Different Types of Leather
Pure Aniline full grain leather :-Very soft,beautiful feel but not resistant to dirt and impossible to clean. Expensive.
Nubuck :- Very soft feels excellent. But variable appearance and virtually impossible to clean. Expensive.
Pigmented or sometimes called colour coated :- Hard wearing, easily cleaned, durable suitable for everday use. Affordable.
By cast::- Splits leather with a polyurethane coating. looks like plastic, feel like plastic and unless it meets the correct specification should not be called leather.
The most common type leather is the pigmented.but as has been said before, quality varies. Leather can be split, so from 1 hide you can for example get 3 hides.
The top split in days gone past would be used on the frontal areas and the 2nd and 3rd splits used on the outside areas.
To keep costs down these 2nd and 3rd splits are now used on the frontal or wear areas.
Hence 2 seater sofas being made for £99.00
I was asked the other day that if people are buying these very affordable suites?
Yes, I replied, I am kept busy firming them up, renewing the poor seat foam, etc as when customers have paid over £1000.00 they cannot just throw them out.