Genuine Leather Guide: Effortless Tips to Avoid Scams

High-quality leather is now absolutely a luxury item, with high prices. Bags made from good leather are even more expensive, but the leather industry is full of jargon and pitfalls. So, how can you avoid being deceived when buying a bag?

First, leather is divided into two main categories, Veg-tan Leather and chrome-tanned leather. Veg-tan Leather refers to the use of plant juices and various salts during leather processing, representing a relatively traditional method of leather production. Chrome-tanned leather refers to leather treated with chemical agents, a modern leather-making method. The two have completely different characteristics, so let’s start with that Veg-tan.

The history of Veg-tan leather is extremely long, with the earliest known products dating back a thousand years.

Wallets made in Iran from 1170 show traces of the Silk Road:

We can see carvings on it. Yes, Veg-tan Since ancient times, leather has often been combined with carving art, known as leather carving. This quiver was made in Italy in 1350, and the carving on it is quite intricate.

The characteristics of Veg-tan leather are sturdiness and durability.

Veg-tan Leather generally has a high density. Regardless of the region or the plant sap used, the ultimate goal is to retain the oil in the leather and remove the moisture. After compressing the finished leather, even with carving, it can still be preserved for a thousand years.

Looking at the cross-section, you can clearly see that the leather is divided into two parts: the outer layer and the fiber layer underneath. Here, the surface layer is what we commonly refer to as the top layer cow leather The “head layer,” which refers to the cow’s epidermis and dermis. This part is the most durable, wear-resistant, and can also be somewhat preserved after alcohol treatment. Below the top layer is the subcutaneous fibrous layer, which can sometimes be as thick as one centimeter, so it is often layered into many layers and coated to make so-called two-layer leather.

The first advantage of Veg-tan leather is that its two-layer leather is also quite sturdy, and after grinding, greasing, and hardening .

It can have the same density as top-layer leather, making it waterproof and durable. In fact, for all old-fashioned leather carvings, many of the carved parts and the areas around the blade lines are the same Veg-tan Second-layer leather: after carving, not much of the first layer of leather remains.

This is a leather-carved saddle hanging box made in Italy in 1440, crafted entirely from two layers of leather.

The second advantage of Veg-tan leather is its highly durable surface.

Ordinary wrapping materials wear down the surface leather after prolonged use, and once worn out, they can no longer be used and cannot be repaired. Take a look at this British briefcase made in 1900, made from early chrome-tanned leather. You can see that after the leather wears through, a large amount of the underlying fibers are exposed.

And The surface layer of the Veg-tan leather is very thick, three to five times thicker than chrome-tanned leather. With good maintenance, it won’t wear out in 30 to 50 years. And even if it wears through, Veg-tan After long-term wear, the second layer of leather can form a protective surface similar to the top-layer leather, continuing to resist wear. Although the second layer of leather is less sturdy than the first layer, as long as it is treated regularly, it can be ground for several decades without any problem.

This is a British production from 1899 Veg-tan The saddle’s rear raised area has been worn down by the top layer of the leather layer, but it’s not easy to notice. Compared to the earlier chrome-tanned briefcase, it’s quite obvious—saddle wear rates are tens or even hundreds of times higher than briefcases.

Therefore, up to now, almost all vintage high-end leather goods or high-end vintage leather goods are chosen Veg-tan Leather is used for production, not chrome tanning. All of them Veg-tan The leather is self-healing, and most minor scratches disappear with oil replenishment and friction during use.

The types of Veg-tan leather are divided into horse tack and carving Veg-tan , ordinary Veg-tan , soft Veg-tan Four types. They all share a basic characteristic: there are few color options. Because Veg-tan The dyeing of the hides also uses plant-based dyes, so the colors are very limited. Usually, there are only about ten colors, roughly including natural colors, yellow-brown, brown, reddish-brown, coffee, navy blue, dark green, bright red, deep red, and black.

By type, The preferred Veg-tan leather material is horse tack leather, divided into two main categories: saddle leather and bridle leather.

