Leather furniture is an evergreen. The material is particularly popular for seating furniture because of its durability. Leather is also an eye-catcher as a mix of materials in a room and sets accents. But if you have children or pets at home, you are never sure whether leather is a good choice or whether it will quickly become scratched or stained.
Deciding whether to use artificial or real leather as a material is not easy and depends on your preferences and budget. For vegans, artificial leather is certainly a good animal-friendly alternative. If sustainability is a criterion for you when buying leather furniture, then you have to look closely at artificial leather. Depending on the material and production process, you may have to make compromises on this point. Here we have listed some advantages and disadvantages and some ideas for both materials:
Genuine leather – beautiful, natural and breathable
One of the most important arguments for the natural product is its Durability. If well cared for, products made of genuine leather will last for many decades. It is tear-resistant and robust. However, it is significantly more sensitive to stains and animal claws than its synthetic counterpart.
Another advantage of genuine leather is its good breathability.
It is skin-friendly and there are special forms of tanning that make the leather suitable for allergy sufferers. Leather has a pleasant surface. However, to maintain its beauty, it requires good care. As a natural product, real leather is usually more expensive than artificial leather.
In the home, furniture manufacturers mainly use cowhide. Basically, there is no standardized type of leather for the production of furniture. Sheep or lamb skins can also be considered. However, they are more of an exception for seating and upholstered furniture. The individual types of leather differ primarily in their manufacturing, tanning and dyeing processes. Depending on how the individual processes are carried out and how intensively the leather is treated, the result is leather of varying quality. For this reason, not every piece of leather furniture has to be high-quality and expensive. You should look closely.
Smooth leather has many advantages in the living and dining areas
In the home, dyed smooth leather with a colored layer is a great choice. It is particularly easy to care for and clean. Smooth leather with a colored layer is particularly recommended for sofas, chairs and other seating furniture: smooth leather does not absorb grease, which means that even if there is a spill on the dining table or potato chips on the sofa, there is no risk of stains.
Artificial leather the cheap, creative and vegan alternative
In recent years, technological developments have brought about a great deal of progress in the production of artificial leather. It is now almost indistinguishable from its natural counterpart. Artificial leather is available in every imaginable color and with countless surface structures such as animal or glitter looks.
The quality can compete with that of real leather. Artificial leather is very easy to care for and (especially in its scratch-resistant versions) is resistant to claws. So if you share your home with a four-legged friend, this could be an argument for artificial leather. And last but not least, artificial leather is also an interesting alternative for vegans.
The only drawback: in terms of breathability, it can't hold a candle to its natural counterpart. On warm days, you can easily start to sweat on a chair with a faux leather cover.
Furniture made of artificial leather is perfect for young, style-conscious people who do not want to do without a certain ambience in their home, but for whom the real leather couch is too expensive.
easy-care artificial leather
Compared to real leather, artificial leather easy to care for. Furniture with artificial leather covers can simply be wiped down with a damp cloth. Removable covers can even be washed in the washing machine.
Upcycling with artificial leather
If you are convinced by the artificial leather, there are also ways to upcycle your existing furniture inexpensively. With a beautiful new DIY cover made of artificial leather, you can realize your idea of your dream furniture with a leather look. You save money, conserve resources and are totally on trend.
Conclusion: Real leather, natural and breathable, artificial leather the all-rounder
In summary, artificial leather is a versatile, very durable material. It is not suitable for use where breathability and water permeability are important - only real leather and Alcantara® can offer this.
