Bonded leather is a mixture of different varieties of leather. The items which are made of bonded leather are leftovers and scraps along with the strips of polyurethane and some use the coating of polyurethane to give a nice texture to the final product.
And when we talk about genuine leather, it is split leather. The base of the leather product is the scraps and the top part is made with full grain leather. This is not long-lasting enough but in appearance, the product exactly looks the same as the top leather items.
The leather belt and wallet combo are seen in both the leather items be it bonded leather or genuine leather. It depends on individuals which one they should buy if they are not longing for top-grain leather.
Pros and Cons of Both the Bonded Leather and Genuine Leather
• Durability
Bonded leather is less durable than genuine ones. Genuine leather items last longer than bonded leather items. At least for 4 times more, genuine leather is better than bonded ones. In bonded leather, we will see the strips will come out along with the visible cracks. But leather items do not have scratches easily and they are also a bit softer than bonded leather items. In the market, bonded leather items are in high demand when compared to genuine leather items.
• Cost Difference
Bonded leather items are less costly than genuine leather items. Genuine leather items include more top-grain leather than bonded ones. Bonded leather items use just a small fraction of the top grain leather and that is why there is a difference in the cost of both the leather items.
• Appearance
When it comes to appearance, the genuine leather items look more adorable as it has a layer of top grain leather and in bonded leather items, there are mixtures of the leftover fabrics. The genuine leather items will have blemishes and imperfections at the top. But when it comes to bonded leather items, they have smooth textures with machine designs imprinted on them and are hard to touch.
• Touch
Genuine leather items when touched do not feel smooth, it has a rough texture just as the real top grain leather has. When the surface is pressed with the finger, it wrinkles a bit and then slowly turns as it was earlier. But bonded leather items feel tough when touched and have the same shape as it was before pressing.
• Smell
Genuine leather items smell a bit like top-grain leather. It has a bit of a leathery smell just like someone’s skin. But it is not accurate like the top grain leather items. Bonded leather items smell like chemicals or adhesives as they are made of a lot of leather scraps and plastic.
Conclusion
Every individual needs to know the difference between leathers or you might be fooled by the shopkeepers very easily. Be it bonded leather items or genuine leather items, neither of them is top-grain leather. Both the leather items have a bit of top-grain leather but not wholly. Bonded one has less of it than genuine leather but both have a fraction of top grain leather. Leather belt and wallet gift combo set are generally what people love to buy. Be it genuine leather or bonded leather. Each leather item has its pros and cons. Bonded ones are eco-friendly and budget-friendly but genuine leather items last longer than bonded leather items. It is of better quality and has a longer period. So, it’s better to think twice before buying any leather items.
