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Leather Sofa Buying Guide





Today, leather is still popular and highly desired. Even though we have a wide range of fabrics and synthetic materials, leather remains a top choice as a furniture material.

1) Abbyson Dylan Leather Lounger Sofa | 2) AVE SIX Pacific Vinyl Loveseat | 3) Classic Scroll Arm Tufted Button Bonded Leather Sofa | 4) Coaster Home Furnishings 300321 Contemporary Sofa | 5) Alex’s New Sofa Sleeper Black | 6) Benchcraft Paulie Loveseat | 7) DHP Emily Convertible Futon Couch Bed | 8) HERCULES Diplomat Series Black Leather Loveseat | 9) DHP Premium Sofa Bed | 10) HERCULES Imperial Series Brown Leather Sofa | 11) HERCULES Majesty Series Black Leather Sofa | 12) HERCULES Imperial Series Gray Leather Sofa | 13) Homelegance 8579DB-3 Upholstered Sofa | 14) Homelegance 9734DB-3 Upholstered Sofa | 15) Homelegance Deryn Mid-Century Modern Sofa | 16) Homelegance Track Arm Loveseat | 17) Modern Bonded Leather Sofa | 18) Poundex F7857 Bobkona Aria Leather Sofa | 19) Signature Design by Ashley 1200138 Sofa | 20) Wakrays Leather Faux Futon Sofa Bed |

Knowing What to Ask For

Other Types of Leather

Pull-up aniline leather is full-grain pure aniline leather with an extra top treatment of oil and/or wax effects, designed to become distressed-looking over time. This is great if you want your sofa or chair to have a more rustic appearance.

Bonded leather is an eco-friendly material made using leftover pieces of organic leather, which are shredded and bonded together using polyurethane or latex and embossed with a leather-like top layer.

It’s much cheaper than full-grain leather, corrected-grain leather and split leather, but it’s not as durable or high-quality. However, it’s a good choice for those who are looking for an affordable sofa with a leather look. And because it does contain real leather, that characteristic leather odour is sometimes present.

Faux leather is an artificial or synthetic leather usually consisting of a fabric base with a PVC or polyurethane leather-like surface. Faux leather is designed to be hard-wearing, low maintenance and affordable, but still bring an opulent look to your home. Venjakob offers particularly high-quality, hard-wearing faux leather coverings with its upholstered dining chairs.

How to Care For Your Leather Sofa

All natural leathers require maintenance. Semi-aniline leathers and corrected-grain leathers require less maintenance than full-grain pure aniline leathers, which requires specialist care. This includes using good-quality leather protection creams and waxes.

You should try to keep your leather sofa out of direct sunlight, as this will only accelerate natural discolouring. With full-grain pure aniline upholstery, absorbent paper towels should be used to lift liquid spills, followed by dabbing the area lightly with clean towels.

(Do not rub in as this will cause staining.) Leathers with protective coatings can be wiped with damp cloths and mild soapy solutions. All leathers should be vacuumed regularly to remove dust.

To help you get started, Vale Furnishers offers complimentary leather care kits with most sofa purchases. Our leather experts can also answer any questions you may have about caring for your new sofa or chair. If you have any questions not covered in this leather buying guide, please do not hesitate to ask for advice.

Summary

Choosing the right leather can be complicated. That’s because leather itself is complicated. There are numerous different types, finishes and production processes – the ones described above are just the main ones.

Hopefully this guide has given you an insight into the pros and cons of the various types, but here are the important points covered in this leather buying guide to help you process all the information above.

Full-grain pure aniline leather is the finest, most luxurious and most expensive leather you can buy. It also requires the most maintenance and is more susceptible to damage because it doesn’t have any protective coating. If you have children and pets, you might want to consider a leather with a protective coating instead.

Semi-aniline leather has a protective coating and doesn’t require the same level of maintenance, but still possesses the look and feel of pure aniline. It has more consistent colours, but this does make it slightly less natural and authentic than pure aniline.

Corrected-grain leather is cheaper than aniline leather and doesn’t have a natural grain, but its protective coatings make it family-friendly and resistant to damage.

Split leather is cheaper and still 100% leather, but it’s weaker and shouldn’t be used on high-traffic areas of your sofa. It’s better placed on the back and sides.
Bonded leathers and faux leathers are hard-wearing and budget-friendly materials that still have that sumptuous leather look, even though it’s not as rich or textured. If your budget is tight and your family includes children and pets, a faux or bonded leather material is a great choice.


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