I find them at Walmart.
Look at the cut edges. You can see if there is any bonding.
They usually are just the plain brown variety.

Go to WalMart I bought a full grain leather belt for $17.

Full grain leather is also genuine leather by definition. But again, someone selling full grain leather generally won't market it as genuine leather because they know the difference. So, to recap, full grain leather is considered the best because it's the full hide, not sanded or corrected or weakened in any way.

Another source for "real" leather belts
 

I have bought 2 belts from Crossbreed. Currently these belts are approx. 10 years old and look/feel as good as they did when new. I wear them most days including golf where they get damp from sweating....

Gun Belts | Leather Gun Belt | CrossBreed Holsters

77 yr old guy...arguing with a young lady....for hours....about selling him a cheap belt....out of a tent...in the square on a Saturday. Good to know there is still alternate forms of entertainment at these things!!:cus::cus::1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

An eye for an eye? Oh wait. 2 eyes for an eye is what you want. Sad 😞

But like didn't you like tell her that her policy like hurt your like feelings ?

You think that's funny I recently heard about a guy who bought a mattress at Sam's, used it for 3 years then returned it. Believe it or not he got a refund.

This is what you get when you buy things from part time sales. You probably would be better off going to a good leather shop & pay a little more & Great a decent leather good. I’m sure that belt only cost that part time salesman about $10. or less.

As a leathercrafter who knows what leather costs, I can tell you that you will not get a full grain leather belt for anywhere near that price. As was mentioned in another comment, if there is a thin leather coating on it they can call it genuine leather and that is likely what was peeling off. If you buy a real full grain leather belt blank you will pay around $30 for a 1.5” strip. Add in a buckle, dye, finish, and someone’s time. Look for items that say they are top grain or full grain, not genuine leather.

Here is a link to a good article that explains the differences.
Full Grain Leather vs. Top Grain Leather - What’s the Difference? | Buffalo Jackson

From experience, this approach DEFINTITELY works. Many years ago, I had booked a vacation at Mount Airy Lodge in the Poconos. In very tiny writing, it was indicated that once you paid for your room, there was no refunds. I moved 5 times in 3 days, with each room being worse than the previous.

So, I parked myself in the lobby of the hotel and became an official "greeter" - I warned all incoming people of their procedures and suggested that they immediately book somewhere else. After turning down multiple families and the Sons of Italy convention, the manager rushed over to tell me that "we have another room for you."

"Suite" was more like it - two bedrooms with 4 beds altogether, two bathrooms, and a living area with a large couch. :smiley:

I buy most of my clothes at Hugo Boss or Armani , I’ve buy my belts from both places Italian leather , last ones about 3 years ago , I usually give them away after 3 or 4 years out of boredom, but my nephew has been wearing a couple of them for 10 years or so , still in great condition, price last time was about $100 ,people think high end clothes and accessories are expensive but that shirt you bought for $10 fades very quickly , just like anything else you get what you pay for and when it comes to things people wear it shows ( like every night in the town square or restaurants)

Four full pages of comments about a $27 pseudo-leather belt? Folks; I think to find hobbies.

The vendor DID DO something wrong. But, is only the same thing as 100s of thousands of OTHER vendors are doing. At some point (30 years ago?) sellers realized that they would NOT get sued or otherwise hurt for false advertising by stating that soft flexible PLASTIC cloth is LEATHER. Even REAL leather shoes ceased to exist....... again replaced by a soft, flexible plastic product. So, for about 30 years, I no longer EXPECT "leather" to be REAL leather.

I do what the US military did with their uniforms many, many years ago - went to tough canvas belts. Also. there is a western, cowboy-style type of belt made with woven small nylon threads that are practically indestructible and will last for 25 years (I just made that number up), but it WILL last a long time.

That IS a nice-looking belt that seems to be real leather. And the price is NOT off-the-charts.

Do a "scratch test" on the inside of a belt or the outside of a shoe. Leather will scratch. Vinyl will not.