Leather, or is it an Imitation?

This is an imitation.

So you are interested in using leather for your upholstery, but not sure what to look. This blog post is a summary of the full article that is on our website, have a look for a more detailed discussion. 

There is leather and then there are a lot of products that are imitation leather, such as:

• Bi-cast, 
• Split leather
• Faux leather 
• Pleather reconstituted leather
• Bonded leather 
• PU coated leather

This is the real deal, look at the marks.

They may look like the real thing, but they are anything but leather.  Some of these imitation leathers are so realistic that they can even make it difficult for an expert to tell them apart.

But you will soon find that they are not the real thing!

Some of these imitation leathers will start to break down in as little as 6 weeks, so you have to know what you are buying. If you have invested heavily in your business upholstery, you want to ensure that what you thought you were paying for is in fact what you have.

So what do you look for so that you know what you are buying?

• Firstly deal with a reputable company, who is up front with what you are buying!
• Ask about warranties on the leather, what is their poly on replacing or repairing?

Here are some questions to ask:

• Is it genuine leather all over? (Just because it's leather on the seats, doesn't mean the back of it will be.)
• Does the leather have certification?
• Does the leather come from a reliable supplier?

Get it in writing! 

When you are buying leather, look for the natural character of leather - that means , creases, marks, scratches and brands. Remember it is skin and skin is at the mercy of the elements. In fact you will pay more for hides with flaws, as it shows it is the real deal. You will not find a fake leather with these character marks. Upholsters and furniture makers try hard to work around these for your pieces of furniture, but there will be a few marks and scars at least, this will tell the story of the leather

Leather truly is a luxury item, go to the article to find out all the different types of leather. It's  no wonder that manufactures try to emulate it to varying degrees. 

If you have any questions on using leather in your business, then feel free to call us on 0800 697 746 or email us at action@upholsteryfitouts.co.nz

Did you have an experience where you thought you were buying the real thing only to realise later that it  really wasn't?