For fans of animal skin fashion, it is no longer difficult to tell which one is genuine leather and which one is imitation. However, for fans who are just starting to enjoy fashion from animal skins, it is highly recommended to listen to some of the tips that we present.
Sharing knowledge is indeed an important and easy thing to do. Moreover, as we know, nowadays there are not a few ‘naughty’ sellers who use imitation leather as the basic material. In addition to low prices, imitation leather stock is also much easier to find than sheepskin.
As we know, genuine animal skin, especially genuine sheep, is a feature that distinguishes it from imitation leather. Some of the things below can be tips for those who want to buy a genuine leather jacket but are still unsure about its authenticity.
1. Aroma
One thing that is certain from a genuine leather is its distinctive aroma. This is because animal skin before it can be processed must be processed first and with a tanning process. In this process, ingredients that can affect the smell of the skin are used. The aroma produced depends on the ingredients used. The jacket will smell like chrome if the tanning material used is chrome. Similarly, if the jacket uses oil material, then the distinctive aroma of oil will also be smelled from your leather jacket. Unlike genuine leather, a faux leather jacket will smell like rubber according to the main material it is made of. Although the distinctive smell is a special characteristic that only leather jackets have, not everyone likes the smell. So to get rid of it, you can use newsprint as a new jacket wrap using the newsprint for a few days.
2. Accessories
As we all know leather jackets are prestige that are expensive. For that reason, it is impossible for the accessories used on the jacket to use cheap accessories, because it will definitely damage visuals of the leather jacket. Therefore, this can be taken into account when distinguishing genuine leather jackets from imitation ones. Generally, nylon thread is used to make genuine leather jackets because it creates a shiny effect that adds to the aesthetic of a jacket. In addition, the zipper are not arbitrary. Usually, craftsmen use the original YKK type. As for the furing or lining, the type commonly used for genuine leather jackets is Dormeuil England. This is because this type has a smooth and soft texture so that it is more comfortable and does not make the user hot.
3. Warranty
Like other luxury goods, genuine leather jackets must also have a warranty provided by the craftsman or the shop that markets them. Guarantees are intended to vary. One of the most common is the guarantee of authenticity. If you get a jacket with fake leather, you will get your full purchase money back.
4. Heavy
When buying a leather jacket from a local craftsman, it will be easy to find the difference between a genuine leather jacket and an imitation. This can be observed from the weight. Basically, genuine leather jackets are heavier than faux leather jackets. This is because local craftsmen use full grain leather. In contrast to outside craftsmen who prefer leather that has undergone an advanced process such as buffed, sanded or split. Therefore, it is more difficult to distinguish imported genuine leather jackets from imitation leather jackets because they are almost the same weight.
5. Thickness
As you know, a genuine leather jacket will definitely be heavy. This is because the leather used can be quite thick, which is around 0.6 – 0.7 mm. This size is used for leather jackets for casual fashion wear. However, for motorcycle jackets, craftsmen will use thicker leather, which can reach 1 mm. To be able to see the thickness of the leather jacket that you will buy, of course you can’t use the naked eye. You must provide a measuring tool, it can be a ruler or cloth tape to measure it. It’s quite difficult, but it can prevent you from getting a faux leather jacket.
6. Can Adjust
the Excess Temperature of a genuine leather jacket. In cold weather, leather jackets can store body heat so that it will still feel warm. However, it will not feel stuffy because the pores of the leather on the jacket are maintained, in contrast to the faux leather jacket. On the other hand, if the weather is hot, a leather jacket keeps your skin moist and keeps you cool. So you can be sure that this jacket is suitable for all situations and all weathers.
7. Leather Texture Pattern The
pattern on a genuine leather jacket should be irregular. This is natural because genuine leather does have different motifs and textures to distinguish each animal. In addition, the genuine leather will look pores that do not exist in imitation leather. However, this cannot be done with the naked eye. Had to use a magnifying glass to be sure. If you get an even leather surface texture, then you can be sure if the jacket uses faux leather.
8. Leather Fiber
Check the seam gap in the leather jacket. The easiest part to check is at the base of the seam. If in that section there are fibers that are shaped like dried meat, then you can be sure the jacket is a genuine leather jacket.
9. Jacket Connection
The next way to see the characteristics of a genuine sheepskin jacket can be seen from the joints in the sleeve area. If there are wrinkles on the connection, then you can be sure that the jacket you are going to buy is a genuine leather jacket. This is because there are smooth and rough parts that normally exist in genuine leather, which of course cannot be separated. If sewn it can cause wrinkles.
10. Performing a Simple
Test The first test that can be done is the elasticity test. A genuine leather jacket must have a flexible Texture so that it can be pulled up and down or left and right easily and does not make it look cracked. The second test that can be done is the fire test. Light a fire near the surface of the leather jacket for some time. A genuine leather jacket will not peel off even if the surface is exposed to heat from a fire.
Note: This fire test should not be carried out in a shop because it will offend or cause damage to the shop. This method can only be used if you are sure that the leather is genuine. When testing it with fire it is necessary to find an invisible gap so as not to damage the product. The trick is to bring the fire closer to a predetermined area for about 5 to 10 seconds.
11. Price
The authenticity of the last leather jacket can be checked from the price. Unfortunately, many do not care about this because they are looking for a cheap price. Yet as the proverb says “There is a form there is a price”. Goods with good quality will definitely have a high price. Indeed, this price range can be different for each craftsman or seller, but it will not differ too much. Of course, because the selling price is too low, it will damage the market.
So, if you get a seller who sells genuine leather jackets at low prices that do not meet the standard, you can be sure that the goods are not genuine.
