1. Bonded Leather
This product is one of the most common "leather" products out there. Typically, this is what you find at larger, assembly line manufacturers such as Ashley Home Stores or Value City. A good comparison between bonded leather and top grain leather is plywood and solid cherry. They are two completely different animals. It is essentially ground up leather with few of the benefits of real leather or fabric but with added problems. Many stores rely on customers being fooled when they hear leather in the name and not asking more questions. Don't be that person.
Bonded leather will never acclimate to body temperature the way top grain leather does. It does not age well like real leather. It does not hold up very well. It is very prone to cracking and peeling. The backing is fabric and can be very ugly when exposed. The color can fade more readily. And most importantly, it isn't nearly as comfortable. Because of the price, it is easy for some people to justify the purchase but if aren't willing to spend the money on real leather, go with a fabric. You'll be much happier.
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| This type of damage is typical of bonded leather. Many associates that only offer bonded will try lead consumers to believe bonded is as good as or better than real leather. Bonded leather has it's places but is not for everyone. |
2. Bi Cast and Split Leather
These are the next steps up from bonded leather. Bi cast and split leathers both involve 100% real leather. A split leather is a lower layer of the hid than top grain. With bi cast, it is completely sealed on top and you are not in contact with any real leather. This eliminated the benefits of leather similarly to bonded.
A split leather is simply a lower layer of the hide that is processed but nearly as much as in bi cast. It maintains some of the characteristics but not all.
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| This diagram shows the different layers of a hide. Because the lower layers are left "fuzzy" from cutting, they require more processing that leaves the leather with a less luxurious feel. |
3 Leather Match
The leather furniture that most people encounter, when it is real leather, would be a leather match. What this means is that everywhere a person touches(ie. arms, seat, back, etc) is top grain leather. The very back and sides are going to be something like vinyl or bonded leather. Companies do this because it keeps the cost down but still gives customers the comfort and durability of top grain leather. This a great way, economical way to get real leather. That being said, if a company chooses to cut corners on the leather they may be cutting corners elsewhere. Companies that use top grain leather on all sides will likely use top quality components throughout the entire piece and will result in many more years of use. You do get what you pay for.
A few companies that do leather match are Southern Motion, Klaussner, or Best Home Furnishings.
4. Top Grain Leather
This is by far the best product in terms of feel and durability. Top grain leather comes, naturally, from the top layer of a hide. This means there is less processing than any of the other "leather" products listed above. This results in a much better "hand". Leather comes in two varieties, aniline and semi-aniline.
Analine is the most natural with no protective coatings. This leaves the leather extremely soft and supple. It will be more susceptible to staining and aging but many people find this to be one leathers best characteristics. Aged leather looks fabulous. Semi-aniline leather is more protected so it will not age the same way. It loses some of it's softness but is still far nicer than splits or bonded leathers.
Top grain leather is also breathable. Many people are naturally opposed to leather because they think it is hot. In most cases, this is because they are only familiar with bonded leathers or cheap leathers like car seats, which are in situations that have greatly varied temperatures and conditions. A true leather will adjust to your body temperature.
Norwalk, Lexington Home Brands, and Bernhardt use top grain leather all over.
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| Many people feel that top grain leather only gets better with age. This is a unique characteristic that isn't true of faux leathers. |
5. What to do while Shopping
It never hurts to ask your sales person exactly what you're looking at. If they use phrases that sound fishy, ask if something is 100% top grain leather. They can't beat around the bush on a yes or no question.
Look at the back of the "leather". If it has a fabric backing it is probably bonded leather. If the color doesn't look like the front it may be a vinyl or a painted leather. The color can wear on these very quickly.
Compare the feel. If it feels like plastic it probably is. If so, it won't breathe. The temperature will always remain too hot or too cold.
Don't always trust your sales person. I've personally shopped a store and asked pointed questions to determine how people handle misinformation. The sofa in question was upholstered in a polyester fabric. The sales associate said it was a polished leather made to look that way. That couldn't have been further from the truth. Whether this was an uninformed associate or a straight up lie, I don't know.
Do your homework and happy shopping.
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