IS THIS LEATHER GENUINE?
You’re buying a leather sofa, and you wonder if the leather is genuine (like the sellers claim). These days, with improved imitation techniques, fake leather can look identical to the real ones.
So, to help you make an informed decision, here are 3 quick tips on how you can differentiate real leather from the fakes.
1. PRESS IT
Try pressing the leather gently. It should wrinkle slightly, just like real skin would. Man-made leathers would just dent in under pressure, and wouldn’t wrinkle.
Picture credits: maxmayo.com
2. SMELL IT
Leather has a unique natural smell that cannot be replicated. If your sofa smells like plastic or chemicals, it probably isn’t the real deal.
If you don’t know what’s the leather smell you’re supposed to identify, visit a reputable store that sells genuine leather goods. A couple sniffs and you’ll be able to remember it. You could even find a fake leather good to compare it.
3. TEST IT
Try these on leather swatches, not the actual sofa. Sellers would typically have leather swatches ready at the store. Ask for their permission to perform these tests.
FIRE TEST
Use a lighter and light the leather swatch for at most 10 seconds, real leather will only char slightly, and smell a bit like burnt hair. Faux leather will catch flame, and will have an awful plastic burning smell.
EDITOR’S NOTE:
This marks the end of our leather series articles. We enjoyed sharing all these information with you and we hope you found them helpful! If there's anything you wish to clarify, you can talk to us on Facebook or visit our showroom @ 1 Genting Lane and have a chat with our furniture consultants.
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