A leatherette sofa instantly adds a touch of luxury to the living room. It is a material that has been used for hundreds of years as it is versatile, durable, and gets better as it ages. So the furniture that is upholstered with leather is popular among people. However, people, these days are looking for something eco-friendly and want to stop animal cruelty and thus support other materials. Faux leather or a leatherette sofa set is most preferred as they look like leather and offer many benefits. Before you go ahead and purchase a leatherette sofa from online retailers like Wakefit, read below to know the differences to make knowledgeable decisions.
What is Leather, and how is it Manufactured?
Leather is a material that is obtained from the skin of animals. About 99% of the skin used for making leather goods is a by-product derived from the food industry. There are 5 main processes in leather making, and that determine the type of leather. These key processes are:
- Cleaning: The hide or the skin is cleaned and the top layer which has grain is removed and is called nubuck leather. The bottom layer is called suede leather.
- Tanning: It is the process of stabilising the protein structure of the skin and hides. This helps make the material more durable, less susceptible to mold, and makes chemical resistant. This is the process where the pelts become leather. Chromium is the most common method of tanning, others include vegetable tannins.
- Re-tanning: It is what gives the final character to the leather. It gives softness and fullness when touched.
- Milling: This process further softens the leather and enhances the natural grainy character.
- Finishing: It is done to give a distinct effect to the final product. Waxes, oils, printed patterns, dyes, or coats are added to make the finished leather used in sofas.
What is Leatherette?
Leatherette is also called faux leather and is made either from PVC, polyamide microfiber, or polyurethane. It mimics the look and feel of actual leather and is not made. Each of these materials has its pros and cons, while polyurethane and microfiber are easy to maintain and PVC is difficult to clean. Polyurethane is considered the best faux leather material as it is safe to use and environment-friendly, while PVC is harmful. However, many manufacturers have come up with green alternatives and are growing in popularity.
Differences between Leather and Leatherette
Texture
- Leather: Real leather made from the animal hide is soft and has a great warm feel to it. It is supple when touched and has wrinkles on the surface with uneven texture.
- Leatherette: On the other hand, faux leather has irregular pores manufactured unevenly and have a repetitive pattern. When it comes to the feel of faux leather, it is smooth and cold to touch.
Appearance
Leather: It has a luxurious look and gives the furniture a classy appearance. Depending on the animal hide the leather is made from, it appears coarse or soft. This material looks good as it ages, unlike other materials, and becomes softer as the usage increases. The furniture or items made from leather has a unique smell.
Leatherette: Though it appears more or less like leather, trained eyes can make out the difference. It has a smooth, glossy finish with perfect edges, unlike genuine leather that has uneven edges. Faux leather also emits a distinct smell which is more like the outgassing of chemicals.
Varieties used in Furniture
Leather: Many types of leathers are used in sofas, and the most popular are:
- Pigmented leather: It is a durable type of leather and is used in most upholsteries. It has a consistent surface that contains pigments. A surface can be plain, printed, or embossed, and the coating gives resistance to scuffing, fading, and soiling.
- Aniline leather: It is a natural-looking leather with the hide’s surface characteristics visible. It is not coated with a surface coating but coloured with a dye. Aniline leather is less resistant to fading and needs special maintenance.
- Semi-aniline leather: It is leather that has a natural appearance as well as durability. A light surface coating is applied, which gives an even colour and also protects the sofa from spillage.
Leatherette: There are mainly two types of leather:
- Vinyl: It is moisture resistant and is not breathable
- Polyurethane or PU: It is breathable, soft, and flexible and hence ideal for furniture upholstery. A leatherette sofa setonline is mainly made using this material.
Durability
Leather: Sofa sets made from real leather are highly durable and last more than 10 years. It is durable and does not fade, tear or peel easily. It ages extremely well and looks better as it ages. However, the colour starts to fade if exposed to sunlight.
Leatherette: It is not as durable as leather but can last up to 10 years if maintained properly.
Ease of Maintenance
Leather: Leather is not easy to maintain especially if you have pets or kids in your house. It is difficult to clean as it is easily washable. Additionally, if there are spills or leaks due to its porous nature, it gets absorbed and emits a bad odour.
Leatherette: Like leather, this material too cannot be washed. However, it is waterproof and less porous hence easy to clean. Any spills on the sofa can be cleaned using a damp cloth.
Price
Leather: Sofas made from leather are extremely costly and are a huge upfront investment. It is not suitable for families with pets or kids as you can expect wear and tear.
Leatherette: It costs way cheaper than leather and is ideal for people with all types of budgets.
Comfort
Leather: Leather sofas are known to be comfortable as they have soft cushions and support frames. Because they are porous, they are breathable and suited for warm conditions.
Leatherette: Due to the modern manufacturing processes, leatherette too offers comfortable seating.
When you are picking a sofa online, choose it based on your needs and lifestyle. While leather is breathable, comfortable, and classy looking, it is costly. On the other hand, leatherette too offers many benefits with less price. The main advantage of leatherette is that it is not an animal byproduct and hence more environment-friendly.
