Look a little closer
A glossy, flexible or leather-like accessory may involve a synthetic material, coating or layered construction. The visible effect does not reliably name the polymer or reveal its condition. Material documentation matters more than a confident visual guess.
A note for your design book
Keep three notes: what you see, what the product or collection record declares, and what remains unconfirmed. Do not apply heat, solvents or improvised identification tests. Conservation guidance on plastics and rubbers shows why different materials require careful context. An everyday care decision should follow the specific product’s instructions, while a historical object may need a specialist assessment.