Fake Leather strap from Walker & Williams

Imitation leather seldom stands up to hard or even prolonged moderate use. I recommend Italia leather straps: www.italiastraps.com

 

Inexpensive, Chinese made straps. You get what you pay for.

 

This. Moody also make really nice straps. Along those same lines I have a Richter Beaver Tail leather strap that is awesome and probably my fave. All of the ones I mentioned cost quite a bit more than the Walker and Williams straps, but are well worth it IMO.

 

That looks like “bonded leather”. It is a very thin layer of leather, glued to a fabric underlayment. Cheap leather furniture has this same finish. It doesn’t last long.
So, they can probably legally call it “leather”. It’s just not what most people think of as real leather.
You want either “full grain” or “top grain” leather, for long lasting high quality.
Of course, “split grain” is suede. Which can be strong and long lasting.

 

I do leatherwork. Maybe this will help everyone.

Full Grain Leather
This is the most authentic type of leather you can buy. The only process applied to the original animal hide is hair removal, followed by soaking it in a natural (usually vegetable) dye. There is no additional treatment of the leather, and it retains the look and texture of the actual hide. Since this leather is so pure, it’s generally the highest price of all leather choices. The texture of full grain leather is tough at first, but softens with use.

Top Grain Leather
Top grain leather gets a little more polishing than full grain leather, though it is very similar to full grain in its purity. Top grain leather goes through a buffing process, making it softer than full grain, but with the same durability and longevity. If you want a softer look and feel, go for top grain instead of the more rugged full grain leather.

Split Grain Leather
When the “top” outer layer of leather is removed, the remaining hide section is used for split grain varieties. While less expensive, split grain is harder in texture and more difficult to maintain than the higher-quality types.

Bonded Leather
If you want to have that high-quality leather look at a lower cost, consider bonded leather. This leather is created from the scraps of other leather projects, and then rolled up using adhesive material. In most cases, the end product contains just 17% leather but still gives a leather look and smell.

Nubuck Leather
This type of leather is made using only the rawhide from cattle, which is then sanded to give it a suede-like, soft appearance. Nubuck leather is known for its fragility, and requires waterproofing treatment if consumers intend to keep it for a long time.

Bi-Cast Leather
Bi-cast leather is split grain with a coating of color polyurethane that makes it look like top grain leather. It’s much less expensive than top grain, but without the right treatment, it peels and cracks. Make sure you know the difference between bi-cast leather and top grain before you make your purchase, and understand proper maintenance.

Faux Leather
For a leather look that doesn’t actually use any animal hides, try faux leather. Technology has not yet made it possible for man-made leather to quite reach the quality of its real counterpart, but it has improved enough that faux leather is somewhat durable and looks good. For some animal lovers, faux leather can be an alternative.

 

Very useful info. Thank you!

 

I have two of these, the Durango model. Very well made and a good price for quality, hand made in the USA. I think it's a one man operation. He has a quick turnaround.

Durango-Suave Leather Guitar Strap, "A Best Seller!" « El Dorado Leather Guitar Straps & Accessories

 

These straps are imported from China if it matters

 

I also do leatherwork full time.
I seem to be doing nothing but straps lately.
I buy leather by the side(literally half a cow)
www.geckoleatherworks.com

 

Those look really nice. I'll have to keep them in mind next time I need a strap.

 

The Italia straps are truly excellent, I have a bunch. They're currently running their 2 for 1 sale, through 6/21. Go for it!
Buy One, Get One Free

 

Full grain leather.. these are amazing looking, quality and comfortable...Anthology Straps...
Leather Guitar Straps

 

googled....
Genuine leather. Genuine leather doesn't just mean that the product is made of real leather (which it is), but it also means it is the lowest quality of all products made out of real leather. ... This grade of leather is acceptable if you're just buying something cheaply and don't care too much about its quality