material composition, the tannery origin and a physical swatch of exactly what will be used. HideItalia deals only in Italian leather, and issues partners the Original LeatherMark Card as proof of authenticity.

Measurement is the other trust point. Leather is measured by special machines at the tannery and the exact measurement is stamped on the hide; if that is tampered with, a buyer has no way to verify it. See challenges with leather.

What happens if fake leather is sold as real?

HideItalia observes that imitation materials typically start cracking and peeling after a year or two, without warning. At that point the surface cannot be repaired like leather, and the furniture may need new upholstery. For a comparison of materials, see genuine leather vs PU leather, and for ongoing care see the care guide.

Frequently asked questions