Learning About Leather: Not All Leather is Alike

When considering adding to your leather collection, it’s important to know what you’re looking for. What type of leather is best suited to your needs? To assist in some of the research, we are showing you the pros and cons of the three main types of leather.

Aniline Leather
Aniline leather is considered the most natural looking leather. Some people refer to it as “naked leather” because of how natural it looks. It is known to be very soft and comfortable. A lot of people enjoy aniline leather because it preserves each marking it receives, making each piece completely unique. While this type of leather can be very visually pleasing, it is a material that is easily stained. If you have a busy family or high traffic in your home, this is a type of leather you may want to avoid.

Semi-Aniline Leather
The main difference between semi-aniline and aniline leather is the light protective coat semi-aniline receives. This protective coat is useful because it makes the material more resistant to strain and stains, which helps it to last longer. The color in semi-aniline leather is also more consistent than in aniline leather. The downside to this type of leather is the protective coat leads to less uniqueness; the leather does not retain markings as well with the protective coat.

Pigmented/Protected Leather
The most durable type of leather available, pigmented leather is covered with a polymer surface coating that contains pigments. This coating gives the leather more resistance to scratching, scuffing or fading. Pigmented leather does not have the unique qualities of other types of leather, as the sealant prevents marks from staying on the material. Pigmented leather is an excellent choice for busy families who have high traffic in their homes. Pigmented leather is easy to maintain and makes for an excellent couch or lounge chair material.

As you can see, there are good and bad aspects to every type of leather available. Being informed about which kind works best for your lifestyle is important when purchasing leather furniture. Happy shopping!

Source: Learning About Leather

Top 5 Myths about Leather Repair

You have tried your best keep your leather furniture safe, but accidents have damaged it. Well, it is normal for leather furniture to get destroyed as occasional scuffs, small tears and spills are bound to happen. However, there is no need to worry as leather can be repaired and restored to its original beauty easily.

There are many myths about leather repair, so when you are looking to fix your leather furniture, it is important to keep the myths at bay.

Myth 1:

Leather cuts cannot be repaired: The biggest myth that leather cuts cannot be repaired is absolutely FALSE. Although this is the hardest to repair, it certainly can be fixed. There are numerous leather repair kits available at most leather stores which come equipped with adhesives made especially for leather. If the cuts are big, then you might need to put some padding under the patch to completely mend it, but regardless of the size of the cut, it can be fixed!

Myth 2:

Super Glue can fix the minor tears in leather: Another myth which will ruin your leather furniture rather than repair it. NEVER ever use super glue to fix tears on your leather upholstery. Super glue is not flexible and therefore is not a good solution to fix torn leather. It hardens and causes more damage to it rather than repair it.

Myth 3:

Markers can be used for discoloration: Many old wives tales state that you can use markers to repair discolored leather. However, that is NOT true. Markers cannot match the exact appearance of the leather as it is not made for this purpose, so never use a marker to quickly remove the discoloration. You will only end up creating an irregular look... click here for more of the article!

Infographics: Furniture Buying Guide

Here are some tips to consider before buying a furniture, it’s important that you remember to create a budget, make a plan, choose a color palette, measure everything accurately, and consider all costs involved. Every piece of furniture has certain elements or features that determine whether or not it is a good fit.

The below furniture-buying guide will provide you additional factors to consider — and tips to follow — when buying your next piece of furniture.

Furniture Buying Guide created by Consignment Northwest

Learn more about leather and leather repair visit us at Fibrenew Franchising.

Re-post: Caring for Leather Furniture

Leather furniture is an investment, so good maintenance is important. Here are some do's and don'ts for getting your leather to age well:

1. Avoid seemingly harmless cleaners such as oil soap; it will stain and darken the leather. And mild soap, though gentle on dish-washing hands, not only will remove the dirt but just might remove the color on the leather as well. Saddle soap may be good for that catcher's mitt, but keep it away from leather furniture.

2. Don't use soap or detergent, no matter how mild. We can use mild soap on our skin because our skin is still alive and will replace the oils that soap washes off, but a leather sofa doesn't have that ability. It will eventually become brittle, dry and damaged. Why not wash with soap and then apply oil? Because the oil will stain the leather

3. Avoid placing leather furniture in direct sunlight. Virtually nothing is safe for long in the light and heat of the sun. Avoid extreme temperatures that would cause leather to dry and crack. If you're too cold or too hot in a room, so is the leather. Don't place leather next to air conditioners or radiators.

