Leather Sectionals FAQ & Leather Guide

There are various different styles and qualities of leather.  Bonded leather, leather with leather match and geniune leather are the most common distinctions of leather.  Additionally though, you will have various grades of genuine leather with the difference being the cut of the leather, the quality of the hide, the thickness of the hide.   Read on to learn about how leather is used in conjunction with sectionals.

Bonded Leather

Bonded leather is a fabric that is made of real leather pieces melted down and combined with other man-made material to make the fabric.  The effect is a leather-like material that has some of the qualities of leather at a fraction of the normal cost of leather.  Learn more about bonded leather on Wikipedia.

Two Different Examples of Faux Grained, Bonded Leather

Genuine Leather

Genuine leather (as it relates to sectional sofas) is generally the hide of a cow.  There are varying degrees of qualities of genuine leather from grade AAA high quality to C quality leather.  When it comes to manufacturing sectionals it is generally not cost effective or necessary to use the best grade quality leather, remember, each sectional requires between 30 - 50 yards of leather.  

The Look of Grade A Quality Genuine Leather

Style of Manufacturing:

Leather with Leather Match

Leather with leather match describes a style of manufacturing that maximizes the user benefit while at the same time minimizing the cost of materials.  The method is to use a low to medium grade genuine leather everywhere that the users body would normally touch (thus giving you the luxury of leather) and using a leather match or bonded leather on the sides and the back of the sectional.  This system of manufacturing leather sectionals reduces the amount of genuine leather used which in turn reduces the costs.

Potential Pitfalls of Leather with Leather Match Construction:

Generally it is widely accepted to manufacture a sectional with leather and leather match, however, consumers should understand the risks and pitfalls of this cost saving construction technique.  Genuine leather sectionals have an expected useful life of 15 - 20 years; whereas a sectional made with leather and leather match, are expected to last only 7-10 years.  The reason is because the materials on the sides and the back of the sectional wear differently than the leather itself.  Over time your leather match sectional will begin to fade differently.  The result is that within around 5 - 10 years your once uniform (in color) sectional will start to look different, depending on where the leather begins and the leather match is.

Cleaning Your Leather Sectional:

Cleaning your leather sectional should be a total breeze.  Simply wipe up stains with a soft terry towel and warm slightly soapy water.  Wine stains and other difficult stains can be cleaned effectively if caught right away; otherwise investing in a professional leather cleaning service from time to time is not a bad way to keep your sectional sofa in good shape.

Different Types of Leather and Their Benefits: