Is it leather? Writes on LinkedIn: Retailers like to talk about the ease of care and cleanability of fake leather. What they don’t say is that no matter how you clean it, it will begin to crack, fade, peel in 2-5 years which sends you right back to the store to waste money on purchasing another new product. So no matter what level of tender loving care you give it – fake leather will ALWAYS let you down.

Real leather, on the other hand, is just as easy to keep clean and your efforts are rewarded with decades of durable use and beautiful aging of one of the world’s most amazing natural miracles.

So here is the truth no one tells you:

• The real maintenance of fake leather is… 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝟮–𝟱 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀. Faux leather—often made from plastic (PU/PVC)—might look good on day one, but it doesn’t age well. Over time, it dries out, cracks, peels, and flakes. And once that happens, there’s no fixing it. You’re not maintaining it—you’re throwing it away and buying another.

Compare that with 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿:

• In cars, real leather is often coated with polyurethane for added protection. The result? It resists spills, wipes clean just like fake leather, and lasts 𝗳𝗮𝗿 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 under regular use.
• In fashion and accessories, 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 (without a synthetic coating) 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 need a little care—occasional conditioning and protection from extreme conditions. But in return, it can last decades. And better yet, it evolves. Unlike fake leather that 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴, real leather 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘴—gaining a rich patina, unique to how you use it. It tells your story. Every scuff, sunbeam, or drop of rain becomes part of its character.

So, to clarify:

• Fake leather = high-maintenance in disguise. It demands you rebuy, re-consume, and re-waste.
• Real leather = low-maintenance when coated, and 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩-𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 when natural. Either way, it lasts—and gets better with age. Sustainability isn’t just about what a product is made from. It’s about how long it lasts, how often it needs replacing, and how gracefully it ages.

So next time someone says “real leather is too much work,” ask them how many times they’ve replaced their peeling faux leather jacket or bag in the past five years. Because fake leather maintenance sometimes looks a lot like shopping!