What is bonded leather furniture

It's vinyl not leather, and vinyl is material that's crushed up and doesn't last too long. Jennifer Furniture, Ashley Furniture and no-name furniture stores sell these things. Many furniture companies fail to tell consumers their bonded leather sofas actually contain very small amounts of real leather, as the percentage of actual animal hide can differ depending on the retailer or manufacturer.

Many ConsumerAffairs readers say they have been duped by purchasing bonded leather furniture. There are numerous complaints about companies such as Bassett Furniture Direct , Jennifer Convertibles and Kane's Furniture , and many of the complaints contain stories of poorly-made bonded leather sofas.

And couches that are made of bonded leather are harder and more expensive to repair. That's expensive", said Donald. After asking Oliver how one can repair a bonded leather sofa if they really want to, he said "You can try to match the color [with other bonded leather materials].

If you're able to be patient and save the necessary funds for a genuine leather couch do so, especially if a leather sofa is what your heart truly desires. So what's the moral of this sofa story? But if a bonded leather sofa is what falls into your budget, you may not want to use it as your primary family couch, or the sofa in your home that has the most sitting traffic, as it will tear more quickly than the real thing.

Of course, nobody said your couch has to be leather. Some manufacturers market bonded leather as real leather, when it in fact only contains a small percentage of genuine leather. Bonded leather is also known by a few additional names. When looking at the tag on your furniture or clothing, look for:. Before you choose bonded leather, it is best to look at the pros and cons so you know what to expect when you get your furniture or clothing.

There are many people who think bonded leather is genuine leather, and manufacturers sometimes label bonded leather as real. Being able to tell the difference between bonded leather and genuine leather will be helpful when shopping for furniture. The main difference between bonded leather and genuine leather is the cost. Bonded leather will be significantly cheaper because it is not made of real leather. The cost of genuine leather will always be greater than fake leathers.

Bonded leather can sometimes feel and smell like real leather, but the difference is going to come with how they look. Bonded leather will have a consistent texture, while genuine leather will have some imperfections. Check out our blog post on the differences between real, bonded and faux leather to find more detailed information.

The short answer is yes, bonded leather will eventually peel with use. This is an unfortunate fact of bonded leather. The longer answer is yes, because of the structure of the material.

It is not a solid surface and with use, the bonding will fail. When the material is stretched, the pieces of leather will begin to separate, causing the unsightly peeling. Bonded leather peeling effect is the result of the tiny pieces of leather being pulled free of the backing and flaking off. Due to the shredding process, bonded leather is less durable than genuine leather. A sheet of bonded leather is one perpetual length of tiny scraps meshed together, and therefore not creating a solid surface.

Problems arise after continuous usage. Body oils will stain the surface and compromise the bonding. Dirt and grit will act as an abrasive and will also shorten the life of your bonded leather.

Different circumstances will determine the lifespan of your bonded leather couch. If you have children and pets using the furniture regularly, it will not last as long as a couch kept as guest seating. With proper care and gentle use, a bonded leather couch can last as long as two to three years without issues. To ensure you get the most life out of your furniture, regular care is a must. Never use any harsh chemicals on bonded leather.

They will strip the clear coating from the material. Thus, it can wear and crack from just a few years of use. A benefit, however, is cost.

Since bonded leather utilizes leather scraps, and plastics, it can be produced at much less expense than fully natural leathers. Thus, it has found a market across a range of consumer goods. Generally, this leather has the look and smell of real leather, so while it lasts, it can be quite appealing and budget friendly.

Bonded leather is most commonly used in the manufacture of furniture upholstery. This can include sofas, sectionals, chairs, stools, couches, headboards, ottomans, lounge chairs, and others. While this might be somewhat technically true, based on the varying amount of leather present, it can be misleading as the performance of this type of leather does not match that of natural leather.

It is often an easy way to draw attention to leather goods, without always being transparent in what the final product really is.

Bonded leather is also used on books as covers. Since the material protects well and can be shaped with any texture, it offers a near-endless amount of options for bookbinding. It also can be available is most any color, so the applications here are both varied and cost effective. Clothing also takes advantage of the this type of leather material.

Some shoe and boot pieces might use it. So can the linings and even externally facing surfaces of clothes, jackets, pants, skirts, and hats. For travel use, this leather is often found in briefcases, bags, some handbags, backpacks, protective cases, makeup bags, electronic device protectors, and portfolios. At home it might be found in media CD and DVD storage cases, diploma covers, folders, and other protective cases or bags.

In personal accessories, bonded leather is used for belts, straps, wallets, keychains, eyeglass cases, sunglass cases, jewelry boxes, key cases, credit card cases, and generally any small, useful applications. It can be used for most any product that would otherwise utilize natural leather. Leather scraps and fibers are ground up. These can come as the trimmings remaining from the production of natural leather goods. They can also come from lower grade hides that might not pass evaluation standards for finished goods, though can absolutely be utilized in a bonded leather application.

The shredded leather fibers are them mixed with a polyurethane plastic or latex plastic mixture. This binds them all together as the fibers are held together by the plastic mixture once it dries and solidifies.

The exact elements in the mixture can vary widely based on the final intended use of the material. Some might be more dense, firm, strong, soft, or hard. Some of these mixtures are kept as trade secrets.

They each contribute to the overall feel and performance of the the final leather good. The bonded mixture, not yet dried, is then extruded onto a flat backing. The extrusion might be via gravity and pouring, or via machines that push the material out evenly onto the backing. A backing is necessary as the bonded material needs a secure place to dry and adhere to to take the final shape.

The backing is usually made of a paper or fiber cotton, polyester, etc. It can also be made of a fine mesh fiber, plastic, metal. This mesh provided more gripping areas for the pulp to more easily adhere to the backing. Once the pulp is extruded onto the backing in an even layer, it is set to dry. The backing selection is often based on the intended use of the finished product. For example, bookbinders might utilize bonded leather with a paper backing. Upholstery workers might use bonded leather on a fabric backing.

After the pulp has dried onto the backer, the leather can be colored. This is usually a surface treatment that does not penetrate deeply into the material. While natural leather usually has dye penetrate fully, bonded leather color only goes on the surface and does not penetrate through the synthetic plastic. Virtually any color can be added via dyeing or painting to treat the surface.

Once colored, the bonded leather can have a surface texture applied. This can be utilized to make it look like the natural grain of a natural leather. It can also be used to imprint a preferred design that is visually appealing.