Tips for Rocking the Faux Leather Look

Pleather, PU Leather, Leatherette: What Is Faux Leather? 

Artificial leather has a lot of different names. Faux, synthetic, polyester, imitation, artificial, and even vegan! But what do these names actually mean? 

Traditional leather is made from the hide of an animal, typically a cow or a sheep. In this complex process, the hide of the animal is stripped, cleaned, tanned, and treated before it can be made into a product like a jacket or bag. This process has been around for thousands of years, but is quite difficult in the modern era and has been criticized for its unsustainability. 

Faux, meaning artificial or imitation, is a blanket term that covers leather that isn’t made from animal skins. This type of leather mimics the look and feel of real leather without the same environmental effects that come from processing animal hides. Faux leather may not be “real,” but it’s generally less expensive as it’s made from easier to manufacture materials like polyester or polyvinyl. 

Rockstar Original has created a number of items using some of the finest faux leather materials, including a line of Men's faux leather pants. So, we thought we'd go through the differences between types of faux leather, how to care for faux leather clothes, and the pros and cons of buying faux vs. real leather. 

Types of Faux Leather

Leatherette

Any leather that’s made from synthetic material (plastic) is considered a leatherette. There are currently two different types of leatherettes: PVC and PU leather. 

PVC Leather 

PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, leather is comprised of layers of soft polyvinyl, which is essentially plastic, over fabric to make a look and feel similar to leather. While much cheaper, PVC leather is essentially just plastic and therefore requires petroleum to produce. Because of this, the manufacture of PVC has been criticized as it involves fossil fuels and the release of hazardous dioxins to create. 

PU Leather

What's PU leather? PU leather means polyurethane (PU) leather, which is a far more sustainable option for faux leather. PU leather is a marked improvement over PVC leather as it’s much more complicated to produce but results in a much more sustainable material that still has a leather look and feel. Polyurethane is a material commonly used in foams and adhesives. You may even have a kitchen sponge made out of polyurethane! PU leather is noted for being less durable than PVC leather products, but far more breathable. RSO uses a blend of PU simulated leather and cotton and Spandex in our clothing materials, which produces a comfortable and more breathable fit. 

Vegetable Oil Leather

A new type of faux leather, vegetable oil leather is likely to be far more durable and sustainable than PVC or PU leather. This leather is still in early stages of experimentation, though, and isn't as widely available at an affordable price. 

Caring for Synthetic Leather Clothing

Just like real leather, simulated leather does need special treatment in order to stay soft and not dry out. To make faux leather last as long as possible: 

• Wash by hand with warm water (or dry clean if that's what the care instructions indicate)

Synthetic leather is sensitive to harsh chemicals and soaps so avoid these! Don’t throw your faux leather clothes in a washing machine or dryer. Instead, use a soft microfiber cloth and warm water to lightly wash off your faux leather clothes. Don’t soak it in water, though. 

• Keep faux leather out of the sun

If your faux leather comes with a clothing bag, hang it covered in a dark closet out of the sun. Faux leather, much like real leather, can dry out and the colors can fade under harsh sunlight. This results in cracking, shrinking, or even melting. 

• Avoid bleach - use stain removers meant for faux leather

Bleach is tempting to use on serious smudges on your faux leather clothes, but the harsh chemical will break down the synthetic coating and irreparably damage your faux leather. Instead, find a cleaner specifically meant for faux leather to treat the worst of the stains. 

• When in doubt, defer to the clothing care tag on the clothing

Most faux products will come with a small tag on the inside detailing how to clean and maintain that specific article of clothing. This details whether or not the clothing is washer/dryer safe, as well as what settings can be used. For example, Rockstar Original’s Khaza Black Faux Leather Stacked Flare Jean is dry clean only. 

If properly maintained, faux leather is a far cheaper alternative than real leather that can be worn for decades. 

Faux Leather Pros and Cons

The choice between real and faux leather comes down to personal preference. If you’ve only owned real leather products in the past, you may be hesitant to try out faux leather. Consider the following pros and cons of faux leather before making a purchase: 

Pros

• Faux leather is cheaper on average than real leather. According to LeatherCult.com, faux leather jackets can cost anywhere from 30% to 50% less than real leather. 
• Much lower maintenance than real leather products
• Higher variety of colors, uses, and finishes compared to real leather products
• Lightweight 
• Water-resistant
• Safer to animals 

Cons

• Environmental concerns with production of plastic
• Not as durable as real leather
• Can sometimes feel fake or significantly different from real leather
• Not as breathable as real leather
• Sensitive to sunlight and heat