Designer Tips

Leather — Not All Are Created Equal

leather chair Leather is one of the most replicated products in the home furnishing industry. In fact, it's so often replicated it can sometimes be tough for the uninformed consumer to discern authentic leather from faux leather or quality leather with low-grade leather. All it takes is a little know-how, and you too can distinguish the good from the bad!

Because leather is a natural product it features imperfections—and for many, that's its very appeal. There are a variety of distinguishing factors that can help identify leather quality. For instance, most leather products have markings, which will tell you what kind of leather (or hide) the product is. Such markings include evidence of insect bites (tiny scars that have healed), barbed wire scratching, natural range marks (stretch marks) or neck burns (caused by branding). Discerning leather buyers look for these imperfections as a sign of real, quality leather. Yet, hides with minimal range marks are the most desirable.

There are three types of leather:

Top grain – premium/most expensive
90% of all leathers are not top grain. There is a definite difference in quality with top grain. The leather has a better feel (or hand) and is visually pleasing.
Aniline – closest to top grain
This is the closest to pure, natural top grain leather. It can be tanned or dyed with transparent materials and the hide’s grain pattern is easily discernable. It is soft to the touch (skin-like in feel), but beware that this product is sun sensitive.
Suede – good quality
The feel of suede is different; it’s fuzzy, because it is the top of the second cut of hide. It is stiffer and can be rolled or sanded to feel even softer to the touch. It is not as durable as top grain leather.

A few other "must-know" tips:

When you shop for leather, also keep in mind the overall construction of the product. You can buy the finest leather, but if the frame construction is poor, the lifespan of the hide is a mute point. Never keep your leather closer than two feet from a heat source. Keep it removed from direct sunlight and remember, leather requires easy maintenance only. Mild soap and water, as well as cleaners for smooth finish leather, are the only products recommended; never use saddle soap. Believe it or not, vacuuming your leather weekly is a good habit to have.

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