Difference between leather and imitation leather
Main difference
Leather is a durable, long-lasting and flexible material that is made up of the skin of various animals such as goats, cows, camels, etc. The leather industry is one of the largest product manufacturing industries that is used to prepare various products including clothing. , such as leather jackets, hats, shoes, belts, etc. On the other hand, synthetic leather is a type of artificial leather that is quite close to the original leather in terms of overall appearance. The imitation leather is formed by a base of synthetic PVC plastic that is covered with a layer of fabric. Synthetic leather is cheaper than leather but is less durable than leather.
Comparison chart
| Leather | Synthetic leather | |
| Composed of | Animal skin together with various chemical compositions. | Synthetic leather is a type of artificial leather that is made up of a PVC plastic base and has a fabric layer. |
| Washable | The leathers are washable but are restricted for further washing. It is differentiated by by-products. | Almost all types of faux fur products are not washable. |
| animal friendly | No, leather is not animal friendly as animal skin is the basic component of leather manufacturing. | Faux fur is generally animal friendly until and unless you use pieces of leather along with PVC plastic as a base. |
| Durability | Leather is stronger and lasts longer. It only fades its color over time. | Faux leather is less durable compared to original leather. But it retains its color for longer. |
| Breathable | Yes | No |
| Colors | Pure leather and leather products are usually limited in color, such as brown, black, and sometimes white. | There is a wide variety of colors in leatherette products, as they are easy to dye. |
| Used for | Pure leather is widely used for making shoes, leather jackets, bags, furniture covers, etc. | Synthetic leather is used instead of original leather to make cheaper products such as clothing, bags, shoes, etc. |
| cost | Leather is much more expensive and products made from genuine leather are classified as premium and luxury products. | Faux fur and products made from faux fur are much cheaper compared to leather products. |
What is leather?
Leather is the premium, durable and flexible manufacturing material that is made up of animal skin along with various chemical compositions. Cattle skin is the most used for this purpose. Leather and leather products are of high quality and are very durable in nature. But at the same time, they are also quite expensive and don’t offer many color options. Various products such as leather jackets, bags, and shoes are mostly brown, black, and sometimes white in color. The color fades over time. Leather is highly porous and breathable in nature.
What is faux fur?
Faux leather is a kind of artificial leather that is made up of a PVC plastic base along with the synthetic fiber layer that makes the fabric layer. Synthetic leather is widely used throughout the world and is much less expensive than leather. Faux leather is made up of man-made synthetic fiber that uses PVC plastic as a base, and sometimes also uses old original leather pieces to add more of the original leather touch. Synthetic leather, unlike leather, is more animal-friendly compared to leather that is directly made up of animal skin. Synthetic leather is less durable compared to leather, but it costs even less than half, it is much better and the color does not fade like leather. All original leather products can be made with synthetic leather, which is an excellent and economical replacement for expensive products. Faux fur has been widely used since the late 1920sth century, where it was initially used for the covers of books and cameras. Today, faux fur is widely used for making clothes, shoes, and other products. The only main concern with synthetic leather unlike leather is that it is non-porous in nature and highly breathable, whereas leather is breathable, synthetic leather is not.
Leather vs Synthetic Leather
- Leather is a flexible, premium and durable manufacturing material made from animal skin.
- Faux leather is a type of artificial leather that is made up of a PVC plastic base with a fabric layer.
- Leather is porous and breathable.
- Faux fur is cheaper than fur.
- Leather is more durable than synthetic leather.