Synthetic leather cuts with a laser provided it is polyurethane (PU). If it is PVC — which is very common — it must never be lasered. That is the thing to check before any setting.
PU or PVC: check before engraving
Names like "faux leather", "leatherette" or "vegan leather" say nothing about the actual material. Only the supplier's data sheet settles it: look for "PU", "polyurethane" or "PVC-free".
When in doubt, a density test on an offcut (PVC sinks, many PUs float) gives a hint, but the maker's statement is the only proof. Without it, abstain: a single PVC cut is enough to corrode a machine.
Settings, risks and finishing
PU cuts at low power and high speed, with a slightly heat-sealed edge that does not fray — its great advantage over real leather.
When engraving, PU melts rather than darkens: the result is a discreet satin pattern. At very low power you can get a nice matt effect without piercing the surface layer.
The smoke is that of molten plastic, dense and smelly: keep extraction on. The textile backing can ignite faster than the PU layer itself.
Air the pieces before sewing: the smell soaks in. A dry cloth is enough to clean; alcohol dulls the surface.
Every figure on LaserSettings comes with the machine, the laser source, the material and the thickness it was tested on. A setting published for a 10 W diode says nothing about a 40 W CO2, and a setting for 3 mm says nothing about 6 mm: check those four things before you copy any number.
Settings are confirmed or disputed by the members who reproduce them, so reliability comes from cross-checking rather than popularity. Photos of the result — cut edges, engraving shades, scorching — tell you more than a single number found on a forum.
Whatever the material, treat a published setting as a starting point: run a small power/speed test grid on an offcut, clean the lens, redo the focus, work with fume extraction and air assist, wear glasses rated for your wavelength and never leave the machine unattended.