Real vs. Faux Leather: A Buyer's Guide

If you’ve ever been shopping for shoes, furniture, or handbags, you may be surprised by how many leather-type options there are. The quality of synthetic products nowadays can make it very difficult to differentiate between real vs faux leather. But not to worry! This buyer’s guide will go over everything you need to know about these textured textiles and help you determine which best suits your home decor needs. 

Can you tell the difference?

Nevin Denim - Faux Leather

Tudor Pacific - Real Leather

How to Identify Real vs Faux Leather

Qualities 

Real and faux leathers can look extremely similar, so here are some tips to tell them apart. Real leather is made from actual animal skin, and therefore has natural imperfections such as blemishes and fine wrinkles. These imperfections are actually a sign of quality leather! If you feel the surface, it won't be perfectly smooth, but stretch a bit and wrinkle like skin. Additionally, real leather also has a distinctive smell that cannot be replicated. In contrast, synthetic leather has a uniform, even texture. When you press into the surface, it will retain its shape rather than stretching or wrinkling. 

Types of Real Leather

Hides

Eastern Accents sources real leather hides for our line of tudor pillows and many more products. Durable and stylish, a natural leather product can last you a lifetime. However, you must consider the care needed for real leather. Even when treated, leather is naturally porous and can stain easily. It is important to dry any liquid spills with a lint-free cloth as soon as possible to avoid leaving a mark. We also recommend keeping leather out of direct sunlight for prolonged periods, as this can dry out the leather and affect the color. For more information about our real leather products, check out this helpful article. 

Embossed

One of our 2025 releases, Tilda, features a unique leather cow hide. This stunning textile, Hera Selenite, is embossed and printed with a metallic design. A modern take on classic stylings, our Tilda collection features leather pillows and a bench-made upholstered ottoman. 

Nubuck Leather & Suede

Decorative Pillow in Suede

Decorative Pillow in Nubuck Leather

Both real leather products, nubuck and suede are very similar textiles with a soft touch and elegant look. Nubuck leather is made from the outer side of an animal hide, typically cow or sheepskin. After tanning, the grain is sanded or buffed until it reaches a velvet-like texture. While they can be almost identical in appearance, nubuck preserves some of the natural grain texture of the leather hide, which increases durability. On the other hand, suede is made from the underside of the hide, which produces a fuzzy, more uniform texture than nubuck. With a less demanding production process, suede is often more cost-effective, but no less beautiful. 

Types of Faux Leather

Standard faux-hides are a wonderful alternative to the real thing. Unlike real hides, synthetic leather can be cleaned with soap and water when needed. You still want to avoid direct sunlight, as this can cause cracks in the faux leather. Eastern Accents has a wide selection of synthetic products in varying colors and textures. Emmeline’s pearly faux-leather pillows pair perfectly with soft pinks and shimmering metallics, while Evelina’s stone gray pillows ground the earthy aesthetic. 

Exotic Faux Leathers

“Exotic” leathers are made from relatively rare animal species, such as ostrich, snake, or crocodile hides. Often expensive and difficult to source in large batches, Eastern Accents offers a range of specialty faux leather goods. Ostrich hide is known for its distinctive quill pattern, which created a bumped texture. Our glamorous Danae collection showcases a pearly faux-ostrich hide, pairing its elegant shine with delicate embroidery and classic damask pattern. Dramatic Valentina’s faux-snakeskin shines next to mulberry velvet and glittering metallics. 

Faux Suede

Soft velvety texture, without the price tag. Eastern Accents’ ruggedly handsome Rocco collection showcases a chocolate-brown faux suede that adds rich texture without outshining the other varying patterns. The effect is a modern masculine aesthetic, with its warm palette and outdoorsy undertones.   

Uses in home decor 

Upholstery

One of the most classic uses of leather in home decor is upholstered furniture. From the iconic Chesterfield sofa to modern vanity stools, both faux and real leather provide style and shine with the durability to stand the test of time. Our Emmeline Ottoman features a strong and stain resistant faux-leather seat, ideal for standing up to wear-and-tear. Finished with a pleated skirt and metallic trim, this piece is both functional and beautiful. Explore our full selection of designer leather-type furniture here, or create your very own bed or bench with our easy-to-use online rendering program. Simply select a style, enter your fabric and finishing preferences, and generate the perfect piece in minutes. 

Pillows

Embrace the authenticity of real leather and its natural variations with Studio 773's Leather pillow collection. Coming in various colors and sizes, these pillows make a refined accent piece to your home. Our signature Tudor real leather is 100% English bull hide, tanned and dyed in Italy with natural aniline wax pull-up. Add character to any room with uniquely imperfect leather pillows that will burnish and patina with time.

Accents

Leather trims and cords galore! Leather-type accents add classic style to a product without stealing the show. From Zelda’s modern straps to Higgins' embossed equine appliqué, leather accents continue to pop up across our luxury bedding collections. 

We hope this guide has provided some clarity on real vs faux leather products! You can explore our full range of leather and faux-leather pillows here.