When the topic of sofa upholstery comes up, the most common 2 options are fabric and the king of all materials, leather. Both are extremely popular and for different reasons, but if you are wondering which one to pick for your home, this article could help you out. So sit back, and read away while we try to breakdown the differences between 2 of the most iconic upholstery materials of all time!
1. Prices. Prices.
Fabrics usually come in a varying range of prices. There are breathable Jutes, cotton blends, silks, and then there are fine velvets, leatherettes, and more. On the other hand, leather is expensive. No range of prices per se. But if you want us to describe the price range of leather, it would be expensive to astronomical.
That said, the money you pay for leather is probably worth it. The leather is extremely posh and durable. That material alone can make your sofa look like a million bucks. However, unlike fabrics, leather isn’t easy to care for and might require specific cleaning materials to ensure that it doesn’t fade, rip, or peel.
If affordability is your key concern, go with fabrics. But if you want something iconic, leather won’t disappoint.
2. Environmental Impact
As a species, humans have just started realizing the consequences of not being kind to the environment. If we don’t opt for sustainable choices, all of humanity could suffer greatly. If those aspects were to be considered, leather could be a bad choice. Processing leather is no easy task and it does leave a negative footprint too. And not to mention that it is an animal by-product and not ideal if being cruelty-free is a choice of yours.
Fabrics, especially the more natural ones are kind to the environment. Less durable, but still affordable, with scope for periodic upgrades.
3. Comfort & Care
Well, despite the royal status enjoyed by leather, we’ll have to say that fabrics are definitely the more comfortable option. Leather gets sticky and is therefore not ideal for both hot and cold climates, rather a pleasant in-between is what it suits best. Fabrics are available in a plethora of choices, each with a distinct texture and feel, also durability. You’d never run out of choices in fabrics, that’s for sure.
In terms of maintenance too, fabrics score major points. Like we mentioned before, leather requires specific materials and tools for maintenance. Fabrics can be cleaned much more easily and can be great for homes with pets/kids and tendencies for the mess.
4. Hypoallergenic
Sadly, leather scores big here. Folks prone to allergies swear that leather is kinder to them than any fabric ever. Since leather doesn’t have microscopic or big threads coming out of it, nor the scope for possible allergens to get stuck between its threads, they are perfect for people who are sensitive.
Some of the more premium fabrics or even leatherettes may offer you a similar benefit, but they would then lack the posh appearance that leather offers.
5. Color & Pattern Options
Leather comes in quite a nice range, apart from the texture, the animal hyde decides the native pattern. Ostrich, calf-skin, croc are some of the extremely premium options. The nature of treatment done too will decide the final appearance, color, and feel of the leather.
However, the options are practically endless in fabrics. Color, texture, prints – literally endless. Funkier sofas are the best upholstered in fabrics.
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Get Guarented! No matter what material you want your sofa to be upholstered with or what design or any other requirement you may have with your sofa, Guarented can confidently cover it for you! Get in touch with us and you’ll get a chance to own tailor-made sofas that are spellbinding!