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Leather is a natural product with unique characteristics and natural variations and marks. These are features, not faults, which reveal the individuality of each hide used in leather furniture. One of the distinctive and pleasing features of leather is that is assumes a character of its own with age.
Leather upholstered furniture has more visible seams than fabric owing to the nature of the material
Leather can generally be put into one of three categories -
Aniline leather – has the most natural appearance but is less resistant to soiling
Pigmented / corrected grain leather – is less natural in appearance but is the most durable
Semi-aniline leather is somewhere in between on both accounts
As leather is a natural product, all natural characteristics of the animal’s life remain fully visible on the skin to a greater or lesser degree dependent on the type of leather you choose.
Types of natural variations and marks found on leather -
These characteristics are not defects and will not shorten the life of the leather. Instead, they enhance the natural beauty of the product and make your furniture individual.
When choosing leather for furniture it is a trade-off between natural appearance and ease of care.
The leather type you choose depends on the appearance you want, the amount of use the furniture will receive and the amount of maintenance you are willing to undertake.
| Type of leather | What is it like? | Expectations |
|---|---|---|
Aniline |
The most natural looking leather |
The most natural looking but is less resistant to soiling. This leather has no additional pigmentation and little or no protective finish. All natural characteristics of the life remaining fully visible on the skin. Creases in the hide are very distinct because they have not been filled out by a surface coating. |
| Semi-Aniline | Soft and supple with significant natural characteristics |
Treated with a small amount of surface pigment coating to give a degree of protection. Creases in the hide are less distinct because they've been partially filled by the surface coating. Will have shade variations and visible natural characteristics from the natural markings of the leather. Requires some maintenance. |
Pigmented / corrected grain leather |
The most durable leather Smoother appearance and more uniform colour |
Less natural in appearance. Has a thicker polymer surface coating. The coating enhances durability and gives more resistance to scuffing and fading. The surface of the leather is abraded to remove imperfections before the surface coating is applied. This gives a more uniform look. The surface coating contains pigments that give the leather a more even colour. Scars, bites and other natural characteristics will still be visible. |
| Your lifestyle… | Type of leather | Suitable for… | M&S leather |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single person, couple or small familiy | Semi-aniline |
Light or regular domestic use |
|
Large family or household with pets |
Pigmented / corrected grain leather |
Heavy domestic use |
Leather furniture in a normal domestic environment should require little attention. Regular cleaning is not essential to the life of the leather and any cleaning should be done only as necessary. At the same time, an accumulation of dirt and grease over a period of time is undesirable and obviously the longer it is left the more difficult it will be to remove.
Regular cleaning can be done simply by using a damp cloth, taking care not to soak the leather.
Do not use a damp cloth or household cleaning products to clean aniline leathers.
If you stain your aniline leather or have a spillage on it take immediate action to dab off any excess water, as water staining will occur. Contact a specialist leather cleaning company.
