Cheap leather jackets for men is a task within itself, but making sure it is truly a real leather jacket adds another dimension entirely. Companies these days make a lot of claims in order to gain customers, but what exactly does genuine or quality leather mean? In all reality, leather is simply the skin of an animal, but real leather is always considered that which has been made from a cow’s hide. However, some companies may be using the skin of other animals and claiming it to be genuine leather, which customers will assume is leather from cow’s hide without question. Now the question becomes, how can you tell the difference between the real leather and the cheap imitated version?
Slight Variations in the Material
 Contrary to what you might think, this is actually a sign of the jacket being made of real leather. Since leather is natural, there will be natural variations. A sign of a good manufacturer is that these variations will be extremely slight, but noticeable upon inspection of the product.
Use of High-End Products
Most real leather jackets are equipped with a YKK zipper. If this is the brand of zipper found on the leather jacket, you can rest assured that the rest of the leather jacket is of superior quality, including the leather itself. Additionally, the use of a YKK zipper shows the customer that the manufacturer has invested in their product, making the product well worth its asking price.
The Seams are Different Colors than the Material
This is one of the easiest ways to tell if a jacket is real or cheap – by whether or not the seams blend into the leather or stand out. If they stand out, this means the leather was only dyed on the surface and, as such, is cheap leather. On the other hand, if you have a hard time finding the seams, this means the leather was dyed on both sides and they were able to match the color of the material to the seams.
Smells like Leather, not Chemicals
This detection method will be tricky for many, since the smell of chemically treated leather is now commonly associated with the true smell of leather itself. However, a leather jacket should smell like real leather, not the chemicals used to create the cheap leather.
Smooth and Flexible
Real leather, even before being broken in by wearing it, will feel soft to the touch and be somewhat flexible. Cheap leather jackets, on the other hand, will be stiff and bumpy, making this detection method almost as easy as looking at the seams.
Attention to Detail
Not only do you need to pay attention to the color of the seams, but also to the detail of the seams. The leather jacket should be treated just as well on the inside as on the outside, so make sure the stitching over all of the leather jacket is appropriate to the quality of leather it claims to possess.
Finding a cheap leather jacket for men is definitely a task, but with the above detection methods, you will be confident in your purchase knowing it is what you are paying for, rather than what the company wants you to think you are purchasing.
