It’s no secret that leather varies by price and durability. But leather also varies by softness, uniqueness, maintenance requirements and more. The type of leather furniture that’s best for your home depends on your design preference and lifestyle needs. For example, maybe you have children or pets to consider—in other words, juice spills and sharp claws to contend with.
Let’s break down a few common leather types used in furniture manufacturing, so that you can make a wise investment decision.
Aniline Leather
Essentially, aniline leather tops the luxury chart when it comes to animal-hide upholstery. Aniline-upholstered furniture is high-end, supple and luxurious; it’s what many of us (including stars and other wealthy folks) envision when we think of leather’s true appeal: beautiful, organic, natural lines, pores and scars visible in the hide through transparent dye.
How to Care for Aniline Leather
Caring for aniline leather depends on whether it has a protective top coat that repels spills. If it isn’t stain-protected, you’ll need a gentle, leather-cleaning scrub brush and foaming leather-cleaning product that won’t be absorbed too quickly into the material while you’re working to remove marks. For aniline leather furniture that’s been treated to withstand everyday topical stains, simply wipe it with a clean, damp cloth.
Is Aniline Leather a Wise Choice If You Have Pets?
Not only is authentic leather furniture typically thick and durable enough to withstand claw puncture marks when your pet jumps aboard for a snuggle, it repels odors, too. Few things get better with age, but aniline naturally improves with wear, developing a lovely patina. If you’re concerned about how pets or children might contribute to the patina process, consider purchasing distressed-leather furniture that comes with a forgiving, lived-on, beautifully worn look already in place.
Top-Grain and Full-Grain Leather
Leathers that do not meet aniline standards make up about 95 percent of the world’s supply. In these cases, manufacturers typically sand off natural scars and pores and then stamp the hide with a leather-like design.
Semi-Aniline Leather
When considering different types of leather, semi-aniline leather is worth a look. It still shows the natural markings of aniline, but the dying process results in a more consistent color. This appearance is preferred in contemporary styles. If you’re okay with trading off a bit of the leather’s naturalness for a somewhat more durable finish, this upholstery might be for you. The wax coating on Semi-aniline leather also gives you a couple extra minutes in the event of a spill.
Standard Pigmented Furniture Leather
Pigmented leather is common in vehicle seating. It’s fade-resistant, stain-resistant and highly durable. The trade-offs? The strong pigmentation and protectants that allow it to withstand stressful conditions all but eradicate the natural beauty and softness of the hide underneath.
Bonded Leather
Bonded leather is common and a little confusing, so we should at least touch on it. In short, it’s the hot dog of the upholstery world, made from scraps of leather ground together with adhesives and other components found in vinyl. So, though it might smell a bit like real leather and look somewhat like leather due to the stamped details, it will not wear to a glorious patina like its true-hide counterpart. With wear, bonded leather flakes or peels off its man-made backing.
If you’re looking for a cheaply made, easy-to-clean piece of furniture that winks at leather, you might consider something made with bonded leather—at least for a temporary situation, perhaps a short stay in a dorm room.
Beyond our school days, however, it’s wise to invest in reputable, lasting, high-end furniture—the kind that outrageously rich and famous folks regularly plant their butts on, such as aniline leather—especially when we know how to sidestep snob value and spot pieces that fit our budgets.
Lorna Hordos is a home-improvement business owner and freelance writer with thousands of friendly, helpful home and business articles published by numerous clients, including Lowes, Daltile, WordPress.com and Bizfluent.
References:
- https://www.kardiel.com
- https://www.kardiel.com/chairs/leather-chairs/
- https://www.kardiel.com/sofas/mid-century-modern-leather-sofas-couch/
- https://www.kardiel.com/woodrow-box-87-leather-sofa-walnut-manitou-distressed-leather/
- https://www.kardiel.com/collections/
- https://www.thespruce.com/common-types-of-leather-1391198
- https://www.furnitureacademy.com/best-furniture-pets-leather-fabric/
- https://www.furnitureclinic.co.uk/How_To_Clean_Aniline_Leather
- https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2012/08/bonded-leather-sofas-vs-genuine-leather-whats-the-difference.html
