How to tell if leather is real: 9 tests you can do in the shop

The label says genuine leather. The sales assistant swears by it. The price, not so much. Learning to tell if leather is real can feel like an act of faith, but it does not have to be: the material leaves clues that anyone can learn to read in a few minutes, with no tools at all. Your eyes, hands and nose do almost all the work, and some details, like the cut edge and the reverse side, hardly ever lie.

In this guide you will find nine tests that work in the shop, what the symbols on UK and European shoe labels mean and the tests you should never do.

What the label has to tell you

In the UK, shoe labels are a legal requirement. Under the Footwear Labelling Regulations of 1995, which follow a 1994 European directive still applied across the EU, shoes must state the main material of three parts: the upper, the lining and sock (the insole you stand on) and the outer sole. Each must be identified in writing or with a pictogram, and shops that use pictograms must display what they mean. The stretched-hide symbol means leather, coated leather has its own symbol, and a diamond means other materials.

For clothes and bags, labels vary much more. Words like "PU", "PVC", "faux leather", "vegan leather" or "leatherette" all mean it is not leather, whatever the name suggests. That is where knowing how to read the material itself pays off.

Tests with your eyes

1. The pores

Hold the piece close and look at the surface. Leather has pores of different sizes and spacing, scattered irregularly, like the skin on your hands. Faux leather imitates pores with a mould, and the pattern tends to repeat regularly, like a print. Be aware that corrected and embossed leathers also have a pressed grain, so this test alone is not decisive.

2. The cut edge

This is the most reliable test. Look for an unfinished edge, often found on straps, belts, internal cut-outs or pocket openings. On leather, the edge shows a dense mass of fibres, a bit like suede. On faux leather, you see a layer of plastic over a woven or knitted fabric, like a sandwich, sometimes with foam in the middle.

3. The reverse side

If you can see the back of the material, on unlined pieces or through an opening in the lining, have a look. The back of leather is velvety and fibrous. The back of faux leather is a fabric with a visible weave, or a knit.

4. Natural marks

Leather comes from an animal that lived: small scars, veins, wrinkles and subtle colour variations are signs of authenticity, especially on more natural leathers. A perfectly uniform surface proves nothing, but it deserves a closer look in the other tests.

Tests with your hands and nose

5. Touch and temperature

Hold the material for a few seconds. Leather tends to warm up quickly in your hand and feels soft, slightly dry or velvety. Faux leather usually feels colder at first, uniformly smooth and sometimes slightly sticky.

6. Wrinkles under pressure

Press the surface with a fingertip or gently bend a small area. Leather forms fine, irregular wrinkles that relax slowly. Faux leather sinks more evenly and springs straight back, or forms broad, regular creases.

7. The smell

The smell of leather is unmistakable: somewhere between woody, animal and tanned. Faux leather smells of plastic, glue or paint. Some shops smell of leather in general, so bring the piece up to your nose and smell the inside too.

Label and price tests

8. The label and the symbols

Look for the composition. "100% cowhide" or "goat leather" are clear. On shoes, find the pictograms described above and check which part each one refers to: it is common for the upper to be leather while the lining or sole is something else. Be wary of labels that tell you nothing.

9. The price

Real leather has a raw material cost and a processing cost. A full leather jacket at a price far below the market is a warning sign. Price does not prove anything, but a deal that looks too good to be true rarely is.

The tests you should never do

Real leather does not always mean quality

Confirming it is leather is only the first step. A piece can be genuine leather and still be made of split, the lower layer of the hide, with a plastic film on top, or of bonded leather, made from shredded offcuts glued together. These materials last far less than full-grain leather.

At the other end of the scale are the traditional British boots and shoes still made from full-grain leather, a story we tell in British leather heritage.