To claim "genuine" or not?

[Warhauk]

I just read an article (followed by another article doing some follow-up) that says that "genuine leather" does not mean what I thought, namely, real leather as opposed to fake. Apparently genuine leather refers to a low quality leather that is basically made in the same manner as plywood and it falls in the spectrum of full-gain>top-grain>genuine. This was a surprise to me and I have listed all of my products as genuine leather, and just went back and edited all of them to remove that. This post was for 2 reasons.

1. Just to confirm this is a correct assessment and ask if it makes leather seem cheaper when people read that description.

2. If that is a correct assessment, to hopefully warn others of this, because I have seen a few other crafters out there that claim genuine leather, when I am pretty sure they are using good quality.

[tsunkasapa]

It's nothing I ever worried about, it's just leather, period.

[mike02130]

It's either leather or it's not.

[Warhauk]

1 minute ago, mike02130 said:

It's either leather or it's not.

But if you go to walmart and get a genuine leather wallet, it is technically leather, but it is low grade, weirdly processed leather. Just like If you go to the lumber store and buy plywood, technically it is wood, but it isn't the same as an oak board. My point was, the companies that make leather up to the bare minimum of leather standards claim genuine because it is technically true. I never realized that the term genuine is not just a claim saying hey, we are technically leather, but actually is associated with a quality/type of leather and I wouldn't want my stuff associated with that same quality.

[jcuk]

Bonded leather you decide, I know what think

https://www.worldofleathers.com/leather-guide-and-info/the-difference-between-bonded-leather-vs-genuine-leather/

Hope this helps

JCUK

[Warhauk]

8 minutes ago, jcuk said:

Bonded leather you decide, I know what think

https://www.worldofleathers.com/leather-guide-and-info/the-difference-between-bonded-leather-vs-genuine-leather/

Hope this helps

JCUK

Thank you for the link. The only real concern that I have (what I make is vegtan usually) is that someone looking at my stuff will see the "genuine leather" in my description and think back to all the times they got things that said genuine leather at like walmart, etc and think "Oh, I know that trick" and pass stuff off as crap quality.

[jcuk]

3 minutes ago, Warhauk said:

Thank you for the link. The only real concern that I have (what I make is vegtan usually) is that someone looking at my stuff will see the "genuine leather" in my description and think back to all the times they got things that said genuine leather at like walmart, etc and think "Oh, I know that trick" and pass stuff off as crap quality.

Unfortunately thats something we all have to live with, there are certain countries that have tanneries producing so called veg tan that have dubious tanning methods i will not going into some of the things they use in there tanning process,  but your nose should be your guide and yes i have repaired some tack made with it and made sure i gave my hands a good wash afterwards, and the repair was done using good quality English bridle leather - kind of a crime i thought as some of the repairs were worth more than the hole item i was repairing at times. (cheap imported tack)

[chrisash]

There is no legal definition of "real leather" or "Genuine leather "so if made of leather its fine, even if made from reconstituted leather. If made from faux leather then in the UK at least both terms would be Fraudulent

[mike02130]

Hmm, a chicken McNugget is still chicken.  So they say.  I don't use the word genuine when describing my goods.  I say Italian, French or American Veg or chrome tanned leather along with the name of the tannery.  Genuine leather is the Leather McNugget of the leather world.  Sadly, no one knows the difference and now it is just a poor marketing phrase for those not in the know.   "Pass me that screwdriver."  "The pointy one or the flat one?"  So sad.

Edited January 7, 2022 by mike02130

[sbrownn]

8 hours ago, Warhauk said:

I just read an article (followed by another article doing some follow-up) that says that "genuine leather" does not mean what I thought, namely, real leather as opposed to fake. Apparently genuine leather refers to a low quality leather that is basically made in the same manner as plywood and it falls in the spectrum of full-gain>top-grain>genuine. This was a surprise to me and I have listed all of my products as genuine leather, and just went back and edited all of them to remove that. This post was for 2 reasons.

