What Is Bonded Leather on a Bag?

Bonded leather is a material that contains ground, pulverised, shredded or reconstituted leather, so it is not wholly the hide of an animal. The FTC’s Leather Guides say it should not be represented as being leather, and that if the terms are used, the percentages of leather fibres and non-leather substances should be disclosed.

What the text says

• A material in a product that contains ground, pulverised, shredded, reconstituted or bonded leather, and thus is not wholly the hide of an animal, should not be represented, directly or by implication, as being leather.
• The Guides do not prevent an accurate representation of the leather content of the material.
• If the material appears to be leather, it should come with either a disclosure that it is not leather, or, if the terms “bonded leather” or similar are used, a disclosure of the percentage of leather fibres and the percentage of non-leather substances.
• The example in the Guides is: Bonded Leather Containing 60% Leather Fibers and 40% Non-leather Substances.

What this means when you shop

1. “Bonded leather” should come with percentages.
2. If there is no percentage, ask for it.
3. Compare the figure with the price.
4. Do not assume it behaves like a full hide.

Questions to ask the seller

What share of the material is leather fibre, and what is the rest? Is the surface a coating, and how thick is it? Is the whole bag made of the same material, or only the outer face? A seller who knows the product can answer these in a sentence, and a vague reply is a reason to compare other listings before you decide.

Where this answer stops

The Guides say what should be disclosed. They do not say how long a bonded material lasts, and this article makes no claim about durability. It is not legal advice.