Choosing Quality Leather Furniture
Leather upholstery is something that’s never gone out of style. It’s durable and adaptable to any situation or lifestyle. But why is it so popular? What makes it a better investment than ordinary fabric? Industrial Revolution takes a closer look.
What’s so great about leather?
Leather is famous for its durability in all conditions. On average, it lasts up to four times longer than fabric – and even as it ages, it ages gracefully, growing more supple and developing a soft patina over time. It is a practical material: easy to care for and difficult to damage. In the wintertime, it is warm and inviting; in the summertime, it remains cool to the touch.
What makes good leather?
The best leather comes, as you might expect, from the best hides. Most hides used for upholstery are cow or steer hides. These hides must be very large in order to minimize the number of seams in the finished product, and must be unblemished – as a result, less than ten percent of all hides are suitable for upholstery, and most hides are used in the garment industry.
During processing, a hide destined for upholstery must be reduced from an average thickness of 5 mm to about .9 mm. Using a process called "splitting", the hide is divided into at least two thinner hides, of which the original "full grain" hide is the most desirable and durable. The "split grain" may be artificially embossed with graining to make them look like the grained hide, and are usually offered at a lower price. Hides with extensive scarring must be smoothed out – thus removing the grain - and embossed with a new grain. Hides that do not need correction are called "full top grain" leathers. In these leathers, natural markings and healed scars indicate that they are quality natural grain products.
In addition to the levels of quality available in the hides themselves, the production of the furniture is an important factor. Fine leatherworking is an art, and the care and precision taken in a state-of-the-art assembly facility can make all the difference to the quality and durability of the finished piece.
What types of leather are there?
Natural leather is the least processed leather, which also makes it the softest. You should be able to see healed scars, wrinkles and subtle differences in grain and shading.
Nubuck leather has the quality and softness of natural leather, but having had its surface buffed, it has a wonderful brushed texture. It is slightly more susceptible to spills and stains than natural leather.
Protected leather has a pigmented finish applied to its surface. This protects the leather from stains and improves colour consistency.
Waxed leather has a top layer of wax added to give the leather a rugged, antiqued look that will age beautifully over time.
Whatever style of leather you choose, you’ll be certain to enjoy many years of comfort and style from your fine leather furniture. |
