2y ago

YSK: The term "Genuine Leather", it is not to reassure you that their product is made of leather, rather its the name of the lowest grade of leather a company can use.

Why YSK: The term "Genuine Leather" is a marketing term to sell the lowest quality leather possible.

When purchasing a leather product, look for full grain leather or top grain leather instead. These will provide a much higher quality cut of leather that will look and feel much better and last for much longer.

79 comments

This really is a perfect replacement for reddit, we even have the same reposted fun facts
- You can leave reddit, but you can't leave the redditor on the inside.
  
  Words of wisdom right there.
- I mean, reposting things that were on Reddit before would be a good way to get more content on here
  
  jesus christ

Not quite. The truth is, there is no universally recognized grades of leather. But when bragging about quality, genuine leather is the lowest bar they can go (other than bonded leather, which isn’t fully leather but just a veneer over fabric.
Full grain or top grain is generally what you want.
https://lifehacker.com/what-genuine-leather-really-means-1850309049
Also, some are concerned about the use of an animal product. The vast majority of leather is a byproduct of the beef industry. It is skin that would otherwise go to waste. And it is also far more environmentally friendly a material than many alternatives, which are often made of plastics.
- Yeah, honestly you should buy leather products based on brands than on description of "genuine" leather.
  And agree, real leather is a much better alternative to the ridiculous amount of micro-plastic synthetic leather generates, especially since it'll last you decades if you maintain it well.
  
  Leather made from animal flesh is far worse for the planet than pleather, but if you're really worried, you could just forgo both
  
  https://twitter.com/jan_dutkiewicz/status/1645867376381169665?t=w7mjq-VuWZB6TAudzs7A9g&s=19
- It's the industry recapturing some of its costs by reducing waste. That's still supporting the industry.
  
  We applauded Native Americans for using every part of the animal, yet when we do it today somehow it’s a bad thing.
  The skins are there rather you like the industry or not. Better to use them than throw them in a landfill.

Well yes but my wallet is cool and on a chain

In one of those 70s Fat Albert episodes, I think it was Rudy who one day showed up wearing a jacket of "genuine imitation leather". That term has stuck with me for decades.

It seems so odd too because if I didn't know better, I'd assume "Full or Top Grain" was lower quality than "Genuine Leather" just by how the phrases sound.

Don't buy leather. Cows are sentient beings with their own subjective experience. Actions that inflict unnecessary harm upon others should be reconsidered.
If you downvote, you must have a justification for buying leather and I'd love to hear it.
- If cows were given the chance, they would eat me and use my skin as pants, for when they go to the club.
  
  No they would not. If you don't want someone to skin you, why would you do it to someone else?
- Justification: I like to eat cows, they taste good. Might as well use the skin when the animal is killed anyway. Also leather is a really good material for a lot of things.
  
  How is that a justification? You wouldn't use that logic on humans.
  
  I love meat, I like a good leather jacket. I want a world where we take good care of our animals, take no more than we need and then use the entire animal as efficiently as possible. Reality however is a lot more cruel and wasteful. It is everyone's personal choice but I chose to stop purchasing cow and pig products.
  
  Second. I am a carnivore.
- the harsh truth of this existence is that some life kills other life. its just the way it is. from the cellular level all the way up to orcas killing seals. its natural and fine imo. of course we shouldn't go out of our way to inflict unnecessary pain and suffering. but if im going to eat a cow which i do regularly, then im also going to use every part of the cow because its the right thing to do. including its skin to make myself a nice leather knife sheath or a nice pair of leather boots. leather is an excellent material for all kinds of things humans can use.
  
  Why do you think it's wrong to waste part of a cow? It's clear you think they deserve moral consideration, but you don't need leather or meat, so it is automatically unnecessary pain and suffering. Many terrible things happen in nature, rape and killing and eating babies etc. We don't use what happens in nature as moral justification.

Also known as "It's really leather, I promise."

If you’re looking for bifl full grain leather stuff, hanks belts is pretty good. not cheap, but you only need one ever.

Not exactly true. "genuine leather" is a specific grade of leather product.
Here's a decent breakdown of leather types: https://bosca.com/blog/types-of-leather-a-glossary/
- "the real lpt is in the comments"

All I can say is that it's still at least leather. Most things (e.x., belts) will say "manmade leather" or "manmade materials" and they are fake and break. The genuine leather belt I have has been working for 4 years without snapping.
- Also I highly recommend avoiding man leather.

You should also know that technically only the piece marked as genuine leather needs to actually be genuine leather. If you buy something made with multiple pieces, the rest could be made from any material so long as that one piece is genuine.
- "Made with natural and artificial flavors".... So just... made with artificial flavors then...
  
  You know what's cool about "natural flavors"? They just have to be found in nature to call them that. They can be synthesized in a lab and still be a "natural flavor."
  P.S. don't fall for the naturalistic fallacy. This comment is about tricky vocabulary used by the food industry. Whether or not a chemical is found in nature has nothing to do with whether it is good or bad for you. Arsenic is natural.
  
  Contains 100% real cheese

love to wear animal flesh
- aa
- Wear, not so much. Mostly to sit on!

Can somebody explain why leather is better? It's it the smell? The feel? Tradition? I see it in car reviews where they complain about cloth.
- It is something people think they want because it is more expensive and in higher trim levels in cars. But when your car is parked in the hot sun the leather feels like it burns and in the winter is freezing to the touch. Leather also doesn't breath so you end up sweating more and if your are not wearing long pants your leg will stick to the seat. Cloth is so much better functionally. Cloth also lasts longer than the fake leather they put in cars. Cloth won't peel like the fake leather.
- @BigTrout75 many people are sensitive to dust. A car with a leather interior is easier to clean. The dust cannot stick in the seats.
  
  Let's be honest here. The amount of people this applies to is miniscule.

plant based leather exists
- Is it really leather, though?
  
  is soy milk really milk, though?
  nope.
  do I care?
  nope. love the stuff.

Leather is murder anyways.
- Wonder what the people who are downvoting this are thinking. Is it not murder, or is it only a restproduct of murder?
  
  Not murder, per definition.
  
  I like to think myself open-minded, but I'm also a meat eater. It really is just a matter of self control and convenience. I know humans eating meat in most developed countries is completely unnecessary. I know farming methods are cruel and environmentally damaging. It's just tough to shake off the habit of craving a nice chicken breast or steak, especially since I lean towards a very high protein a diet.
  I'd go far enough to say it used to not be murder, but now we only kill animals for luxury.
  
  I think it's because it's irrelevant for someone who would be interested in leather (and this YSK). I'm sure they're well aware of where leather comes from. I will say, though, that if cows are getting murdered for food, then they might as well use the whole animal instead of letting it go to waste.
  
  I wonder what people who upvote this are thinking, obviously the point is moot unless you are also vegan. And who upvotes someone going “meat is murder” in the comment section.
- In the right context, leather goods are much more durable and sustainable than synthetic alternatives. That said, leather is a co-product of the meat and dairy industry which is currently ridiculously unsustainable. Leather for leathers sake in designer goods and such is ridiculous.
  
  Leather production is terrible for the environment, a shit ton of chemicals used.
- Murder is killing a human.
  Killing a cow is just part of eating.
  
  You didn't need to kill the cow to eat, you chose to kill something that didn't want to die for the fleeting taste of it's dead body on your tongue

Not to be all hyper pagan or anything but maybe just don't buy skin?
- "It puts the lotion on its skin." Come again? :D
- It has its uses.

79 comments