Misleading description on leather items

[kramerv8head]

Okay, I am not a seller, but I wanted to post this where sellers might possibly see it. I have been looking at leather jackets for a month now. It very quickly became obvious that the majority of "Leather" jackets listed on ebay turn out to be fake leather when I question the seller. I bought one jacket that clearly stated leather in at least three places in the listing, but upon further investigation, it was fake. The seller agreed to cancel the order, but it was a hassle for both of us. 

I've sent several inquiries about jackets, and the response it usually about the same, "Oh, I'm sorry, I just assumed it was leather but  didn't really check. Turns out it IS a fake."

This is getting ridiculous. From this point on, if the seller doesn't include a photo of the tag stating LEATHER, I will assume it is fake and eliminate it as a  possibility. It shouldn't be asking too much to include a pic of the Materials tag. I've yet to see a leather jacket that doesn't say leather on it somewhere.

And those of you selling "faux" leather, please describe it as such in your listings.

Thanks for reading!

[lookng2015]

Maybe that's where my keyboard got the PLU lol

[blackbird*singing]

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@lookng2015 wrote:
It used to be super easy to tell fake from real in leather but the faux leathers are getting really good these days and hard to tell if you have no way of seeing the backing.

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So true... some particularly amazing faux leathers are coming from luxury designers as vegan-friendly options. In my experience, the faux patent tends to be the best imitator. The process of developing it in such a high quality takes a LOT of trials and testing.

And then there are items at places like H&M and F21 and Target that just scream "Pleather!"

[mr_lincoln]

kramerv8head wrote: From this point on, if the seller doesn't include a photo of the tag stating LEATHER

That's an excellent idea ... I would think a really good Seller would do that anyway.

[kramerv8head]

I respect you for that, I wish everyone would do the same. A pic of the tag is all it takes.

[mr_lincoln]

Thanks for that ... I Buy and Sell on eBay ... do the latter more though ... but I do not Sell to Asian countries ... however, I would consider selling to Japan as I've been there and know that generally they like buying things Made in the USA.

I also do not buy directly from China ... only from one of their local affiliates ... Wal Mart ...

[al-sutt]

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@thevintagesilvershop wrote:

Also be wary of anything that says "bonded" leather. That's basically leather that is pulverized with other materials and the result applied to a thin backing. It usually starts peeling in a year or two at points of wear and is not repairable. 

I recently found this this very cool couch that just looked beautiful and was a cheap, cheap price. Yep!  Bonded leather. 

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darn Wal-Mart shoes, never buy their in a million years, my new shoes unpeeled after the first crummy week, China please stop selling JUNK !!!!!!!!!! (YES me stop buying JUNK)

[johnrj1226]

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@lookng2015 wrote:
It used to be super easy to tell fake from real in leather but the faux leathers are getting really good these days and hard to tell if you have no way of seeing the backing.

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Here are a couple tests I use to help determine real leather from man made stuff.:

1.  Use the back of your hand place ( it is more sensitive to temperature than the palm)  against the surface of the item of a known leather item and then against an unknown item - the man made item (usually polyurethane based) will feel cooler.

2.  Then  under a  bright light study the surface grain pattern - real leather will have an erratic and non repeating pattern, man made will have a consistent and repeating  pattern (as in wallpaper).

3.  With pebble leather patterns like used on Dooney & Bourke product, lightly glide your finger nail tips (palm up) over the pebbles - it is a smooth ride up and down the pebbles it is real, if you detect a  bumpy ride - fake.

4.   Now I'm taking a side trip that might be useful.  Also use the finger nail  test to detect real wood vs wood look alike.    But if it is real wood you will feel a bumpy ride and fake stuff a smooth glide across.  Of course, this will detect real wood veneer that may be applied over glued together saw dust (remember some people will call that glued together saw dust real wood which it sorta is but the there is no glue in solid wood).  Then you have to examine the grain structure over at the edges - if it is solid stain colored meaning lacking any signs of  grain structure it is  not solid wood.  And if the items is very heavy good chance it is glued  together saw dust.

