If you’re looking to buy a new leather jacket, you might be wondering to choose a jacket made of genuine leather or faux leather. While they share a similar appearance — though not necessarily the same — they vary in terms of performance or comfort. You can see for yourself by trying on a genuine leather jacket and comparing it to a faux leather jacket. Below, however, you’ll find several key differences between genuine and faux leather jackets, revealing which type of jacket comes out on top.
What Is a Faux Leather Jacket?
To better understand the differences between genuine and faux leather jackets, you should familiarize yourself with the basic properties of faux leather. Although it’s called leather, faux leather isn’t really leather. Rather, it’s a synthetic material that’s designed to look like real leather.
There are other terms used to describe faux leather, such as fake leather or artificial leather, but they all refer to the same synthetic material. Of course, genuine leather is completely different because it’s made using animal hide — a natural, non-synthetic material.
Texture
You’ll probably discover that genuine leather jackets offer a softer texture than faux leather jackets. Whether it’s made of a cowhide or sheepskin leather, genuine leather jackets are incredibly soft. Faux leather jackets, on the other hand, have a harder and stiffer texture than their genuine counterparts. If you rub your hand across the surface of a genuine leather jacket and a faux leather jacket, you can feel just how much harder faux leather is.
Comfort
Because they have a softer texture, genuine leather jackets are more comfortable to wear than faux leather jackets. Whether you intend to wear it for one hour or the entire day, you can rest assured knowing that it will keep you comfortable. The soft texture of genuine leather is gentle on your skin, meaning there’s little or no risk of it causing discomfort when worn.
Appearance
Most people will agree that faux leather jackets have a similar appearance as genuine leather jackets. But if you inspect them closely, you’ll notice some subtle nuances in their appearance. Faux leather jackets, for example, have a glossier, more artificial-looking appearance, whereas genuine leather jackets have a less-glossy, more natural-looking appearance. It’s not a substantial difference, but it’s still noticeable nonetheless.
Maintenance
Both genuine and faux leather jackets are relatively easy to maintain. You can check the care label for more information on how to clean and maintain them. With that said, genuine leather jackets are particularly easy to maintain because of their natural resistance to stains. Leather jackets can still develop stains, but the strong and durable properties of leather discourages stain-causing compounds from settling. As a result, you can easily maintain a genuine leather jacket — even more easily than with a faux leather jacket.
Smell
Genuine leather jackets have a uniquely pleasant smell that’s not found in faux leather jackets. It’s earthy yet also somewhat sweet. Faux leather jackets also have a smell to them, but it’s not as pleasant as genuine leather jackets. Since they are made of heavily treated synthetic material, genuine leather jackets have a strong, overbearing odor that some people find noxious.
For a pleasant smell, you need to choose a genuine leather jacket. While some faux leather jackets are better than others, they all have a harsh and overbearing odor. Thankfully, you won’t find this odor with genuine leather jackets.
Longevity
To say genuine leather jackets last a long time would be an understatement. Assuming you clean and care for it, a genuine leather jacket can literally last for decades. In fact, some people have owned the same genuine leather jacket for over 20 years.
Faux leather jackets can last for many tears as well, but you can expect to replace them sooner than a genuine leather jacket. Their heavily processed and chemically treated design makes them vulnerable to wear and tear. Even if you don’t physically damage a faux leather jacket, wearing it for long enough may cause it to degrade, forcing you to replace it with a new jacket.
Value
With their long-lasting properties, genuine leather jackets offer a greater value than faux leather jackets. Some people assume that purchasing a faux leather jacket is a smart financial decision because they cost less than genuine leather jackets. While generally true, you have to consider the long-term value when choosing a jacket. As previously mentioned, genuine leather jackets can last for decades or longer. Therefore, you’ll get more value out of a genuine leather jacket than a faux leather jacket, the latter of which will likely require replacing.
Variety
You can find genuine leather jackets and faux leather jackets available in a variety of styles. Of those two types, though, genuine leather jackets offer a wider variety of styles from which to choose. Here at LeatherCult, you can shop from an enormous selection of high-quality genuine leather jackets. You can choose a traditional style, such as a brown or black bomber jacket, or you can choose from one of dozens of modern, non-traditional styles. Regardless, there’s probably a genuine leather jacket to match your personal style.
Faux leather jackets are usually offered in fewer styles. You may get lucky and find a faux leather jacket in your desired style, but this doesn’t always happen. To find the perfect style, you need to choose a genuine leather jacket.
Are There Any Advantages to Faux Leather Jackets?
After reading this post, you might be wondering if there are any advantages to choosing a faux leather jacket over a genuine leather jacket. Well, faux leather jackets usually cost less than genuine leather jackets — sometimes as much as 30% to 50% less. But again, you have to consider the long-term value when choosing a jacket. Although they cost less, faux leather jackets are more prone to wear and tear, so you could end up paying more for a faux leather jacket than a genuine leather jacket in the long run.