Saddle leather is highly oiled, with a high oil content, and the reverse side is also compacted and polished. So the boundary between the first and second floors is not clear. Looking at the cross-section of saddle leather materials, the boundary between the top and second layers is blurred.

Looking at the back, the areas that look like pores are actually marks left by fibers pulled out during sanding.

Saddle leather does not require lining; in fact, almost all horse tack materials and leather goods have no lining, except for doctor’s bags. The back of the polished leather is used to replace the lining. The first reason is that this type of leather is usually heavy, and adding lining makes the bag too heavy. Second, saddle leather was previously used to make saddles and military supplies. Without a litter, it could quickly replenish oil from the back, making it suitable for high-intensity use without easy damage.

The famous Havana bag shows no stitches on the lid or strap for the lining stitching.

Horse reins.

Bridle hide is actually a special type of leather, divided into new and old types. The traditional method for horse reins is similar to horse tack, involving leather soaked in oil and then treated at high temperature and pressure. Unlike ordinary saddle leather, its back is waxed and highly polished to create a texture similar to the front of leather. The back and front have almost the same performance, making it highly waterproof and durable.

On the back of the old-style bridle, you can see the polishing is polished to a reflective degree.

Old-style bridle cross-section. You can see the blurred boundary between the top and second layers, and the fiber section on the back side has a texture similar to the front top layer due to high-pressure polishing. This is a typical feature of horse bridle leather, also known as sandwich cake.

New bridle is actually not top-grain leather. Its top layer is shaved away and replaced with high-performance rubber resin. We can think of it as tires made with premium leather cores. Its performance surpasses that of old reins, but surface scratches are irreparable, which is a fatal flaw. Therefore, it is generally used to make belts rather than baggage items.

The cross-section of the new bridle reveals a clear coating boundary.

The above are the characteristics of saddle leather (saddle leather). When purchasing, horse tack leather is more suitable for business use and looks very impressive. What most people in the leather goods industry don’t know is that horse tackle leather can also be used for carving. However, it is much more challenging. The grease of horse tackle leather carving is very strong, which can create a strong vintage feel.

When purchasing horse tackle and leather wrapping gear, pay attention to whether the cross-section of the leather has a clear boundary between the first and second layers. If there is a very clear boundary, it is usually made from ordinary layers Veg-tan The leather surface is forged by soaking oil in oil, which can be greatly discounted. If the bag has a carry, it must be a forged resin-coated leather, so there’s no need to buy it.

Old bridle leather suits very vintage styles, while new bridle leather is only suitable for belts.

If you find that the bag is made with new bridle when buying, please consider carefully. New bridle is sturdier than old one, since it is tire surface and can be used for a lifetime. But new bridle gear is just as vulnerable to sharp scrapes, and once scratched, the scar won’t fade over time. If used for a long time, it loses the charm of old bridle bags and only leaves you with scars.

Additionally, some unscruple merchants cut off the fiber layer of the new reins, leaving only the rubber layer to make bags. While the bag is indeed lighter, without the support of the fiber layer, the rubber layer easily cracks. Such bags should definitely not be bought.

After the leather of the horse tack comes carving Veg-tan 。 Carving Veg-tan Similar to horse tack leather, it is also made by adding fat at high temperature and pressure Veg-tan The difference in leather is carving Veg-tan Since less oil is added during processing, the leather between the top and second layers does not mix due to increased fat content in the leather, and a clear boundary can still be seen. The reason is that the dyes and maintenance agents used in leather sculpture contain a lot of oil, so manufacturers are lazy and skip this part, leaving it to the maker and user to add oil themselves regularly. So carving Veg-tan Maintenance is very important; if neglected, its lifespan will decrease.

You can see the carvings Veg-tan The cortical boundaries are very clear.

