With so many options for casual leather outerwear, skip Fan Jackets. See a detailed, side-by-side comparison with a quality leather jacket.
With an ever-increasing number of fast-fashion brands emerging, the importance of understanding how to identify quality garments has become paramount for us as consumers.
Some fast-fashion brands take advantage of the ignorance and gullibility that is prevalent among everyday buyers. If the price is good and the shipping is fast, most people won’t give it a second thought.
Fast-fashion brands market directly to this type of clientele and are very successful at it.
In my opinion, Fan Jackets is misleading by advertising their jackets’ superior quality. As a result, innocents who haven’t yet learned how to identify a well-made garment end up with an inferior-quality product.
Here are seven red flags I identified that helped me determine my Fan Jacket is a dud.
Red Flag #1: The Price
Speaking of good deals, let me make this clear to you now — if the price of a new piece of clothing seems too good to be true, it almost certainly is!
This motorcycle jacket retails for $294 but is on sale for $189. I’ve rarely, if ever, seen a quality leather jacket sell for $294, let alone sub-$200.
Good jackets are upwards of 500 bucks. Part of the reason why is because quality leather isn’t cheap.
Red Flag #2: The Listing
Just by looking at this listing, I’d have serious doubts as to the quality of the product being sold.
See how they say in big red bold letters, “sale ends tonight”?
Well, I’ve checked this listing at least six different days, and it’s always been on sale.
Furthermore, the advertising at the top of the page, “Prime Delivery”, is confusing since this is Fan Jacket’s website and not Amazon. And, a quick search for “Fan jacket leather” on Amazon doesn’t yield any relevant information to the company.
Taking a look further down the page the description reads: “An outclass cognac jacket for men to look extra cool with casual clothing.” Stange wording like this is yet another red flag.
In contrast, here’s a description of a jacket from AllSaints (a reputable jacket brand): “This classic leather is an alternative to our signature biker silhouettes that pairs well with graphic tees, statement knits and easy hoodies.”
Much more coherent, right?
It’s little things like these on a listing that tell you a lot about a brand and the product you’re buying.
Red Flag #3: The Vague “About” Page
As if an “about page” were a legal requirement, Fan Jackets has added theirs with as little information as possible. You’ll find nothing specific. No place of origin, no people, and no leather sources are listed. The page is vapid and devoid of useful information.
Brands with exceptional quality and high standards will always proudly display where their materials were sourced and how they were processed. They’ll even, at times, mention individuals by name without whom their quality would not be possible.
Compare Fan Jacket’s about page to that of AllSaints.
AllSaints mentions being part of an environmental groups and that their office is in East London. Further, they mention using repurposed materials, certain charity partnerships, and that they offer an in-house repair service. You’ll also learn that they also offer spare parts and have brick-and-mortar shops.
I have an AllSaints suede jacket that I bought used. The quality of the material and the fit is excellent.
I could’ve guessed that just by looking at their site.
Fan Jacket’s about page, on the other hand, says:
“Our eco-friendly leather jackets are made with high-quality leather and sustainable imported fabrics, and ensure durability for years. We strive to maintain the highest standard of quality and service; all of our items are handcrafted in small batches using traditional craftsmanship methods to create a limited-edition product. These jackets are designed in beautifully rich styles that will never go out of style.”
Our leather jackets go through a rigorous inspection to maintain the highest quality. They are made of high grade leather and are carefully cut, sewn and stitched by expert seamstresses.
Notice phrases like “limited edition”, “sustainable imported fabrics”, and “traditional craftsmanship methods” aren’t backed up with any supporting details.
Also, consider that the material in this photo from the about page looks to be good, quality full-grain leather.
However, compare that to the leather of my Fan Jacket.
It may be hard for you to tell, but to me, there’s a huge difference.
Red Flag #4: The “Real Leather” Labels (And No Branding)
Speaking of leather quality, many people are unaware of the difference between types of leather. It’s not their fault, as marketing often leads people into buying the lowest quality for the highest price.
For example, “genuine leather” is an industry term for the lowest-quality section of a piece of leather. Although technically real leather, it isn’t the most durable or attractive.
I believe that for most, the word “leather” alone is enough to ignite interest. Many people automatically associate leather with wealth and the utmost quality.
To me, it appears that Fan Jackets, in a way, takes advantage of this. They simply hide behind the non-regulated term “real leather” to gain credibility in the minds of those in search of a good deal. (Granted, the term “genuine leather” isn’t regulated either, as far as I know.)
For a deeper dive into leather quality, check out this article.
Genuine/Bonded Leather
Genuine (also known as bonded) leather is the lowest-quality natural leather. It is made from the bottom layer of leather, which has been separated from the top layers.
It is less breathable and less durable but is much more affordable. Decent items can still be made with genuine leather depending on how it’s processed and treated.
This is the absolute lowest quality of leather that still utilizes some natural material. It is made from leather scraps that have been ground into pulp and bonded together to resemble genuine leather.
Durability is typically extremely poor. Bonded leather is also unable to breathe due to glues, chemicals, and other synthetic materials.
Fan Jackets, at best, use some form of bonded leather in their construction. This means that over a short period of time (seriously, like 1-2 months of normal use), wearing can result in the “pulp” crumbling and flaking off of the surface to which it was bonded.
Have you ever seen how the finish of a cheap “leather” couch starts to flake off after a few months of use? Yeah, cheap jackets can do that too.
Yuck. There aren’t many things more unsightly to my eyes than flaking leather pulp on a bonded leather item.
Any leather with a grade between A and C will wear well over time and develop a natural patina. This adds to the beauty of real leather as it shapes to its wearer and obtains creases and marks that yearn to tell a story about where the garment has been.
