Common Misconceptions About Leather

Not true!

Leather is a by-product of the meat industry. If animal hides were not turned into leather, then they would just be filling up the landfills!

While I can not say with absolute certainty that there are no people out there doing things the wrong way, I can say that legitimate leather suppliers and tanneries are sourcing their animal hides ethically.

This one might not be a misconception as much as it is just a lack of knowledge.

A patina is a soft sheen and gradual change in the leather's physical properties that develops over time through use and exposure to the elements.

A patina is also a good sign of more natural leather, as faux leathers and hides that have been chemically tanned do not patina, or if they do, it will not happen nearly as quickly.

I love a good patina, and all the products I make are sure to patina beautifully over time!

The term "genuine leather" can be incredibly misleading. Genuine leather is a catch-all phrase that could refer to a split layer of leather that has an artificial finish, but it could also be used to label any material that contains only small traces of real leather. And there really is no way to tell the difference.

Genuine leather is often very cheap and very low quality. So those big-name brands selling high-ticket items labeled "Genuine Leather" are most definitely ripping you off. They are selling you a good name, not a good product.

Don't believe me? Go find that old wallet or look at that old leather couch. Is it peeling? Is it the exact same color as it was the day you got it? Not real leather.

Don't even get me started.. if it isn't an animal skin, it isn't leather. It may seem like buying something made from vegan leather would help fight against animal cruelty, but as I stated above, animals are not killed for their skins. Leather is a by-product of the meat industry and by not using their hides, we're just filling up the landfills even more.

Also, what is vegan leather made of? Most of the time, vegan leather is made from harsh chemicals and plastics that are significantly worse for the environment.

Unfortunately, "vegan" leather is incredibly common in clothing and furniture and sold at a high price.

Vegan leather sucks.