Leather upholstery is a popular choice these days – and with good reason. Leather is natural, durable and beautiful. With huge variety of colours and styles available, you’re sure to find leather furniture you’ll love for years. But before you hit the showrooms, do your homework. A great deal may not always be a great deal…

Types of Leather

• Split Leather: “Split leather” is the bottom half of a folded hide with no grain. During the finishing process the hides are corrected by buffing or sanding and then embossing a grain onto it, to imitate full-grain leather. It is then dyed with either a pigmented or aniline finish. Bycast, a new type of split leather, is produced by first melting a type of glue on the surface and then rolling on a film of coloured polyurethane.
• Top-grain Leather: The upper layer of a hide that has been split is the superior top-grain. It is more expensive as it’s hard to find hides without natural blemishes.
• Full-grain Leather: This unsplit leather shows a natural (not embossed) grain and is also a more costly option.

Leather Myth Debunked! Some think leather gets too hot or too cold. In fact, because it’s natural, it adjusts more quickly to your body temperature than fabric!

Leather Dyes and Finishes

• Dyes: Aniline-dyed leather is superior to surface-dyed leather. The latter is sometimes called “painted” leather because the dye only coats the surface while the former penetrates the skin.
• Full Aniline/Sauvage: Prized for their soft feel, these leathers are aniline dyed with no colour coating added to the surface. They are the most expensive leathers to produce. They absorb liquids because of the natural porosity of the hide but do breathe easily and are cooler to sit on.
• Pull Up Aniline: This leather has an extra top treatment of oil and/or wax and becomes “distressed” looking through time and use. Similar to full aniline but in places of heavy use, the oils push away leaving lighter areas. May scratch easily.
• Semi-Aniline: Semi-Aniline dyed leathers are dyed through and have a thin finishing layer on the surface. A very even colouration is achieved without sacrificing softness.
• Pigmented: May be buffed to reduce heavy natural scarring and blemishes in the hides and then coloured with a coating containing opaque pigments and embossed with a grain pattern to ensure uniform colour.
• Nubuck: Aniline leathers where the surface has been brushed to create a velvety texture. Suede is the flesh side of a piece of leather while nubuck is an effect that is done to the grain side. Nubuck is “open”, making it incredibly soft and more absorbent than other aniline leathers.

Leather Myth Debunked! Many think leather is impractical with kids or pets. In reality, quality leather lasts up to 7X longer than fabric! Protected leather is easily cleaned while even natural leathers can be wiped from many spills. Also, leather doesn’t absorb pet fur or smells!

Leather Care

• Avoid placing leather furniture in direct sunlight (under windows or skylights).
• Maintain at least 2 feet between your furniture and heat sources to ensure your leather doesn’t dry out. Use humidifiers in winter.
• Treat with Cleaner and Conditioner 2 to 4 times a year as required with the exception of Bycast, Nubuck and some Natural leathers. Talk to your furniture dealer.
• Always test any cleaning method in a hidden area first.
• Vacuum leather furniture regularly; get into crevices. Wipe with a soft cloth with warm distilled water to slow the buildup of body oils on the surface especially the arms and head rests.
• Do not use cleaning solvents, furniture polish, oils, varnish, abrasive cleaners, detergent soaps, or ammonia water.
• Take care of spills immediately with a clean white cloth and distilled water. Blot, don’t press. Do not use soap or soak the stain heavily with water. For butter, oil, or grease stains, wipe off excess with a clean white cloth; the spot should dissipate into the leather after a short time.
• If a stain persists, consult a professional leather cleaning specialist.

Be sure to shop around and buy the best quality leather furniture you can afford – and then enjoy with your family for many years to come!

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