Bonded or By-Cast “Leather” vs.
Genuine Leather - What's the Difference?
Having a nice-looking sofa gives one a feeling of pride and
accomplishment, and nothing is a better example of a grown-up piece of
furniture than a new leather lounge suite
But you should know that not all leather couches are created equal,
and sofas made of bonded or by-cast leather are a prime example of
true furniture inequality.
What's the difference between these leathers and genuine leather you
ask?
Bonded or by-cast leather is not the whole skin of an animal, but
left-over pieces of hide blended together to form a seamless piece of
leather material and coated with a thin man-made layer which will peel off
(de-laminate).
Genuine leather is made from entire pieces of animal hide and
costs much more than items made with the bonded material. It's hard to tell the
difference between the two, as once an item is made with bonded leather the
appearance and smell are nearly identical.
Manufacturers will use many types of coats and permanent polishes
to make bonded leather appear to be the real deal.
Bonded leather can be quite useful though. It gives books a fancier
appearance, it makes cheap belts look expensive, and it adds a sophisticated
touch to any piece of office furniture. The bad part is that bonded leather is
horrible for home sofas. It's also inexpensive and is often made of recycled
materials.
Plenty of consumers are attracted to the lower cost of a bonded leather
couch and they're not scared away because bonded leather seems like real
leather, but should in fact not be sold as such, but unfortunately often is.
Another trick by the manufacturers is to only use it on the cushion and
arm tops, basically all the surfaces that to touch when sitting, the rest is
often vinyl.
Durability difference
Many are sadly surprised when they realize the true difference
between bonded and genuine leather is its durability, and plenty
of retailers leave this important detail out just to close the sale.
Although the entire couch isn't made of bonded material, one could
easily mistake it for a leather sofa.
You're better off buying good leather furniture. Don’t buy one. It's a
leather backing with a man-made vinyl surface which WILL peel.
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 people say they have been duped by purchasing bonded leather
furniture.
Bonded leather or reconstituted leather is not really a true leather but
a man-made material.
Couches that are made of bonded leather are harder and more expensive to
repair and because they were so cheap to buy would cost more than the purchase
price if it were to be recovered with genuine leather.
It may not be worth fixing a bonded leather sofa.
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. Don’t waste your money on this type of rubbish, it will only look good
for a short time.
