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. There really is no system for categorizing genuine leather, so anything that contains small traces of animal skins can be labeled as such.

Genuine leather is often incredibly cheap and of 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 of yours. Is it peeling? Is it the exact same color as it was the day you got it? Boom. Genuine leather. Or as I like to call it, genuinely crappy leather.

Don't even get me started.. if it isn't an animal skin, it isn't leather. You may think that 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? Can't just be plants because they would fall apart over time. Most of the time, vegan leather is made from harsh chemicals and plastics that are significantly worse for the environment.

Just some food for thought! Okay, rant over.