Not All Leather Is Created Equal. Here’s How to Look Past the Label.

BY Jussy Chiang TIMESeptember 17, 2026

Illustration by The Epoch Times

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While hunting for deals as usual, I found a pair of affordable Ugg dupes under $100. It was advertised as 100% genuine leather with an Australian shearling lining, too.

They looked great at first glance. Even the hangtag came with a little “leather” swatch. Unfortunately, I was pretty disappointed to find that the shoes weren’t what I thought it was.

If it’s too good to be true it probably is. I quickly became suspicious of the shoes upon further inspection. The material felt off so I took it apart to see what it really was.

Artboard 1 — A close up dissection of the swatch included on the hangtag representing the shoe’s upper material. (Jussy Chiang/The Epoch Times)

What Does Genuine Leather Even Mean?

Genuine leather does mean real leather, but it doesn’t tell us about what kind it is. Quality leather will usually have a specific origin or type of cut, such as full grain, top grain, or calfskin. “Genuine leather” by itself is vague, which is why I personally tend to avoid it.

So what were the shoes made of? It turned out to be bonded recycled leather, which is like particle board. Leather scraps are bonded together tightly, usually with a knit fabric backing. In this case, the material had a fabric backing covered with a polyurethane layer to give it the leather-like face.

The supposed 100% Australian shearling lining raised suspicions for me, too. It wasn’t as soft to the touch as real fur, so I cut out a swatch to do a burn test. The swatch melted right away instead of burning like real hair; a clear sign that it was made with synthetic fibers. The backing the faux fur was attached to however, was recycled leather.

Artboard 1 copy — The supposed 100% Australian shearling lining after a burn test, showing melted fibers that suggest a synthetic composition. (Jussy Chiang/The Epoch Times)

According to section 16 CFR § 24.2(f) of the FTC’s (Federal Trade Commission) Leather Guides, reconstituted or bonded leather is not wholly the hide of an animal, so it should be described in a way that discloses its composition.

One Hide, Many Leathers

So what about other leathers? How do I know what’s what? One hide produces many different types of leathers depending on which part of the hide is used.

Full grain contains the outermost layer of the hide, while top grain is an upper portion of the hide that’s been refinished or sanded. Suede and split leather come from the layers underneath.

Cross section illustration of leather hide. (Illustration by The Epoch Times)

There are also different types of leather made from animals such as calf, lamb, sheep, deer, and exotic leathers. Crazy horse leather, for example, isn’t really from a horse. It’s a type of finish that gives leather a more distressed look, despite the name. And shearling is sheepskin with the wool attached.