EnterByTheNarrowGate t1_ix813mv wrote on November 21, 2022 at 1:39 PM

Reply to comment by nstarleather in My Levi's leather belt. 15 years and going strong. I wear it almost daily. by vainamoinens-scythe

>Kirkland from Costco does full grain. Slide belts offers all 3 “categories” and I’ve had people tell me they’re all bottom tier quality (side point: if the same brand if offering all 3, run…they’re sourcing from the same cheap-o tannery…good tanneries don’t make finished splits.)
>
>L.L. Bean did a full grain bridle leather belt (made in Uk) that had “genuine leather” stamped on the back.

For the first two products, I am curious to know if this is a flat out lie. OR if they technically are full grain, but just the top half a millimeter or so and the combined with junk for the rest of the belt thickness.

For the L.L. Bean, that's odd that they would stamp that. Possibly "genuine leather" means something different in the U.K.?

I agree with you. They are being used a shortcuts. Like most things typically are when it comes to marketing. Language is intentionally manipulated to make a product seem more than what it actually is.

nstarleather t1_ix81tte wrote on November 21, 2022 at 1:45 PM

Absolutely brands can lie, there’s no one checking and people can’t tell the difference between lightly corrected leather and true full grain without a microscope. In fact one of the most famous “prestige leathers”, Horween’s Chromexcel is lightly corrected.

However…if we just assume brands are lying then full grain becomes meaningless as well and all we have left is brand reputation.

LL Bean was using the word “genuinely” like Red Wing…it’s like if you went to a fancy restaurant the menu might be divided into simple headings of “beef/sea/chicken/pasta etc” if you read under each plate, you’ll get details about the cut of steak and probably more…the fact that more details exist and are available doesn’t negate the fact that it’s still “beef.” Genuine is the broadest term and can be used legitimately, my take is to look deeper and avoid if you can’t find more info.