Remember some solid wood products will have an applied non wood laminate to the top for  scratch & stain protection.  So do the test on the sides of the item.  I enjoying doing wood refinishing/refurbishing/repurposing for winter time projects or whenever "she who must be obeyed" gives me direction to do it. 

Right now, taking a solid wood chest of drawers  and am recessing  into  a garage wall  so the drawer will be flush with the wall ( have  ~20" of free  open space  behind  the wall).  This will give us  a  place to "neatly" organize  (or keep  the disorganization  "behind closed drawers" - a take off of the late Charlie Rich's song "Behind Close Doors") & store my  fishing stuff without taking up space in the garage.   This will help keep "peace" in the family.

[johnrj1226]

Unfortunately, Wal-Mart is not the place to find high quality stuff but the price is right.   Quality leather goods usually have a 3 digit price tag.  Our son  typically goes through 3 pair of work boots a year @ $160/pair.  He is on his feet all day log, usually inside - electrican.   He is easy to buy for  for his birthday & Christmas. Most of these boots are made in China but to the specifications of an American company - brands like Rocky, Wolverine, Gerogia Boots etc.

[mr_lincoln]

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@johnrj1226 wrote:

@Unfortunately, Wal-Mart is not the place to find high quality stuff but the price is right.   Quality leather goods usually have a 3 digit price tag.  Our son  typically goes through 3 pair of work boots a year @ $160/pair.  He is on his feet all day log, usually inside - electrican.   He is easy to buy for  for his birthday & Christmas. Most of these boots are made in China but to the specifications of an American company - brands like Rocky, Wolverine, Gerogia Boots etc.

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Try getting your son a pair of Red Wing work boots ... made the USA ... your son is going through $ 480.00 a year in work boots of lesser quality.  If you tell them the type of work he does they will recommend the correct shoe.  I would lay you odds that one pair of those would 1) last at least one year or longer and 2) cost less than what he is now paying and 3) continue to support a good US company ...

[johnrj1226]

The most important thing in footwear is  comfort, he works anywhere from 8 hours to 18.50 hrs/per day some times Sat & Sun.. When your feet hurt your whole body hurts makes for a longer than actual  hours worked day.  Understand the $$ but hard to trade $$ for comfort - Oh BTW he can dedcut the shoes cost  off his income take - we give him the receipt - we always pay in cash  & register them in his name for warranty.. 

Our son has only been doing this  work since 2005, a journeyman and  Mason and has tried them all, Red wings included.  -Red Wings have  hard bottom soles & heels (that Goodyear stuff) - great for reducing wear but less cushioning & shock absorption for comfort.  For comfort Rocky & Georgia boots have been the best to his liking (both are now made in China and Rocky and bought out Georgia Boots - Georgia boots was starting to skimp in quality over the past couple of years and now Rocky has a challenge to resurrect theGB brand reputation.  We have a good friend in the footwear business (shoes, boots, M & W) that we buy from.

Footwear is a matter of fit & comfort.  No two people have the same foot characteristics - shapes, toes, heels, arches and arch distance from the heel, etc.  but the have a length & width (I have ugly bunions my Mom  gave me that gift & my wife won't let me go barefooted).   Additionally, there are  no international shoe size standards - I can wear a full 1/2 size different that  my normal  or a M or W depending on the brand and/or point of manufacturer.  Some people swear by Nike (make in SE Asia), they hurt my feet I'm a New Balance person - that is what does the trick for me - but  if they are made in the US I wear my "moral" measured size but when  made in S>E. Asia I wear a 1/2 size longer  and a W width.  NB has plants in US & S.E. Asia.

[al-sutt]

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@johnrj1226 wrote:

@Unfortunately, Wal-Mart is not the place to find high quality stuff but the price is right.   Quality leather goods usually have a 3 digit price tag.  Our son  typically goes through 3 pair of work boots a year @ $160/pair.  He is on his feet all day log, usually inside - electrican.   He is easy to buy for  for his birthday & Christmas. Most of these boots are made in China but to the specifications of an American company - brands like Rocky, Wolverine, Gerogia Boots etc.

