Leather is one of the most luxurious things any person can have, and we’re not just talking about regular cow leather either. We’re talking about all-exotic, strikingly unusual, opulent leather like snakeskin, ostrich, and stingray leather. But because it can be one of the most profitable things to sell, unscrupulous businessmen may take advantage of these and pass off imitation leather as the real thing. Real leather manufacturers may be affected by this kind of dishonesty, but you, as buyers, have the power to know and choose which one is authentic. Here are simple tricks to help you know.

• Snakeskin is a durable material, but it is one of the more delicate types of leather. Authentic leather manufacturers will most often limit the production of their snake leather goods to smaller items, such as wallets, purses, and handbags. High-quality shoes, belts, and hats can also be made from genuine snakeskin. It’s not often you will see travel bags and carrying cases made from snake leather. The nature of this material is less suited for carrying heavy items like packs of clothing and several stacks of documents. Real snakeskin is glossy; this is a varnish applied to the surface to protect it from scratches.
• One of the easiest to recognize leathers is that made from ostrich, which is characterized by raised points that used to be the feather sockets of the bird. Ostrich leather is very durable, yet it is soft and pliable because it is rich in natural oils that come from the skin of the ostrich. These natural oils make ostrich leather very soft and silky to the touch, but real leather made from natural skin has an uneven distribution of smoothness all over. Run your hands over any material that promises to be ostrich leather; if it is too smooth that it feels like plastic and if the pores are arranged in a consistent pattern, it is most likely to be a fake.
• The smell test is one of the fastest ways to distinguish genuine crocodile and alligator leathers. First, you have to find a small spot inside your handbag, wallet, or any leather good which can be easily hidden from public view. Next, dab this small spot some water and let it sit there for three minutes or so. If the leather exudes a mild but distinct “fishy” or “swampy” smell, you can be positive the material is authentic. Also, some leather manufacturers take genuine cow leather and stamp it with alligator or crocodile patterns and pass it off as genuine alligator or crocodile leather. Although the material is genuine leather, it isn’t genuine alligator or crocodile leather. If you want real exotic leather, take a look at the scales. Use a magnifying lens if you have to and examine whether there are recurring patterns. Real leather does not have these patterns; they have imperfections natural to all animal skins. Also, alligator and crocodile leathers have plateau surfaces, unlike the flat surface of cow leather. Plus, if you can afford to cut the inner lining of your item, do it and examine the underside of the leather. Real alligator and crocodile leathers have similar patterns on both sides, while cow leather has a rough underside with short and twisted fibers.
• Stingray leather, also known as galuchat in France and neighboring European countries, is known to be the most durable of them all. Real, genuine stingray leather is known to be able to pass through all sorts of quality tests that it can subjected to. Before passing their goods to the market, leather manufacturers take stingray leather through the fire test, the red hot needle test, or the knife test. Real stingray leather will pass these tests without so much as a slight scratch or odor on the surface.

Genuine leather is not hard to find. At Leather of the World, finished goods produced from authentic snakeskin, ostrich, alligator, crocodile, and stingray leather are available for wholesalers and retailers. They also produce leather goods made from shark, eel, moose, buffalo, peccary, lizard, toad, fish, chicken, sheep, and pig—quite an impressive collection, really! You can check them out here.