About leather

Warning - All Leather is not the same

Would you want your leather suite to be made from pig skin?

Years ago a leather suite was a guarantee of craftsmanship and quality.  These days there can be a huge difference between one leather suite and another.  Two sofas that look the same in a brochure or advert may have huge differences in quality of leather that is used.  Many larger companies (and quite a few smaller ones) like to offer what seem to be incredibly cheap leather sofas.

Such low price sofas are made with very low grade leather. In fact many are not even made with using cow hide. It may sound incredible but at least 75% of these special offer models are made with pig/goat leather.  Generally such skins will last 2-4 years with light to medium wear. In the trade such skins are often called buffalo hide and are at the bottom of the price scale.

How do I tell if a suite is made with genuine hide or pig/goat skin?

Generally low grade leather will not feel very soft or luxurious and have a very  stiff plastic like feel to it. It can be impossible to be sure so always ask the salesperson for advice.  Whilst such hides can be O.K. for TV rooms/ buy to let etc they are not a good idea to be used in main room that get heavy use (if you use this type of leather every day you may soon find yourself buying a  new suite quicker than you expected).

Most of all do not buy a suite in a low grade leather with the idea that you are getting a bargain.  These are cheap products at cheap prices. Remember the old adage you get what you pay for is often true

Leather match = Plastic/PVC

To drive prices down even further many companies now promote ranges as ‘leather/leathermatch’ what does this mean?

In a nut shell Low grade leather( pig/goat) and plastic/vinyls.

Leather match is a nice word but basically it is man made material.  Such man made material often covers 70% of the suite. This means the suite is 30% low grade and 70% man made plastic.
A ‘Leather suite bargain’ can often be no more than a low grade leather with plastic sides- not such a bargain after all.

At leather sofa Company we specialise in high grade real hide on designer branded ranges. Our prices are often low because we buy in bulk and pay cash up front.

Please feel free to ask us any questions you have about the  leather suites in our range ( or anyone else for that matter). We will make sure you get the right suite for your budget/ lifestyle etc. and make sure you get the right advice on which leather to buy.

Types of Real Leather

There are several main types of leather all listed below. Every suite has leather type description to let you know what type of quality you are purchasing. For more information feel free to ring or e mail us. Remember we have been dealing in leather furniture for over 20 years and can answer any questions you may have.

Corrected grain

The most basic type of leather available. Corrected grain has a coated finish that creates a very uniform feel with a strong protective coating. Corrected grain has a fairly soft finish but it is not a luxurious as higher grades and is the favoured type of leather in well known furniture stores. Corrected grain is a good choice for those who want a good hard wearing leather that can be wiped clean at a very keen price.

Fine grain/semi-aniline

Double Thickness Real Hide

A very soft smooth buffed hide ideal for those who want a soft warm inviting feel. Ideal on modern suites and soft sit designs. Fine grain leather is well protected and good for everyday use whilst being much softer and more luxurious than standard coated leather.

Double thickness

As indicated twice the thickness of normal hide and extremely durable. Looks fantastic on larger suites and square designs. Double thickness hide has a heavy grain and is very well protected and exceptionally good for everyday/ heavy use.

Extra thick hide

Very similar to double thickness hide but about 1.5 times thicker than normal leather.  A good choice hard wearing hide that is exceptional value for money.

Natural waxed hide

The fastest  growing hide on the market today. Looks fantastic on classic, modern and contemporary ranges. Pull up hide is totally authentic with variations, natural features (such as original scarring) all part of the appeal. Pull up hide will lighten on areas that are scratched (this is the wax or oil separating) but will re-colour when rubbed or  specialist cream applied. Generally has a light protective coating. A  great leather for those who are looking for a totally natural exceptionally soft look and feel.

Full aniline leather

The softest most luxurious leather available anywhere today. Full aniline is 100% natural hide without any coating and has a gorgeous look and beautiful feel to it. It is a perfect leather for  those who want the ultimate in looks and comfort. Full anline leather has only a very light protective coating but is fully dyed so does not ‘scratch’ like waxed hide. We recommend you apply protection cream to this leather at least four times a year.