The lifespan of Carving Veg-tan horse gear is about half that of horse leather gear, and if not properly maintained, it can only last twenty to thirty years. However, medieval carved hides are also classified as carved Veg-tan , this kind of thing Veg-tan The leather is made by soaking it in oil, wine, and natural resin to dry it many times, and its lifespan far exceeds that of horse tack leather. However, today, except for a few craftsmen in parts of Italy, no one makes it anymore.

A pen case from 1450, old-fashioned carving Veg-tan The lanyard is a modern rear fit.

Carving Veg-tan And ordinary Veg-tan The exterior is similar to the cross-section, and it’s ordinary Veg-tan Engraving can also be done, so there are often cases of impersonation among merchants. However, their lifespan and performance differ greatly, making them easy to fall victim to.

Ordinary Veg-tan The back is less engraved due to pressure Veg-tan Big, so it’s even rougher. Additionally, the hardness and stiffness of the leather are much higher than those of carved Veg-tan If you know the details, you can tell with just a touch by hand. If you lack experience, you can carefully observe the leather—it’s ordinary Veg-tan The leather surface feels a bit rougher, which can also be visually identified.

The left side is the standard Veg-tan The right side is carved Veg-tan 。 You can see a big difference in the texture of the back and the texture of the leather on the front.

And fake Veg-tan , using chemical materials and Veg-tan Making it from skin blanks is even cheaper, and this material is toxic. So you absolutely must not buy it. Fortunately, it was fake Veg-tan There is an unmistakably pungent smell, different from the scent of leather; you can detect it if you smell it carefully.

Finally, let’s talk about softness Veg-tan 。 Soft Veg-tan Yes Veg-tan Leather made without pressing, including leather materials Veg-tan Characteristics: It is also very soft, with a very oily surface texture, making it a very high-grade leather. Its features include resistance to scratches, self-healing, and a certain degree of retaining the texture of the original leather surface.

Soft Veg-tan During production, a large amount of oil is soaked through, and the cross-section shows that the boundary between the top and second layers is not clearly defined.

Soft Veg-tan It has low stiffness and is lighter, making it suitable for making travel and casual bags. Please look at the soft I make Veg-tan Examples of packaging tools.

Soft Veg-tan There are also counterfeit products, and similar leather can be made using chrome tanning methods. The way to distinguish is by looking at the leather surface. Soft Veg-tan The folds on the leather surface are irregular; scars and growth lines remain on the surface, which is soft Veg-tan A unique place. But the fake soft made with chrome tanning Veg-tan It can only create regular leather folds, without growth lines or other genuine leather marks, making it easy to notice.

The above are commonly used examples Veg-tan Fabric. And then there’s horse rump skin too Veg-tan There are two types: hard rump and soft rump.

Like the new bridle, the hard horse rump lacks a top layer. The leather surface is actually a resin coating. Unlike the new bridle, it does not contain rubber. It feels good to the touch and shine, but is difficult to maintain and repair, and because it’s too hard to use, the user experience is not very convenient.

Hard rump is very sensitive to breaking; once signs of use appear, they cannot be removed. You can pick it up and look at it freely, and most of the products you pick out are mostly domestic horse rumps, made with soft resin, which isn’t as fragile as you might break. However, surface brightness and smoothness are somewhat inferior.

Then the soft rump, which is the highest level alongside the old reins Veg-tan Leather-like materials have mild self-healing abilities, which is more important cow leather Somewhat lacking. Although the soft rump is called a horse’s rump, it differs from the hard rump that only includes the buttocks; it actually consists of leather that runs from the buttocks through the ribs to the lower part of the neck. The leather surface has many textures and is hard to choose from. Even a whole soft horsehip bag can be made into a large bag, so it’s very precious. The leather surface has a subtle suede texture, matte, very soft, and feels great to the touch.

