PU Tote Bag, what fabric is that made of?
One of our favorite bags is the Ladies Tote bag PU, the fabric for this bag is PU leather, or polyurethane leather. PU is an artificial leather made of thermoplastic polymer used for making furniture, shoes or bags! 100% PU leather is completely artificial and is considered vegan.
The difference between a PU Leather Bag and natural Leather Bag
Natural Leather
Real leather bags, or natural leather Bags this not synthetically made are made from animal skin. Mostly cow hide, although goat, buffalo and exotic leathers such as snake and alligator are also available on the market. Cows leather is often described as a byproduct from the meat and dairy industries.
What is PU Leather?
When a Tote Bag is made of PU leather, the fabric is a synthetic leather. PU is an imitation of natural leather and created from polyurethane. Polyurethane, or PU in short, is a plastic with a similar feel and look as natural leather. But vegan, because without involving the skin of animals.
How is PU Leather for bags made
The most common way to create polyurethane leather for bags is using a cover of plastic polyurethane or a polyurethane coating and apply it to a base made of fiber, generally polyester.
A Polyurethane leather bag has the same texture as the real leather, but in most cases, the fabric of the PU leather bag is lighter. The synthetic variant is not as durable as natural leather and without proper treatment tends to tear easily.
How to maintain a PU leather bag
Polyurethane leather is not as breathable as the natural fabric. But contrary to other types of PVC, it is more breathable. Because real leather is a natural product, it tends to become more attractive and softer overtime. This is not the case with PU leather. This synthetic fabric will maintain a uniform look and feel throughout its life. And from a cost point of view, when using Polyurethane leather for bags tends to be substantially cheaper than natural leather.
How to know the fabric is PU leather?
When you want to select PU leather for your designer bags, there are a few methods/ways to know the fabric is Polyurethane leather.
Without examining the texture, a clear difference is the cost price. PU leather will normally be less expensive than genuine leather. The production I less complex and the material is much cheaper.
Polyurethane leather will have a unique smell to it since it is a synthetic material. PU will have a plastic or chemical smell to it that real leather will not have.
Doing a water test is also an easy way to figure out if it is real or fake leather. Genuine leather will absorb the water. Polyurethane leather will not absorb the water.
PU leather will almost have an ideal, patterned texture look. While real leather will have some imperfections and have a genuine grain.
What kind of artificial leather is available?
Artificial leather is known under many names, including “faux leather”, “vegan leather”, “PU leather” and “pleather”.
How to decide to use Polyurethane Leather for your bag?
To help you to make an intelligent decision when choosing the best fabric for your bags, please find some pros and cons of PU leather for tote bags.
The pros of PU leather
Polyurethane Leather is cheaper to produce, therefore the cost price is beneficial for bags in the lower price ranges. For the end-user it brings comforyt because it is easy to clean.
The con’s of PU Leather
PU leather is less durable than real leather. It is less bendable and might crack and peel over time.
To avoid cracking one should clean on a regular base and maintenance the bags. Good idea to add clear maintenance instructions.
The main advantages of bags made with Polyurethane leather are lower cost, ease of maintenance, and the ability to have the leather look and feel of various types of animals, and still being vegan. The biggest downside of PU leather is that it won’t last as real leather, because it is not made from natural animal hide. It will also likely have much less of a vintage look, which is a big part of the reason people are buying leather.
PU Maintenace tips for your clients
When it comes to most stains, you want to choose a gentle detergent for the fabric first. Be careful when using chemicals for cleaning! For specific spills such as coffee or juice, it’s best to clean with a mild detergent and to sponge off.
Contact our sales team
Need more advice about the fabric for your Tote Bag or other bags project, contact our sales team to discuss the best material. Our team is experienced, and we keep the interest of you and your clients as top priority in our advice.