Real leather on the left. On the right, a coating on fabric: the backing at the cut edge gives it away.
PU leather is not real leather. It is a plastic coating, usually polyurethane, built up on a fabric backing to look like leather. Wikipedia's entry on leather describes artificial leather as "polyurethane or vinyl coatings applied to a cloth backing." Under the FTC's leather guides, calling that material "leather" without qualification is deceptive, since the guides require the unqualified word "leather" to describe only products made in all substantial parts of leather.
What is PU leather made of?
Wikipedia's entry on artificial leather says the material is built in layers on a base fabric: a polyurethane coating, a color coat, and a textured finish, often pressed against release paper "mimicking the texture of top-grain leather." The same entry says artificial leather made from polyurethane is washable.
Is PU leather real leather?
No. The FTC's leather guides say it is unfair or deceptive to use the unqualified term "leather" to describe a product unless that product is composed in all substantial parts of leather. For a plastic-coated fabric like PU leather, the guides list acceptable disclosure terms instead: "Not leather," "Imitation leather," "Simulated leather," "Vinyl," or "Plastic."
What is the difference between PU, faux and vegan leather?
Faux leather means artificial leather, and it can be PU or PVC. "Vegan leather" is broader. Wikipedia's entry on plant-based leather says the term "vegan leather" includes plastic-based artificial leather made from PU or PVC, not only plant-based materials. Wikipedia's own entry on plant-based leather defines that narrower category as "a group of non-animal materials made from plant sources (e.g. pineapple leaves, cactus, cork, or apple by-products)." So a jacket marketed as vegan leather could be plain PU, or it could be a plant-based material — the label alone doesn't tell you which.
What is bicast leather?
Bicast (or bycast) leather is real split leather with a plastic coat on top. Wikipedia's entry on bicast leather describes it as "a material made with a split leather backing covered with an embossed layer of polyurethane or vinyl." It's made by building a polyurethane layer on embossed release paper, then pressing split leather into that plastic layer. Wikipedia adds that the polyurethane surface "may crack and split free of its backing" with constant use, and that calling bicast leather "genuine leather" or "100% leather" is considered a misrepresentation and isn't permitted in some countries, including the UK, Denmark, and New Zealand.
How can you tell PU leather from real leather?
Check the pores, the smell, the cut edge and the label. Leather Honey's guide to spotting fake leather says real leather has an uneven pore pattern, a distinct smell, and a rough, natural cut edge, while a "man-made materials" tag or no material tag at all points to a fake. The checks in detail:
- Look at the pores. Leather Honey's guide says real leather has "an inconsistent pattern of pores because it is natural," while manufactured leather has "a consistent, repeating pattern."
- Smell it. Leather Honey's guide says real leather "has a distinct smell that cannot be replicated by synthetic, fake leather."
- Check the cut edge. Leather Honey's guide says fake leather has "a perfect, smooth edge that feels a little like plastic," where genuine leather's edge is "more natural" and rough.
- Read the label. Leather Honey's guide says a "man-made materials" tag, or no material tag at all, is a reasonable sign the product isn't real leather.
How does PU leather age?
Wikipedia's entry on artificial leather says PU leather "does not crack or fade easily, though the surface of some artificial leathers may rub and wear off with time." That's a different aging pattern than real leather. Wikipedia's entry on leather says full-grain leather "develops a patina during its useful lifetime" rather than wearing out that way. Bicast leather is different again: Wikipedia's entry on bicast leather says its polyurethane surface "may crack and split free of its backing, and abrasion may cause large unsightly marks."
Can PU leather shoes be resoled?
It depends on how the shoe is built, not just the material on top. Stridewise's guide to resoling says cemented (glued) construction is "difficult to resole," because separating a glued sole risks damaging the shoe and the new sole can fail to reattach securely. Goodyear-welt construction is the other end of the spectrum — Stridewise's guide calls it "the gold standard for resoleable shoes and boots," since a cobbler can remove the welt stitching and attach a new sole cleanly. Every Alvies boot and every welted Hevias boot is Goodyear welted and can be resoled. See the guide to Goodyear welt construction for how that stitch works.
How do PU, bonded and real leather compare?
PU and PVC are coated fabrics. Bonded leather is leather scraps on a backing. Top grain leather, including full grain, is real hide.
| Material | What it is | How to tell | How it ages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full grain leather | Retains the complete grain layer, with none of the surface removed (Wikipedia) | — | Develops a patina during its useful lifetime (Wikipedia) |
| Top grain leather | The outer grain layer of the hide, with finer, more densely packed fiber than the layers beneath; full grain, corrected grain and nubuck are types of it (Wikipedia) | — | — |
| Bonded leather | Shredded leather scraps bonded with polyurethane or latex onto a fiber-mesh backing (Wikipedia) | The FTC's leather guides require a label disclosing the percentage of leather fiber versus non-leather substance | — |
| PU leather | A polyurethane coating built up on a fabric backing (Wikipedia) | Consistent, repeating pore pattern; no leather smell; smooth, plastic-feeling cut edge (Leather Honey) | Resists cracking and fading, but the surface can rub off with time (Wikipedia) |
| PVC (vinyl) | A vinyl coating applied to a cloth backing; harder to clean than PU (Wikipedia) | — | — |
A note on nubuck: it isn't on this table because it's real leather, not a PU or faux material. Wikipedia's nubuck entry describes it as top-grain leather sanded on the outer side to a short nap. The guide to nubuck covers how it differs from suede and full-grain leather in more depth, and the full-grain vs. top-grain guide covers the two real-leather grades above in full.
Where to go next
- Shop boots
- Shop Hevias
- Goodyear welt construction, explained
- Full grain vs. top grain leather
- What is nubuck?
Sources: Wikipedia ("Leather," "Artificial leather," "Bicast leather," "Plant-based leather," "Genuine leather"); the FTC's leather guides (16 CFR Part 24, via eCFR); Leather Honey's guide to spotting fake leather; Stridewise's guide to which boots can be resoled.
