Leather vs. artificial leather
When we decide to buy a piece of clothing, a piece of furniture, a car, we are often unsure of the type of upholstery and coating to choose.
Although we all know that leather and artificial leather are not the same, we are not aware of all the positive and negative aspects that distinguish these two types of upholstery.
First of all, when we talk about leather and eco-leather we have to learn how to distinguish them using the senses of sight and touch.
The skin tissue is continuous, belongs to the skin apparatus, it is formed by 3 surfaces which are respectively called the epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous layer.
Nowadays animal skins are used both for making clothing, clothing accessories such as belts, bags, shoes … etc. and for the upholstery of car seats and living rooms.
Generally the skin that is used is of bovine, ovine, porcine origin but sometimes it also comes from wild animals such as deer, elk, snakes, crocodiles and kangaroos.
The advantages of real leather
But let’s see more concretely what are the advantages of this material.
First of all it has its own value, which is intrinsic to the raw material. Secondly, besides being versatile, as it can be used to coat different products, it is also very resistant, this strength is due to the natural composition of the material itself.
Furthermore, from an aesthetical point of view it is a pleasant material both to the eye and to the touch. But above all, unlike the fabric and other types of coatings, what gives this material additional value is its ease of cleaning which therefore makes it an excellent choice for those who suffer from dust allergies.
The disadvantages of real leather
On the other hand, however, but as is natural, the leather also has negative aspects (which from our point of view certainly do not exceed the merits).
First of all it is not an economic material, on the contrary, it has a high cost due to the raw material itself but also for the craftsmanship with which it is worked. Another negative aspect is that it is not washable. In addition we also highlight that it has a low level of breathability.
How to recognize real leather
In order to distinguish real leather from fake leather, we must verify its nature. In general, quality leather has a more relevant consistency than fake leather has and is also softer, with an irregular and imperfect texture. It is usually composed of an heterogeneous surface grain, it has wrinkles of different types: large, thin and an important consistency.
Differently, synthetic leather is generlly thinner, more delicate and is characterized by a more homogeneous and uniform texture.
But how is artificial leather made?
It is essential to know that eco-leather and artificial leather are two different materials. Only in appearance artificial leather resembles leather, but its composition is completely of synthetic origin and absolutely not natural.
The advantages of artificial leather
The positive characteristic of the artificial leather is that it’s an economic material that has low costs and it is light.
Also, it has an affordable price, resists heat, is easy to clean, does not change with exposure to light and is water-repellent.
The disadvantages of artificial leather
On the other hand, however, precisely because of the plastic that it is made of, over time, it tends to ruin faster than real leather.
Generally, artificial leather is made of PVC or a plastic that is difficult to recycle, which is not sustainable at all and has a harmful effect on the environment.
Also, artifical leather isn’t breathable and is not as soft as real leather is to the touch.
Over time, it ruins quickly and tends to deteriorate, leaving the underlying fabric visible in between the folds.
So if what you are looking for is a real leather armchair that lasts over time, trust us and come and discover Kasia.
