How do you know if the item you just purchased, whether it’s a pair of designer shoes, a leather jacket, a leather handbag, or even a new car, contains real or fake leather?

We have to admit; sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference. Natural leather material made from animal hides, can be heavily corrected by buffing, pigmentation, and embossing to hide defects, while synthetic leather can be so technologically advanced that it can trick you into thinking it’s actually real leather.

Here are a few tests you can do yourself to help determine whether you are dealing with real leather or fake leather.