Tanning animal skins and hides creates leather.  Leather comes from skins when smaller animals are used.  The skin or hide is cleaned and tanned.  So, if this is the case, why would you look for products categorized ‘Genuine leather’?  This is an advertising idea that indicates the item is not made of imitation leather.  The choice is genuine or imitation.

Imitation leather has properties similar to leather.  The surface is embossed, colored and glossed to create this effect.  The better qualities of imitation leather are created using textile substrate.  If poor quality substrate is used, it can still be labeled “Genuine leather”.  Some leather has been given a plastic lacquer or foil coating. (more…)