Synthetic leather supplier for fashion and business bags
PU Leather for Bags: the Leather Look at One-Fifth the Cost, in Any Grain and Colour
PU leather is a polyurethane skin cast onto a knitted or non-woven backing and embossed with a grain. It gives bags the leather look and hand at roughly a fifth of the cost of cowhide, with none of the hide variation, and it can be any colour on any order.
Senszx Fabrics stocks 0.6 to 1.2 mm PU leather in 30+ grains - Saffiano, pebble, Nappa, croc, suede-touch - with 15 stock colours and custom colour from 500 m. Every lot ships with REACH and Prop 65 screening on request.
PU leather fabric specifications at a glance
- Thickness
- 0.6 / 0.8 / 1.0 / 1.2 mm
- Backing
- Knit (soft, drapey) or non-woven (stiff, structured)
- Grains
- 30+ stock: Saffiano, pebble, Nappa, croc, lychee, suede-touch
- Stock colours
- 15
- Custom colour MOQ
- 500 m
- Width
- 54" / 137 cm
- Compliance
- REACH, Prop 65, phthalate-free on request
- Cost vs genuine cowhide
- 0.2x
PU leather weights and variants we stock
Each variant below is held in stock or dyed to order. Weights are with standard coating; uncoated rolls run 10-15% lighter.
| Variant | Weight | Best for | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.6 mm PU on knit | 350-400 gsm | Linings, pocket facings, light pouches | Soft, drapey |
| 0.8 mm PU on knit | 450-500 gsm | Fashion backpacks, crossbody bags | Most common fashion spec |
| 1.0 mm PU on non-woven | 550-600 gsm | Business bag bodies, structured totes | Holds shape |
| 1.2 mm PU on non-woven | 650-700 gsm | Handles, bases, trims, zipper pulls | Stiff; for wear zones |
| Saffiano PU | 500-550 gsm | Business and laptop bags | Cross-hatch grain, scratch-resistant |
| Suede-touch PU | 400-450 gsm | Fashion linings, beauty bags | Brushed nap face |
Where pu leather wins - and where it does not
Strengths
- Leather look at one-fifth the cost, no hide waste or variation
- Any colour on any order from 500 m; 15 stock colours
- 30+ grains change the look completely on the same base
- Embosses, debosses and foils cleanly for logos
- Vegan - no animal content, increasingly a retail requirement
Watch out
- Surface can crack or peel after 2-3 years in heat and humidity - use microfiber leather for longer life
- Not for high-flex hinges (bag flaps that fold thousands of times)
- Scuffs show on smooth grains; textured grains hide them
- Cheap grades smell; specify low-odour, solvent-free PU
Coatings and finishes for pu leather
The back-coating or finish decides water resistance, cold-weather behaviour and, often, whether the bag passes EU retail requirements. Cost is relative to the uncoated base fabric.
| Finish | Effect | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Embossed grain | Saffiano, pebble, croc and 30+ others | - |
| Solvent-free (water-based) PU | Low odour, better eco story, softer | + |
| Two-tone / burnished | Antique, distressed look | + |
| Metallic / pearl | Fashion finishes for beauty and kids bags | + |
| Anti-hydrolysis | Extended life in humid climates (3-5 years) | ++ |
What bags are made from pu leather
These are the builds our sister factory Senszx approves most often for pu leather. Each links to the matching production page if you need the bag made, not just the fabric.
Fashion and mini backpacks
0.8 mm pebble or Saffiano PU on a knit base is the standard fashion backpack build at retail price points.
mini fashion backpacks
Business and laptop bag trims
PU leather handles, base panels and zipper garages lift a 900D polyester business bag into the premium tier.
business laptop bagsZipper pulls, tabs and patches
1.2 mm PU is cut and embossed into pulls, logo patches and strap keepers on nearly every bag we see.
custom zipper pulls and trims
Tote and shopper bags
1.0 mm PU on non-woven gives a structured tote that stands up on the shop floor.
PU leather tote bagsHow every pu leather roll is tested
Test reports ship with the order. Third-party tests (SGS, BV, Intertek) for REACH, CPSIA or Prop 65 are arranged on request.
- 01Thickness and weight against spec
- 02Colour vs standard in D65 cabinet
- 03Flex (bally flexometer) 50,000 cycles without cracking
- 04Rubbing fastness wet and dry, grade 4+
- 05Hydrolysis test (jungle test, 70 C / 95% RH) on anti-hydrolysis grades
- 06REACH / Prop 65 / phthalate screening per lot on request
Once the roll is approved it can go straight into the fabric cutting room and through the six-gate bag inspection process without a second incoming check.
PU leather fabric FAQs
Compare with other bag fabrics
Polyester Fabric
600D / 900D / 1680D, PU or PVC coated
Canvas Fabric
8-16 oz duck, waxed, organic
Microfiber Leather
Closest synthetic to real hide
Free colour card and swatches
Get pu leather swatches and a quote in 12 hours
Tell us the bag type, quantity and destination. We send a colour card, pu leather swatches and two or three build proposals.