How to say "leather" in Japanese

• レザーCommon
  nounCovers leather as a material, especially in fashion and product contexts, where it appears in brand names and product descriptions. It is a loanword with a stylish, commercial feel, so 革 is usually more natural in ordinary sentences.
• 革かわJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounThe everyday word for leather as a material, used for shoes, bags, jackets and similar items. When you simply mean leather in normal conversation or writing, this is the word you want.
  くつは革かわでつくられている。↗

  The shoes are made of leather.
• 皮革ひかくCommon
  nounCovers leather and hides as a raw or processed material, with a technical, industrial tone. It suits discussions of the leather industry or material processing rather than everyday mentions of leather goods.
  人造じんぞう皮革ひかくは本物ほんものの皮かわにかなわない。↗

  Artificial leather can't compare with the real thing.

For everyday talk about leather, 革 is the usual choice; 「レザー」 is a loanword common in fashion and product names, while 皮革 is a more technical term covering leather and hides as a material.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• レザーleather
• 革かわleather
• 皮革ひかくleather
• 作り皮つくりかわleather
• なめし革なめしがわleather
• 革製かわせい(made of) leather