this post was submitted on 18 Jun 2023
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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.

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[–] derf82 74 points 1 year ago (2 children)

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.

[–] MargotRobbie 13 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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.

[–] bulbasaur 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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

[–] Roli_Poli 6 points 1 year ago

I think this is a good point and well sourced; however, it doesn’t take into account the longevity of the product, which is also important. Best practice is probably to thrift existing leather products since we already have so much material in circulation.

[–] queermunist 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It's the industry recapturing some of its costs by reducing waste. That's still supporting the industry.

[–] derf82 28 points 1 year ago (2 children)

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.

[–] bulbasaur 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] derf82 2 points 1 year ago

It’s a byproduct, an activist tweeter notwithstanding. Brazil is the world’s largest exporter of beef. (Source: https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2019/july/brazil-once-again-becomes-the-world-s-largest-beef-exporter/ )

Just because America has more of a need for Brazilian leather than their beef does not mean it isn’t a byproduct.

A byproduct is defined as “something produced in a usually industrial or biological process in addition to the principal product.” The principle product is beef.

Also, the claim that leather isn’t biodegradable is misleading at best. Leather still breaks down, and it does do far faster than plastic alternatives and without shedding microplastics. https://ecocult.com/leather-may-be-natural-but-is-it-biodegradable/