How can you differentiate between leather and “pleather?” At first glance, an authentic leather belt holster and a fake leather holster may look identical – which explains why so many consumers knowingly (and unknowingly) buy faux leather products year after year. What steps do you need to take if you want to check the authenticity of the holster to ensure that your hard-earned money paid for the real thing? 

You can learn a lot about the authenticity of a leather holster simply by taking a moment to smell it. Genuine leather products have a musty and natural smell. It may not be as noticeable as you think, especially if you are sniffing around inside of a genuine leather shop. However, it becomes apparently clear when you smell genuine leather in comparison to synthetic materials. The synthetic products have more of a chemical scent. Allowing your nose to experience both scents will help you to train your senses to quickly distinguish between fake and authentic leather.

 
Examine the Surface. Search for Imperfections

When examining most types of fabrics and materials, the average consumer views imperfections and flaws as “red flags” that should repel them from buying the product. Checking leather for authenticity requires you to do the opposite. Instead of being repelled by imperfections and flaws in leather products – such as a belt holster – you should be attracted to it. Those pores add uniqueness to the leather – providing experienced consumers with confirmation of its authenticity as genuine leather.

Conduct a hands-on experiment as you hold the leather holster in your hands. It is highly recommended to press directly into the actual leather as you search for wrinkles and creases that may appear. Genuine leather responds to that type of hands-on examination the same way that skin does. However, if the holster was made of synthetic materials instead of genuine leather, it would just depress downwards upon your touch. The shape and rigidity of the material would not change at all.

As you bend the material, you should also closely examine the colors and how they respond to the movement. Genuine leather is known for its elasticity whenever it is bent or pressed down. In addition to wrinkling up naturally, a holster made of real leather will also change colors slightly. Keep in mind that you would not even be able to bend faux leather in the same way that you can bend real leather.

Another helpful tip for checking the authenticity of a genuine leather belt holster is to check the structure and condition of the edges. Genuine leather is known for its rough edges. On the other hand, faux leather and synthetic materials have perfect and even edges. This difference is primarily due to how the materials are made. Keep in mind that machine-made faux leather is precisely cut – which explains the texture of its edges. On the contrary, numerous strands make up genuine leather since it naturally frays.