So if you had an upbringing like mine where quality was always the order of the day, you may have noticed that many reputable stores these days have somewhat dropped the quality of their clothes/material they use. Now I am one who used to go for each and every bargain I saw especially when a particular item was trending. I was a huge lover of and had tons of shoes and mind you, I was not even working at the time but my wardrobe was full so I never struggled.
Once I began working, I continued buying what my sister would call in a vernacular accent “plastik shoes!” with the emphasis on the “K” in the word. Now I was never bothered by such as I knew I could rock almost anything and still manage to look good.
Now fast forward to a few years later…Your girl was now working and now began having “feet problems” LOL, well when I say feet problems I mean…smelly feet after taking those pumps off, etc. Now the last straw was when I bought beautiful grungy looking boots with a metal point. Those boots began giving me issues; I mean I would wear them and then end up with blisters and sore tippy toes. Like WTF though?
Anyway, once I shared this with my mom, I swear I did not hear the end of the lecture and I could almost hear my sister’s words echoing “thlogela go reka di eta tsa plasticki Tiisetso bathong!!” which translates to “Please Tiisetso stop buying shoes made out of plastic!!” Girl…THAT was the last time.
I guess that’s how my learning began when it comes to recognizing genuine from artificial leather. Momma, sis, and auntie taught a girl well I tell ya. I know there are a lot of you out there that aren’t affected by such or those that aren’t aware at all and frankly don’t care right? Right!
Now if you had the ability to calculate the total amount of money you have spent on your shoes sold by many retailers that are not of quality – so in other words, PU leather, how much would that amount to? Now take that amount and compare it to a good pair of shoes or handbag or even a purse of genuine leather. Do you see my point? Uh-huh!
A genuine leather item such as a bag or shoes can last you almost a lifetime vs. an item made with artificial leather or PU. To help you choose better, we have listed the differences between the two below:
Let us know what you think below and feel free to share your stories and experiences as well below.