Have you ever seen the term “Genuine Leather” printed or embossed onto your leather product? Do you actually know what it mean? Find out more in this post!
Genuine leather may not just mean that the product is made of real leather. It could also mean that lowest quality of leather was used in making that leather product.
When looking at the different grades of leather, the term “Genuine Leather” is typically used to describe the lowest layer of the animal skin, producing one of the lowest quality and therefore cheapest leather.
The fibers of Genuine leather are not as densely packed and therefore has a much weaker strength as compared to higher grades of leather. Products made in Genuine Leather typically do not last as long, especially if they are made into products that undergo high stress through its lifetime (e.g. leather gloves, wallets, handbags).
With this knowledge, some fashion brands know that a typical customer may not be familiar with what “Genuine Leather” is and uses this as a marketing strategy to their advantage. They label their products as “Genuine Leather” to impress on customers that their leather products are made with real or premium leather.
So now you know! Next time when you visit a leather store, you are better informed about products that are marketed as “Genuine Leather”. It may not mean that you are buying a good quality leather product!