You can tell it's real leather using the pinch test. The front is flat leather, and back has patterned holes for venting. The insert is removable which is great to reuse for other pillowcases. It smells like a quality purse <3 It holds a solid "pillow chop" and is very aesthetic. The cushion itself is soft and compresses well, but not overly soft. I believe the color is natural, so no issues worrying about dye transfers on my linen couch. Tempting to buy a second one of these, it's so gorgeous!!