Avoid Imitations When Buying An Alligator Handbag

There is a difference between alligator and crocodile handbags. The quality of the skins matters, especially if you are paying for quality alligator or crocodile. One way to spot a genuine quality alligator handbag is to look for the umbilicus scar. Only alligators carry this mark and many makers of fine purses put the mark in a prominent place. The umbilicus scar looks like an elongated star with a fine webbing of lines.

There is a wide variation in the quality of crocodile skins. When looking at crocodile handbags, make sure the bags are not made from caiman, an inferior crocodile skin.  Designers almost always use the skins of the salt water crocodiles found in South East Asia and along the Australian coast. These are the largest species of crocodile reaching lengths of 18 feet. They have the finest, most durable skins.

There are imitation alligator handbags which can be difficult to discern from the real thing.  Unlike imitation snake skin, which is almost always made from synthetics,  imitation alligator or crocodile can be made from cowhide or other common leather.  The crocodile or alligator pattern is imprinted on the leather, and a good imitation can be hard to spot.  Look for too much uniformity in the scale pattern or repeats of the scale pattern.  Irregularities occur in the natural skins.

Another giveaway is the depth of the scale pattern. Imitations typically are not as textured as the real McCoy. There is nothing wrong with buying a good imitation, as long as you know it is an imitation.

Don't let your concerns about endangered species stand in the way of buying an alligator handbag. The demand for alligator skin is actually credited with bringing the American alligator back from the verge of extinction. Alligators are now farmed and they have returned to their native habitats in large numbers. They were removed from the endangered species list in 1987. One conservationist suggested that the best way to protect the American alligator is to buy an alligator handbag.

It is harder to determine the quality of crocodile handbags since, unless you study up, you may not be able to tell caiman from salt water crocodile skin. Caiman skin is stiffer and not as durable as salt water croc. Some crocodile handbags use salt water crocodile on the front and back where it shows most, and caiman on the sides and handles of the bags. Caiman is on the endangered species list, salt water crocodile is not.

One point of confusion between crocodile and alligator is that Americans tend to call both types of leather alligator and Europeans tend to refer to both as crocodile. Make sure that your alligator handbag isn't crocodile and vice versa, since the labeling can be wrong and they do look different.

Don't buy exotic leather bags from vendors you don't know or from online auctions since you need to know what you are getting. You are unlikely to get any serious bargains in alligator or crocodile handbags. You can be ripped off by unscrupulous people who will sell imitation as the real thing.