Know Your Leather

Know Your Leather


Understand what you're paying for when buying leather

Leather furniture is available at surprisingly low prices today. However, skin and dye qualities can vary greatly. Aniline-dyed leather is superior to surface-dyed leather. The latter is sometimes called "painted" leather because the dye only coats the surface while the former penetrates the skin and is visible on the back. To check, open a zippered cushion and look at the back. The label will tell you the care needed; if not, seek professional advice. Here are some leather terms you should know.

Split Leather

When a cow's hide is doubled in size by slicing it in half along its thickness, it results in two layers of equal thickness but not equal quality. The "split leather" is the bottom half of the hide, which has no grain, is stretchier, and has poor durability.

Top-grain

The upper layer of a hide that has been split is the superior top-grain. To tell if leather is top-grain, examine it under a magnifying glass.The leather will show tiny natural pores.

Embossed

Also known as "rectified" or "corrected" leather, this leather has had an artificial grain pattern heatset into its surface to imitate a high-quality full-grain leather.

Full-grain

This unsplit leather shows a natural (not embossed) grain.
Leather maintenance


Leather is treated with a protectant at the tannery, so generally cleaners are not recommended since they can harm the leather finish. Clean up spills immediately, but if a liquid does soak in, blot it with a weak solution of soap and water. Blot up greasy spots as much as possible, but do not use water. In time, the oil will be absorbed into the leather and become part of the natural patina that develops over time.

Vacuum leather furniture regularly with the crevice upholstery attachment of your machine. An artist's brush is handy for lifting durst from tufted areas and pleats. Give the leather an occasional wipe with a soft, clean cloth dampened with warm water to retard the buildup of body oils on the surface.

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