Are You Wearing Pigskin Leathers?

It is amazing that many Muslims do not know if they are actually wearing a leather jacket or a shoe or carrying a purse or any other leather product that is made of pigskin.

Imagine how many mosques, centers and other holy places they may have made NAJAS. Their prayers may not have been accepted. Do you think you are one of them or will you be one on them?


Here are some tips to find what a pigskin is, what it looks like and where it is used?

Where it is Used?

• General Leather Products: Heavily used in Chinese and other developing or under- developing countries.
• Shoes & Joggers: Full Leather suede looking Shoes or inner linings.
• Jackets: Full Leather suede looking knee long and waist long full sleeve or sleeveless jackets.
• Purses: Women and men purses. Full leather or linings.
• Brief Cases: Men and Women leather brief cases, usually inner linings are pigskins. But look out for rest of the leather.

Why is it Used?

Price & Availability: Pigskin is cheap and easily available in most countries. It is lighter that real suede made of Cow. Due to low price it is easier to market and sell. It was first used as liners as it is really thin and strong. Soon it was used in most products as profit margins are comparatively high.

How to recognized it?

Mostly, it looks like suede. But it is thinner. It has spots on it. Kind of depressions or little holes that never go through. It seems like some has used spikes to try to pin through it. But these spots are only on one side.

Usually, on the other side of the leather, you will see squeezed round shaped spots. These spots may not be very prominent on this side. If you look very closely at the pictures given, you will have no problem in identifying pigskin. If you are not sure, read labels or ask the store keepers. Do not ask them if these are pigskins. Let them tell you what kind of leather it is. Do not take their words. Ask for proof.

Hard to Recognize

Hardest is to recognize the pigskin that is being used for non-suede type leather products. But with a close examination spots and holes can be detected. This type of leather needs much concentration.

Picture # 1)

Flattened leather with thin look and equal-distance spots.

Picture #2)

Very prominent Spots & Pin Holes. Suede like texture is visible.

Picture # 3

Flattened and soft looking but spots are visible.