You are in love with leather handbags, and probably you have bought one, but now you are in a fix. You are in a constant dilemma as to whether you have picked a real leather handbag or whether it is a just another faux leather piece. Well, you are not the only one, as most of us end up picking up faux leather instead of the real thing. The reason behind is ignorance and the fact that distinguishing between real and faux leather products is not easy.

To avoid falling into the trap of deceitful sellers, here we are with a few simple tips that can help you differentiate between real leather handbags and all handbags made of faux leather. Keeping the following tips and hacks in mind, you can certainly decide whether the handbag you intend to buy is made of real leather or faux leather.

The smell
By simply smelling leather handbags, you can make out whether the leather used in them is real or fake. However, it is hard to describe the actual smell, and you can only get an exact idea when you smell a thing yourself, we are still trying to give you a hint. If the handbag smells more like plastic and chemicals, it is a faux for sure. On the other hand, if the leather handbag gives you a distinct yet pleasurable odor, you should know it is real leather.

The pores
Leather is a porous material; after all, it is animal skin. So, whenever you find yourself stuck while shopping for a leather handbag, don’t forget to consider its pores. The pores on real leather are big and irregular just like hair growth on the real skin. On the other hand, the pores of faux leather are more consistent. Hold up both the bags closely and inspect their pores under light and you will make the difference quickly.

The feel
Another trick that can help you differentiate between faux and real leather handbags is the feel. You need to touch and feel the material properly. If you find it to be too soft and artificially smooth, it is a sign that the handbag is made of faux leather. Real leather, on the other hand, is coarse to touch and feel. Although real leather handbags can vary from coarse to silky smooth depending on the brand and the quality you choose.

Check the inner lining
Due to the advent of innovative leather coating technologies, even faux leather feels like real leather nowadays. A technique that can help you differentiate between both is to check the inner details of the material used. Genuine leather has a rough inner side, whereas faux leather has a treated fabric.

Fold it
When you fold faux leather, it does not fold easily and wrinkles, on the other hand, real leather folds easily as it has more elasticity.

Check the weight
Weight is another significant measure when it comes to differentiating between faux and real leather. By taking the weight of the leather handbag into consideration, you can easily decide whether it is real or fake. Genuine leather is heavy while faux leather is light.

The gloss
Both real and faux leather has a glossy finish. When you compare their respective glossiness, you would observe a marked difference. The texture of the faux leather is more lustrous than that of the real leather.