13 July 2017

Learning about Leather: What is upholstery leather?

Upholstery Leather can be made from the hides of many different animals, although cow hides are most commonly used. Different kinds of leather can be yielded from cow hide, and which one you choose should depend on the look you’re going for from the leather upholstery. Each leather is completely different, just as no two human’s fingerprints are the same. Marks on the hide will vary dependent on the cow’s life. For example, there may be colour differences, grain changes, scars, tick bite marks and even brand marks, but this is what makes your leather utterly unique.

Ensuring you choose the right type of leather to suit your home is a worthwhile investment, so here, we run through the characteristics of the most common types.

Aniline leather is seen as the most natural type of leather. Aniline doesn’t have any treatments or protective coatings like some other leathers and is typically coloured only from dyestuffs, making it feel the most lavish and luxurious of them all. However, this means aniline leather is more susceptible to staining. Therefore, it may not be ideal for very frequent use or in situations where it could be easily tarnished, such as in a house with young children.

Semi-aniline is natural in its appearance, but has a semi-transparent protective coating which helps defend it from staining. Some natural markings will be visible, but not as much so as with aniline leather. This does have its advantages, as it is easier to maintain and still has a soft touch to it.

Pigmented leather has a fine pigmented spray which coats the leather. This results in a smooth covering so that there are no colour variations within the hide. Due to the coating, an artificial grain is created on to the leather to make it appear more natural. The coating enables the leather to be more easily cleaned, durable and practical; making it suitable for environments where it could potentially be messy.

With all these different types of leather, finding the right one for you will be a doddle and a worthwhile investment for your home.

Learn more about the natural characteristics of leather.