Genuine vs Faux Leather: How to Tell the Difference

On a hanger, genuine and faux leather can look surprisingly alike. Wear them for a few years, though, and the difference is impossible to miss. Here is how to tell them apart before you buy.

Look at the grain

Real leather has small, irregular pores and natural marks, and no two hides are the same. Faux leather has a printed pattern that repeats perfectly across the whole surface.

Feel it

Genuine leather feels soft, slightly warm and has a gentle stretch. Faux leather tends to feel cool, smooth and a little plastic, and it springs straight back when you press it.

Check the edges

Turn a seam or look at a cut edge. Real leather shows a rough, fibrous edge; synthetic materials show a smooth, even edge, often with a fabric backing.

Think long term

Faux leather is cheaper at first, but it cracks and peels within a few seasons. Genuine leather softens and develops character over decades. That is why every Vaelrum jacket uses premium, hand-inspected hides from ethical tanneries.

A real hide tells you where it has been. That is the character you are paying for.

Our leather buyer