Faux Leather: Better Than Real?

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DetailsThe fundamental difference between real leather and faux leather is their origin. Real leather is made from animal hides, including cattle, buffalo, oxen, sheep and more. Faux leather is a synthetic material created from a plastic substance that’s then treated with wax, dye or polyurethane to add color and imprinted to mimic the texture of real leather. There are many factors to consider when deciding between real and faux leather: durability, cost, look, application and ethics all come into play. We’re going to explore these topics to help you make the right decision for your individual needs.There are different types of leather grades based on how the leather is processed and treated. Hide is made up of two main layers. The top layer is called the grain where collagen fibers are tightly packed, very sturdy and thicker than the corium, the inner layer of the hide. The top part of the grain is what’s exposed to the environment and can accrue stretch marks, scars and insect bites during the animal’s lifetime. Typically the top part of the grain is buffed to remove as many blemishes as possible to make the leather look more uniform and attractive — this is called top grain leather. Leather that has not been corrected and the entire grain is intact is called full grain. Even though it has blemishes, it is more in demand due to its inherent longevity and beauty as it patinas with age, making it more expensive than top grain.When the second main layer of leather is split from the top layer at the grain and corium junction, this is called split layer. Since it is split from the grain layer, it doesn’t have any of the grain or texture of the top layer. A polymer coating is often applied and embossed to recreate a grain leather look, but these leathers are not as strong or high-quality as grain leathers. Suede is a form of split leather. Finally, there’s bonded leather. This is the lowest grade of leather. It consists of the leftover pieces of leather scraps that are shredded to a pulp-like consistency, and then reconstituted with a synthetic filler and backed with an embossed polyurethane coating. So it is essentially a half real leather, half faux leather material. The exposed side is the leather side and it has a synthetic fabric backing. This is the cheapest and lowest quality leather.Faux leather is as diverse as real leather, and different varieties are made from different synthetic fibers. Faux leather, also called imitation or vegan leather, is a manmade fabric that is manufactured to look like real leather but contains no animal parts whatsoever. The two major types of plastic-based faux leather — commonly known as pleather — are vinyl (PVC) and polyurethane. The first is a result of adding dye and plastic materials to vinyl, which gives the fabric a more real leather look. Vinyl-based faux leather is more flexible than polyurethane but not breathable, so it is not used for clothing. Polyurethane-based faux leather is made by coating natural fabrics like cotton or wool with a polymer-based substance, then treating it to look like real leather. This type of faux leather is more breathable than vinyl-based leather, and it is used more for clothing and items that will come in contact with your skin.Sailrite® offers a variety of faux leather vinyl brands with a wide range of applications and qualities so you can select the one that best suits your project needs. Naugahyde® is a vinyl-coated fabric on a jersey knit backing. It’s made with nonmigratory plasticizers to retain a soft, supple feel and has the appearance of real leather. It’s a waterproof fabric recommended for marine exterior cushions as well as indoor and automotive upholstery purposes.Sailrite’s top faux leather polyurethane option is Ultraleather®. Soft and long-lasting, Ultraleather is a premium-quality fabric offering the luxury and beauty of real leather with superior strength and colorfastness. It’s designed to mimic the look and feel of the softest European calfskin. Polyurethane resins are made of a softer polymer than vinyl faux leathers and, therefore, don’t need additional plasticizers. They also dissipate heat very well, meaning the fabric isn’t too hot or too cold when you sit down.We