1. Just to confirm this is a correct assessment and ask if it makes leather seem cheaper when people read that description.

2. If that is a correct assessment, to hopefully warn others of this, because I have seen a few other crafters out there that claim genuine leather, when I am pretty sure they are using good quality.

My experience has been that any leather that has the word "genuine" before it is made of low quality leather or the waste from splits that has had a grain pattern embossed on it.

[Klara]

I also know genuine leather as a rather derogatory term (https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-genuine-leather-2016-1?r=US&IR=T) which we probably should NOT use.

[sbrownn]

6 hours ago, Klara said:

I also know genuine leather as a rather derogatory term (https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-genuine-leather-2016-1?r=US&IR=T) which we probably should NOT use.

That article was very informative.

[billybopp]

One of our members here @nstarleather put together a blog to help us understand what's what in leather terminology ... well worth a check from a guy that is well-informed and not trying to pull the wool over consumer's eyes .... https://nstarleather.wordpress.com/2018/05/31/the-grades-of-leather-hierarchy-youve-probably-read-about-is-a-myth/

It was meant to counter some of the BS on the internet, particularly by one particular huckster that did a bunch of YouTube videos full of disinformation to make his own expensive products seem better than they really 

- Bill

[Tugadude]

Actually there are legal (in the U.S.) restrictions in how you can represent products containing leather.  

For example, someone brought up reconstituted leather.  Here's what the rules say you can and cannot do:

Ground, pulverized, shredded, reconstituted, or bonded leather. A material in an industry product that contains ground, pulverized, shredded, reconstituted, or bonded leather and thus is not wholly the hide of an animal should not be represented, directly or by implication, as being leather. This provision does not preclude an accurate representation as to the ground, pulverized, shredded, reconstituted, or bonded leather content of the material. However, if the material appears to be leather, it should be accompanied by either:

(1) An adequate disclosure as described by paragraph (a) of this section; or

(2) If the terms “ground leather,” “pulverized leather,” “shredded leather,” “reconstituted leather,” or “bonded leather” are used, a disclosure of the percentage of leather fibers and the percentage of non-leather substances contained in the material. For example: An industry product made of a composition material consisting of 60% shredded leather fibers may be described as: Bonded Leather Containing 60% Leather Fibers and 40% Non-leather Substances.

You can read more at the following link:

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/part-24

 

Here is a pretty good explanation of the available types of leather.  This is handy for reference.  You can use it to point out when folks misrepresent what they are offering.

https://www.libertyleathergoods.com/types-of-leather/

[sbrownn]

8 minutes ago, Tugadude said:

Actually there are legal (in the U.S.) restrictions in how you can represent products containing leather.  

For example, someone brought up reconstituted leather.  Here's what the rules say you can and cannot do:

Ground, pulverized, shredded, reconstituted, or bonded leather. A material in an industry product that contains ground, pulverized, shredded, reconstituted, or bonded leather and thus is not wholly the hide of an animal should not be represented, directly or by implication, as being leather. This provision does not preclude an accurate representation as to the ground, pulverized, shredded, reconstituted, or bonded leather content of the material. However, if the material appears to be leather, it should be accompanied by either:

(1) An adequate disclosure as described by paragraph (a) of this section; or

(2) If the terms “ground leather,” “pulverized leather,” “shredded leather,” “reconstituted leather,” or “bonded leather” are used, a disclosure of the percentage of leather fibers and the percentage of non-leather substances contained in the material. For example: An industry product made of a composition material consisting of 60% shredded leather fibers may be described as: Bonded Leather Containing 60% Leather Fibers and 40% Non-leather Substances.

You can read more at the following link:

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/part-24

 

Here is a pretty good explanation of the available types of leather.  This is handy for reference.  You can use it to point out when folks misrepresent what they are offering.

https://www.libertyleathergoods.com/types-of-leather/

 

https://www.libertyleathergoods.com/types-of-leather/

That was a good article as well.