So you’re shopping for a new bag or purse and you come across something with the unique and colorful look of alligator leather. But before you spend your hard-earned money on an expensive new handbag, you should first know how to tell if the alligator skin product you’re buying is real or fake.
Here are some tips to distinguish real crocodile leather from fake crocodile leather.
Appearance – Is the leather finish glossy or matte? While genuine alligator skin can be finished with a sheen, almost all fake alligator skin will have an unnatural sheen. Does the skin itself look natural? No high end material uses cheap cardboard or plastic backings, and cheap facets too. Examine the scales closely, if you recognize obvious patterns, it’s probably not real. All natural hides will have a wild, natural pattern and will often have slight blemishes. These natural blemishes are what make genuine leather so alive! It’s why, pound for pound, a synthetic material can never match the appeal of the genuine alligator.
the smell test – Smell is always a telltale sign of genuine alligator leather. You won’t know how to tell genuine leather from fake if you don’t know what real leather smells like. Give it a nice leather smell. The real alligator will have a “leather” odor. Depending on the production, this odor will either have a fishy/swamp odor or a mild, pleasant odor of tanned leather. If you’re not sure, find a small spot at the bottom of the material and pour some water on it. Just a little will do – let it sit for a few minutes and smell the wet stain. Does it have a natural scent?
give it a feel – Run your hands across the surface and take a portion of the material and pinch it with your fingers. Does it feel thin or artificial? If it does, it’s probably thin or artificial. Genuine alligator should always feel dense and strong.
Do a label check – Most products will have a label, especially if they are genuine. All high end brands will have a tag on them. If you’re buying cheap stuff from a department store, or if the label doesn’t say it’s real, it’s probably a fake. Please check all tags, labels and printing on the inside of the garment to see if it claims to be genuine.
If you’re still not sure– Find and ask an exotic leather professional. Few remain in the United States as most professional tanneries and tanneries have moved abroad. However, alligator tanning remains a popular industry in the Southwestern United States and among professional exotic leather sourcing specialists.