YES …

Tanned cow leather is thick, so the right pieces go for a process of splitting. The outer layer – one that we were talking about, and the inner layer – split leather are separated. Inner layer is further processed (pigment, lacquer, pattern), but the quality of the final product is of an incredibly low quality, and it can be torn apart or damaged very easily. This leather is supposed to be used on parts, which are used rarely or lightly, like the back side of the sofa. It can not be used on seats nor steering wheels. The price is noticeably lower. However, regular customer has no chance to distinguish this type of leather from the high-quality ones. This leather should no longer be labelled as GENUINE LEATHER, but SPLIT (or SPLITTED) LEATHER.

If you came across BONDED LEATHER, it is a type of leather made out of small amount of leather scraps and fibres that are left from sanding, that are glued together. The amount of leather can be in the range of 10 to 90%, which affects the practical and aesthetic qualities of the final product. The look of this type of leather is determined by pigment, lacquer and the pattern, but the feel and the texture is more artificial and resembles plastic. Belt, bag or anything else made out of bonded leather can fall apart very easily, and it is not as durable as other types of leather.

European manufacturers are required to label these products as BONDED or SPLITTED leather. If the origin of the product is different than EU, the label is not always given. It might have happened to you, that you have bought a product made of leather, and it got damaged or destroyed very quickly or easily and you did not even know, the product was not genuine.