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Yes I knew was buying junk, but even junk before would last me a few months then would chuck out, my last time bought shoes at Wal-Mart and Sears they just fell apart within a week...I learned my lesson.  We do have some higher end stores that sell work leather, like Dayton boots.

I can relate to buyers trying to save money but buying at Wal-Mart just costs me more in the long run, but what is not made in China today even Trump uses China....to bad China could not set a higher bar like Germany.

[mr_lincoln]

You got it right johnrj1226 - fit and comfort the key, I bought a pair of Red Wing work boots - semi-dressy style for part of my business. I am in food and industrial plants looking at equipment, measuring plants for AutoCAD layout work, etc. Environments from bone dry to USDA wash down meat plants to frozen food ... for me they have worked out great. For your son's needs the other choices make more sense ... thanks for that reply, very comprehensive so you get a Kudo!

[johnrj1226]

Your  comments much appreciated -  engineer by degree, never engineered one item  for  a company. Went into sales right out of college sold material handling equipment (lift trucks) for a career and the application of the product was key in determining the best solution for the end user - same with footwear.

[mr_lincoln]

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@johnrj1226 wrote:

Your  comments much appreciated -  engineer by degree, never engineered one item  for  a company. Went into sales right out of college sold material handling equipment (lift trucks) for a career and the application of the product was key in determining the best solution for the end user - same with footwear.

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Yup!  Similar path as a manufacturer's rep plus doing the layout work ... now lets hope neither the old timers nor the original OP accuse us of having a "kum-by-ya" moment here on this thread .........................

[lindiloo21]

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@johnrj1226 wrote:

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@lookng2015 wrote:
It used to be super easy to tell fake from real in leather but the faux leathers are getting really good these days and hard to tell if you have no way of seeing the backing.

---

Here are a couple tests I use to help determine real leather from man made stuff.:

1.  Use the back of your hand place ( it is more sensitive to temperature than the palm)  against the surface of the item of a known leather item and then against an unknown item - the man made item (usually polyurethane based) will feel cooler.

2.  Then  under a  bright light study the surface grain pattern - real leather will have an erratic and non repeating pattern, man made will have a consistent and repeating  pattern (as in wallpaper).

3.  With pebble leather patterns like used on Dooney & Bourke product, lightly glide your finger nail tips (palm up) over the pebbles - it is a smooth ride up and down the pebbles it is real, if you detect a  bumpy ride - fake.

4.   Now I'm taking a side trip that might be useful.  Also use the finger nail  test to detect real wood vs wood look alike.    But if it is real wood you will feel a bumpy ride and fake stuff a smooth glide across.  Of course, this will detect real wood veneer that may be applied over glued together saw dust (remember some people will call that glued together saw dust real wood which it sorta is but the there is no glue in solid wood).  Then you have to examine the grain structure over at the edges - if it is solid stain colored meaning lacking any signs of  grain structure it is  not solid wood.  And if the items is very heavy good chance it is glued  together saw dust.

Remember some solid wood products will have an applied non wood laminate to the top for  scratch & stain protection.  So do the test on the sides of the item.  I enjoying doing wood refinishing/refurbishing/repurposing for winter time projects or whenever "she who must be obeyed" gives me direction to do it. 

Right now, taking a solid wood chest of drawers  and am recessing  into  a garage wall  so the drawer will be flush with the wall ( have  ~20" of free  open space  behind  the wall).  This will give us  a  place to "neatly" organize  (or keep  the disorganization  "behind closed drawers" - a take off of the late Charlie Rich's song "Behind Close Doors") & store my  fishing stuff without taking up space in the garage.   This will help keep "peace" in the family.

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All very good, and thanks for that info.

I used to go to Tenerife in my youth, and the sellers in the Moroccan market, would hold a cigarette lighter up to a snakeskin purse, to prove that it was not fake. All banned now, of course. Good sales pitch, though.