Testing My Fan Jacket’s Leather
Leather has many characteristics that are unique to itself — qualities that no other materials share.
Fan Jackets actually knows this, as expressed in their list of five tests that you can use to determine the quality and authenticity of leather.
The tests, I can confirm, are real. They are indeed an good way to determine real and quality leather.
However, most buyers will not put in the effort to “run” these tests. Instead, they just accept that claims are true. I am not one of those buyers. And I want to make sure that you’re informed as a customer.
Hilariously, the jacket failed every test outlined on Fan Jacket’s own site to determine if the leather is real. (With the exception of the huge label that reads “Real Leather” without any further details.)
In fact, there’s not even a brand name on any of the labels — a huge red flag.
It failed the melting test. The jacket melts and chars (instead of only charing) when a lighter is placed near it. This means there is synthetic material and/or glues.
Also it smells strongly of chemicals rather than leather. I could smell an offensive chemical smell as soon as I opened the box. In contrast, my full-grain leather accessories have a nice, pleasant aromatic smell.
When burned, it gives off an intense toxic smell that reminds me of burning styrofoam as a young Boy Scout (I was a kid, ok?!).
Also, water beads on top of the jacket material instead of soaking into it as it would with real leather. (Though you can treat quality leather with mink oil or other water-repellant substances.)
Here is, from Fan Jacket’s own article, the difference between water on fake versus real leather.
No comment…🤦🏻
By failing these tests (tests Fan Jackets recommended), I was very confident that this jacket uses low-quality materials.
Next, I’ll show you the guts of this jacket.
Red Flag #5: The Guts (Dissecting My Fan Jacket)
I further confirmed my suspicions of poor quality when I opened up the jacket. And by “open” I mean that I took a knife to it.
I was surprised at just how easy it cut — like butter.
I immediately saw the layers of what appeared to be synthetic/composite material.
At best, I found that perhaps some leather was used to create a pulp. That pulp was likely glued to the surface of a synthetic material.
By including any leather product at all, the vague term “real leather” can be used. However, I’d bet my britches it’s not 100% real leather.
The outermost layer easily flakes off like the seat of a cheap pleather chair.
In some places, the leather-like material has a paper backing.
Alarmingly, I can pull the leather apart with my fingers with very minimal effort. You shouldn’t be able to do that with a leather jacket.
Not only that, I can tear apart the seams very easily as well.
The polyester lining appears to be somewhat quilted, but looking inside, there’s very little, if any, separation between the sections.
Also, between the lining and the “leather” is a flat, extremely thin layer of see-through synthetic material. Touch it, and it falls apart. It reminds me of the fuzz you might use to line little kids ’ Easter baskets.
I could go on. Suffice it to say, I was not impressed.
Red Flag #6: The Poor Fit
It should be clear by now that all corners were cut in the production of the “leather.” But there must be some redeeming qualities, right?
Well, the fit is pretty bad.
This jacket is as good an example of fast fashion as one can get. I ordered my regular size, XS, and while it could be worse, it’s boxy and with poor proportions.
What does this look like up against a real leather (not “Real Leather”) jacket?
I have a vintage leather jacket that I picked up years ago. It’s one of my favorite pieces in my wardrobe. I believe it is from the late 60s. The tag says it’s made from “genuine leather.”
While I mentioned before that genuine leather is the lowest quality section of a piece of leather, remember I said the quality can vary. This jacket from Brooks has excellent leather and fits impeccably.
For a café racer jacket, the Fan Jacket’s body is too long. It should be quite short, ending just below the belt. Compare this to my black vintage jacket.
The Fan Jacket sleeves are also too long (and I have longer arms than average).The sleeves are too baggy as well — they should be form fitting on the forearm. To achieve this slimness, you can expect zippers on the sleeve (absent on my Fan Jacket).
As a side note, in these side-by-side photos of the sleeves you can see the difference in leather quality. The black jacket’s leather folds much more naturally, while the Fan Jacket’s looks more limp and lifeless.
Honestly, thought it’s difficult to describe, it feels less natural, too.
Even those unaware of how to detect quality leather should be turned off to this brand just for the fit alone.
Red Flag #7: The Poorly Executed Details
From the overall design, to the stitches that hold this monstrosity together, the details are poor to say the least.
Overly simple construction is evident here, even to the untrained eye. The stitching is so poorly done in some places that the “leather” puckers.
Perhaps the only good thing I can say about it is that it has YKK zippers. Also, the rivets seem solid enough.
Conclusion: Buy a Leather Jacket Somewhere Else
I’m pretty sure at this point that I’ve made my mind clear as to my thoughts regarding Fan Jackets. In case I haven’t, I’ll say this — I don’t recommend Fan Jackets to anyone.
Please, save your money (because yes, even the sale price of $189 is ridiculous for what you’re getting). Put it toward something of higher quality. It is hard to find a quality leather jacket (new) for less than $5-600. But if a leather jacket is what you’re after, I can assure you that the higher cost is worth it.
Some great brands to look at are Schotts and AllSaints. Notice the difference in price from Fan Jackets. You get what you pay for.
You might try the Jacket Maker for a lower-cost alternative. See our review here, but please note that Brock tried out a suede jacket, not a smooth leather one. I wouldn’t expect great quality leather at their price point.
If you’re on a budget, I’d recommend that you seriously consider buying vintage. I bought my Brooks jacket for around $80 on eBay. But that was years ago, and prices have skyrocketed since then. These days, similar jackets go for $150-$200, but once in a while, you can find a better deal.
If you can’t afford the real deal, don’t go for a cheap poorly-made jacket. You’ll regret it.
Do you have a quality leather jacket that you love? If so, let me know what brand it’s from in the comments!
