Leather furniture is an “evergreen”. The material is particularly popular for seating furniture because of its durability. In addition, leather as a material mix is an eye-catcher in the room that sets accents. But when you have kids or pets at home, you're never sure whether leather is a good choice or will get scratched or stained easily.
Deciding whether to use synthetic 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 recorded some advantages and disadvantages and some ideas about both materials:
Genuine leather – beautiful, natural and breathable
One of the most important arguments for the natural product is its longevity. If cared for properly, products made from 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 also suitable for allergy sufferers. Leather has a pleasant surface. However, in order to preserve them in all their beauty, good care is required. As a natural product, real leather is usually more expensive than artificial leather.
In the living area, furniture manufacturers primarily use cowhide. Basically, there is no uniform leather for the production of furniture. Sheep or lamb skins can therefore also be considered. However, they are the exception when it comes to seating and upholstered furniture. The individual types of leather differ primarily in their manufacturing, tanning and dyeing processes. Depending on how the individual processes take place and how intensive the treatment of the leather is, this results in different types of leather. For this reason, not every piece of leather furniture has to be high quality and expensive. You should look closely there.
Smooth leather has many advantages in the living and dining areas
Dyed smooth leather with a layer of color impresses in the apartment. They are particularly easy to care for and easy to clean. Smooth leather with a layer of color is particularly recommended for sofas, chairs and other seating furniture: smooth leather does not absorb grease, i.e. H Even if there are spills 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, a lot has happened in the production of artificial leather due to technological developments. It can hardly be distinguished from its natural counterpart. You can find artificial leather in all imaginable colors 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 (v.a in its scratch-resistant versions) is insensitive to claws. So if you share your home with a four-legged friend, this could be an argument for faux leather. And last but not least, artificial leather is also an interesting alternative for vegans.
The only drawback: when it comes to breathability, it cannot hold a candle to its natural counterpart. On warm days, you can sweat on a chair with faux leather cover.
Furniture made of faux leather is perfect for young, style-conscious people who don't want to miss out on a certain ambience in their home, but for whom the real leather couch is too expensive.
Artificial leather easy to care for
Faux leather is very easy to care for compared to real leather. You can simply wipe a piece of furniture with faux leather cover with a damp cloth. Removable covers can even be washed in the washing machine.
Upcycling with artificial leather
If you are impressed by the artificial leather, there are also ways to upcycle your existing furniture cost-effectively. With a beautiful new DIY cover made of faux leather you can realize your idea of your dream leather-look furniture. You save money, conserve resources and stay 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 wherever breathability and water permeability are important - only genuine leather and Alcantara® can offer these.
