When many people hear the word leather, they immediately associate it with the skin of an animal, however, synthetic leather is not of animal origin.Synthetic leather is known as eco-leather, it has a texture similar to that obtained from a cow or other animal. It is a product whose raw material is not obtained by traditional procedures, as it has been done for thousands of years.Synthetic leather emerges as an economical alternative to leather of animal origin.

Synthetic leather is used in the manufacture of:

  • Jackets
  • Belts
  • Shoes
  • Handbags
  • Wallets
  • Furniture
  • Among others

The advantages of synthetic leather are its low cost, ease of cleaning and the fact that no animals are used to obtain it.

The disadvantages are that it does not have the same luxurious feel, both to the eye and to the touch, it does not have the classic leather scent and is stickier than standard leather when hot, its durability and quality.

The purpose of synthetic leathers is to mimic animal hide and skin, so they are designed to look as much like the natural raw material as possible.

These designs at first glance are difficult to identify as fake. However, there are a number of characteristics that differentiate them from genuine leather and fur which will be mentioned in the following paragraph.

cuero sintético

Differences between synthetic leather and leather of animal origin:

The main difference is the lower price in synthetic leather.

On the other hand, the synthetic leather has a stiffer and harder texture and the other has a soft and smooth texture. Another differentiating element is the smell, the synthetic leather smells like plastic and the other smells like leather.

Synthetic leather does not have the same heat absorption capacity, so it is a material that feels cold to the touch.

Synthetic leather is not flame resistant. The inner layer of synthetic leather is fabric and the inner layer of animal hide is suede.

The elasticity of synthetic leather is lower.

The edges of the synthetic leather garment are perfectly smooth and have no roughness. Synthetic leather does not absorb liquids.

Synthetic leather is made of plastic materials and is lighter in weight compared to genuine leather products.

There are two types of synthetic leather, polyurethane and PVC; PVC, also known as eco-leather or eco-leather of the latest generation does not have in its composition any banned or harmful substances, as they were replaced by other plasticizing materials.

These combine the use of renewable raw material, which makes the material more environmentally friendly, since the main problem that PVC has is the non-biodegradation and therefore the exposure as waste in the environment.

PU synthetic polyurethane leather or also known as leather is a biodegradable material, and it is for this reason that it has historically been considered in line with ecological sensitivity.

The advantage of this material is that due to its composition more designs and colors can be found compared to PVC.

But the difference between these two materials is that PU is usually of better quality than PVC, but this is not an intrinsic rule, as different qualities can be found in the two presentations.