The Different Types of Leather for Your New Sofa

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If you want to buy a new leather sofa, then you've made a great choice. Leather is one of the best materials to make furniture out of, it doesn't go out of style, and it is durable and easy to wash. There aren't many products that get better with age; but luckily leather is an excellent exception as it only gets softer and more supple - great qualities to have in furniture upholstery. However you don't want to get caught out accidentally buying low-grade quality leather if you are paying premium prices, so here is a helpful run through of the different types of leather so you get the right quality for your money.

Categories of Leather
There are basically two major categories of leather - treated and non-treated (also known as aniline treated and natural leather).

Natural Leather
Natural leather doesn't have anything added to it to resist against spills and stains. It also develops a strong patina meaning it turns darker as it collects oils from our body and hair, as well as prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. A darker colour can be more suitable to cover this kind of effect, but sometimes a patina can add to the character of a leather sofa.

Protected Leather
This category makes up the majority of leather sofas on the market and is full of a lot of categories. There are several treatments for leather to give it added benefits, feels and appearances. Aniline leather is the highest of qualities; it is only given a small protective coating of urethane to resist against scratches and spills. Corrected grain is the most basic type of leather available, it has a coated finish and is harder than more luxurious leathers available, it is also durable and easy to clean. Natural Waxed hides are becoming more popular; they have a light protective coating and are soft to the touch.

Grades of Leather
There are four main grades of leather and the grade depends on what section of the hide the leather has been taken from. Grades taken from the outer edge of the hide tend to be stronger and more durable, whereas leather taken from the inside of the hide (such as suede) tends to be wear easier. Full grain leather is the highest quality, the surface is treated to be smooth and can be polished. It is dyed with clear aniline to accentuate the colours of the hide and is extremely soft and luxurious. Top grain is an imitation grain that is stamped on top of the dyed hide. The purpose of top-grain grading is to mask imperfections and to give the sofa a uniform appearance. Split grain leather is heavily treated and comes from the inner-most part of the hide. There are also bonded leathers which are made from excess pieces of leather bonded together using a chemical process, these can be altered to give a number of desired attributes.

About the Author

Buying sofas has never been easier because you can buy leather sofas online; take a look at what's available before making your choice.

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