How to Sew Faux Leather: Tips for Getting Professional Resul

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How to Sew Faux Leather: Tips for Getting Professional Results

Faux leather looks stunning in bags, jackets, and accessories, but the permanent needle holes make it a material where you really don't want to make mistakes. Here's a complete guide to sewing faux leather successfully, including the right needle and presser foot, why you should never backstitch, and the one tool that makes all the difference.

Faux leather is one of my favorite materials to sew with. I love the look, the durability, and the way a finished bag or jacket looks when it's done. If you've never worked with it before, I'll be honest: the permanent needle holes are what make it intimidating. You really don't want to have to unpick seams.

But with the right setup and a little patience, sewing faux leather is very achievable. You don't need a special heavy-duty machine, and you don't need years of experience. Here's everything you need to know!

Types of Faux Leather

Faux leather is made by bonding a plastic coating to a fabric backing to mimic the look of real leather. There are two main types:

PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is nonporous and commonly used in upholstery projects, but it's made with some harsh chemicals and doesn't breathe well.

PU (polyurethane) is more breathable and the better choice for garments like jackets and skirts. Most of the tips in this post apply to both, but PU is generally more pleasant to work with.

Faux leather also comes in a range of thicknesses. Heavyweight faux leather is great for upholstery but doesn't drape well for clothing. Lightweight or medium-weight versions are much better for wearable projects.

One fun fact: faux leather goes by a lot of names. Pleather, synthetic leather, vegan leather, PU leather, artificial leather, man-made leather, and imitation leather are all the same thing. Keep those in mind when searching for fabric online.

Preparation and Care

Faux leather is wonderfully resistant to stains and handles moisture much better than genuine leather. That's a plus. The trade-off is that it doesn't love heat.

Never put faux leather in the dryer — it can melt. Avoid ironing it directly as well. If it has wrinkles, lay it flat in a warm space for a few hours or use a hairdryer on a low setting to gently smooth them out. If you absolutely must use an iron, set it to the synthetic setting, place a press cloth between the iron and the fabric, and test on a small scrap area first. Be careful.

To clean faux leather, wipe it down with a damp cloth. A leather conditioner or polish can restore shine and keep it looking good over time.

Layout, Marking, and Cutting Tips

Faux leather typically comes 60 inches wide, but always check the product listing before you buy to confirm yardage.

Marking: Chalk marking pencils work well on the surface of faux leather.

Cutting: Use a rotary cutter with a fresh blade whenever possible and make long, slow cuts. This gives you cleaner edges than scissors and reduces the chance of the material shifting.

Never use pins. Pins leave permanent holes in faux leather. Instead, use Wonder Clips, binder clips, or double-sided tape to hold pieces together. Make sure any tape you use is the sew-through kind, since it will stay in the finished project.

Sewing Machine Setup

You don't need a heavy-duty industrial machine. You just need the right settings and accessories.

Setting	Recommendation
Needle	Leather needle, size 16 or 18. Leather needles have a spear-shaped tip that slices cleanly through the material. Replace them frequently as they dull quickly.
Presser Foot	A walking foot, Teflon foot, or roller foot. Standard presser feet stick to faux leather, causing uneven stitches and puckering. A roller foot is often the best all-around option, except when sewing very close to edges.
Presser Foot Pressure	Loosen the pressure for heavyweight faux leather. The adjustment screw is usually on the top of your machine. Turn it left to reduce pressure.
Stitch Length	Longer than you'd normally use. The extra length reduces the number of needle holes in the fabric, which reduces the chance of tearing along a seam.
Thread	Quality industrial thread or thick nylon thread is ideal. Polyester thread works in a pinch. Avoid cotton thread as it breaks too easily.

One very important note on finishing seams: Don't backstitch faux leather. Each needle hole is permanent, and backstitching weakens the area around your seam. Instead, leave long thread tails at the start and end of every seam and tie them off with a surgeon's knot (a square knot where you loop through twice). Tuck the tails into the seam when you're done.

Sewing Tips

Go slowly. This is the most important rule when sewing faux leather. Consistent, steady speed produces cleaner stitches and reduces errors. Sudden changes in speed can cause problems.

Manage bulky seams carefully. Multiple layers can shift as you sew. Use double-sided tape and Wonder Clips to keep everything in place before you start stitching.

If you don't have a specialty foot, a quick workaround is to stick a small piece of matte Scotch tape to the bottom of your standard presser foot. The tape reduces sticking significantly.

Hide the backing material. Many faux leathers have a fabric backing (often flannel) that can show on cut edges in a different color than the front. A matching permanent marker along the edge fixes this quickly and neatly.

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Finishing seams is optional since faux leather doesn't fray, but the cut edges can be sharp. If you want to finish them, bias binding, flat-felled seams, an overcast stitch, or a tight zigzag all work well. Pinking shears are also useful for reducing bulk.

Faux leather is one of those materials that rewards a little preparation. Once your settings are dialed in and you're sewing at a slow, steady pace, the results look impressive. Don't let the permanent holes intimidate you out of trying it!

Have you sewn with faux leather before? I'd love to hear your tips in the comments!