Since the dawn of civilization, bags, purses, and pouches have been used by men and women equally for the purpose of carrying their belongings. Leather pouches, stacks with clasps, long drawstrings were widely used during the medieval centuries. However, with the inventions of pockets toward the end of the 16th century, bags for men slowly disappeared and handbags became exclusive to women.

During the 20th century, big brands like Gucci, Prada, Loui Vuitton, Chanel, and Hermes reintroduced leather handbags to the luxury segment of women handbags and set the trend for classy leather accessories. Soon, however, people began imitating them to make profits and the market was flooded with cheap knockoffs.

Genuine leather vs. faux leather

Lately, the market has been swamped with the so-called genuine leather bags, selling cheap knockoffs, making money off of our oblivious attitude or incapability to differentiate the two. Most leather handbag brands have been copied. These are either sold at the original prices, robbing us of our hard-earned money or sold openly as first copies, trivializing the quality of genuine products. So, let’s learn how to recognize real leather before you end up investing in a fake bag:

If They Haven’t Mentioned it as “Genuine Leather”, That’s Because It Most Probably Isn’t

A genuine manufacturer will never shy away from mentioning this. They might label it as “Genuine Leather,” “Top/Full Grain Leather,” or “Real Leather.” Mentioning it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s true, but if it isn’t mentioned at all, it definitely is not.

Roughness around the edges screams original

Is the bag too smooth and perfectly lined? Sorry to break your bubble but it isn’t leather. Leather handbags have coarse edges and are hard to line. Sturdier and rougher the edges, better the quality of leather used.

Real leather is ornate with wrinkles

Like any other skin, leather looks wrinkly. When you press it, the wrinkles form and the color changes. Upon release, it goes back to normal slowly. Faux leather remains pretty and perfect.

Water test

Take the water test, pour a few drops on the product and see what happens. Did it get absorbed or got rolled off? Leather absorbs water while the fake one lets it slide down.

Feel the warmth of real leather on your skin

Real leather is always, always and forever, warm to touch and gives a cozy comfy feeling. As opposed to this, faux leather is cold and hard and gives an icy feeling.

Leathery smell is a dead giveaway, like literally

The old-fashioned smell test tells the truth unfailingly. A leathery smell, when you open your new leather handbag, is what you have; as there is skin involved, whereas, the fake ones smell synthetic, too man-made, and too convincing.

Always buy from the genuine outlets of the manufacturer and you wouldn’t get cheated

Seek out a genuine store near you and buy your next leather handbag from a reliable shop. They usually give guarantee cards as well, which ensure, your purchase is genuine.

Always remember: if it’s leather, it would be super expensive

The leather bags are usually handmade and demand long hours of labor. Also, the supply of suitable animal hide has its expenses. So, if it is expensive with the abovementioned features, it probably is real leather. For that matter, any leather good will be pricey and undeniably a luxury to own.

It is easy to manufacture a counterfeit but the quality of a real leather handbag cannot be copied. So, the next time you shop at your favorite store or order online, make sure to check all the points mentioned above. Be a proud owner of one of these elegant yet chic must-have leather handbags today and stay ahead of the trend.