Soft horse hip wrappers, though Veg-tan but requires oiling on top, which helps distinguish genuine from fake to some extent. Moreover, every soft horse’s rump smuggling is one and the same; it is impossible to be without injury or markings. Horses love to move, and the rate of skin scars is much higher cow leather Also, unlike cattle, horses have visible rib texture on the skin of the ribs. Basically, if a soft horse’s butt can wrap the face and leather perfectly in front and back, that’s already a blessing to God. On the lid of my bag, you can see a slight rib texture. Unless you combine two pieces of fabric into one bag, but the price is definitely outrageously high. Materials that can be sold at a normal price, such as between 8,000 and 10,000 yuan without damage on the leather, are mostly inferior materials processed with soft resin.

Next, let’s talk about chrome tanning.

Chrome-tanned leather is a method of using chemical agents to strengthen the surface of the leather. It can produce various leather textures and textures, can produce semi-hard and soft materials, but cannot produce hard materials.

Common high-grade chrome-tanned leather materials include: cow leather and sheepskin. Generally, haute couture buyers use materials sourced from Hermès and Chanel’s factories. For example, the term ‘French sheep’ usually refers specifically to the sheepskin used by Hermès.

The cross-sectional shape of chrome-tanned leather is similar, but the thickness of the top layer on the cross-section varies between grades of chrome-tanned leather. The top layer of the highest-grade chrome-tanned leather can reach 0.5 millimeters. Once the surface of chrome-tanned metal is worn out, it cannot be repaired, which is why it is inferior Veg-tan Location. However, it is very soft and elastic, and the hand feel is better Veg-tan Leather.

The quality of chrome-tanned leather is usually invisible to the naked eye. Poor leather will wear or fade on the surface within a relatively short period, such as a year, but it is not noticeable when purchased.

When choosing chrome-tanned leather, the first consideration is weight. The heavier the material, the better. Because the lifespan of all chrome-tanned leather surfaces depends on the fibers underneath, the better the retained fiber layer, the thicker the material used. Friends who have bought Hermès platinum bags may have noticed the thickness of the midline of the lid, which is a must-have for good bags. The lighter the bag, the shorter its lifespan.

Secondly, the oily texture on the surface of chrome-tanned leather. High-quality chrome-tanned leather leaves some oil residue during production, giving the surface a glossy. The higher the oil content in the leather, the better the surface.

Example of chrome-tanned products: pay attention to the oily texture of the leather.

Next, check the elasticity. The better the elasticity when pressed by hand, the better the leather material. However, since many bags now contain sponge filling, this type is often inaccurate. Please see my work below. High-elasticity material can be sewn to achieve this effect without adding core material.

High-priced chrome tanned materials are more expensive than bridle leather, with a thickness of up to 0.5 millimeters at the top, and a lifespan of at least over ten years. With careful care, they can last about thirty years. But the top layer of low-grade chrome-tanned is only 0.1 millimeters or even thinner, and it quickly fails. With the cross-section visible, it is easy to distinguish the grade of the leather.

Good chrome-tanned leather will preserve cow leather Characteristic marks like growth marks and scars also exist. Contrary to what people might think, the cheaper chrome-tanned leather is preserved on it cow leather The fewer the original skin features.

Finally, here are some common bluffing phrases:

Italian A-grade Veg-tan (No place of origin.) Veg-tan Generally, it’s ordinary Veg-tan , if it’s carved grade Veg-tan , will specify the brand or origin, such as Tuscany Veg-tan , France Veg-tan Like this)

Imported leather (mostly imported blanks, processed domestically). Genuine imported materials usually indicate which country they came from, and even further specify the brand, such as French balloon or French rooster).

Superior advanced cow leather (Definitely domestic, not because I look down on domestic products, but domestic fabrics do have more toxic ingredients. In reality, they usually have a strong odor, so I personally don’t recommend them.)

Imported black Veg-tan (Imported blanks, processed with black dye.) This is just an outsider’s view, Veg-tan Usually, it’s about brand or place of origin, never by color.)

Polymer-treated leather (leather powder with adhesive press)

Very soft cow leather (Although chrome tanning is soft, chrome tanning that uses softness as a selling point is usually mercury leather. Using mercury to forcibly expand fiber gaps for extra softness is highly toxic.)