4. Blot spills quickly using clean terry cloth towels or paper towels. If you spill grease or oil, use talcum powder or baking powder to help absorb it. There are also leather-furniture cleaners that would work, available from upper-end furniture stores and from some manufacturers of leather furniture.

5. If leather furniture is brand new, protect it right off the bat with a professionally applied leather protector. There are also products available for do-it-yourselfers on the after-market. If the furniture is older, have it cleaned professionally and apply the leather protector. Keep the furniture free of dust and occasionally wipe it with a barely damp cloth.

Source: Caring for Leather Furniture

What Goes With Leather Furniture?

If that hide-covered sofa is making you seek decorating solutions, we’ve got just the pairings for you.

Leather chairs, sofas and ottomans tend to be big, comfy and classic — no wonder they’re a popular choice for living room furniture. But too much bulky leather upholstery can make a space look dark, heavy or just … boring. Wondering what to put with all of that brown or black leather? These ideas should help.

Photo by Taylor Jacobson Interior Design - Look for transitional family room design inspiration

1. Rich painted walls and a Moroccan rug. Peacock blue is a bold (but highly livable) choice for walls, especially in a smaller room — the intense hue enhances and uplifts dark leather pieces. Pair it with a goes-with-anything Moroccan rug, an organic wood table and a gallery wall.

Photo by Cory Connor Designs - Browse transitional living room ideas

If you have wood bookcases or cabinetry in the room, consider painting these pieces to match the walls. Or, for a subtler effect, paint only the backs of the bookcases or the interiors of the cabinets. Wild card: peacock blue and orange. Take rich peacock-blue walls up a notch by adding contrasting Hermès-orange accents. Try a pair of footstools or X-benches, or furnish a window seat with bold orange cushions, as shown here.

Photo by Morrison Homes - Look for contemporary living room pictures

2. Black, gray and texture. To keep things interesting in a neutral space, it helps to really play up texture and shine. Try smoky mirrored or reflective furniture (or a mirror on the wall); a soft, low-pile rug; and a plush faux-fur throw. Shades of gray, black and white make easy partners for a brown leather sofa. . . read more!

Infographics: How Your Couch Is Made

Couches have become synonymous with relaxation, they are an integral part of home decor reflecting the mood and formality of a room. Learn about the different types of couches and how they are made! Know more about couches and how you can take care of them www.fibrenew-franchising.com/photos/.

From Visually.

Leather Furniture Guide: Top Grain to Bonded Leather

Knowing What to Ask For

First and foremost, shopping for quality and value in home furnishings is about knowing exactly what you are paying for. With such a wide range of retail price points for living room furniture, it’s important to see past the commissioned salesman's jargon to know what you are getting for your dollar. Nowadays, cheaper manufacturers have found savvy ways to throw the word ‘leather’ around while meaning something completely different. The best course of action is to find a furniture store near you and always to ask a salesperson directly about the construction, fabric, leather, and warranty. Before you buy, make sure you're getting the straight talk you deserve.

What Is Bonded Leather?

"Bonded leather" is a cheaper manufacturer’s first line of attack in selling you the look and feel of leather for a “great deal.” Unfortunately, bonded leather is hardly leather at all—by definition, it has to be only 17% leather. So leather is to bonded leather what chicken is to chicken McNuggets (or pressboard to wood, or dryer lint to fabric): In other words, it's processed beyond recognition.

When a leather cowhide is taken into manufacturing, cookie-cutter-like shapes are cut out of the hide to make panels that will eventually make the seat cushions, backs, arms, and sides of quality leather furniture. When you are cutting cookies, there will always be scraps outside the cuts of these panels that are too small to use whole. This is where bonded leather begins. These scraps are ground up in a machine into even smaller pieces that are laid out in a long, thin layer and then adhered together with a thicker layer of polyurethane (plastic).

While bonded leather, being merely a "leather product," prices out (foot for foot) similar to a fabric—and in the sense may be more economical—it is, unfortunately, used all to often in misleading customers, as retailers may try to pass it off as the real thing in order to inflate the perceived value of their product.

In reality, a person sitting on bonded leather is not sitting on leather at all, only plastic. And unlike real top-grain leather, the ground-up hide and plastic will never acclimate to your body temperature or get better with age.

What Is Bicast Leather?

Bicast leather (also known as bi-cast, bycast, or PU leather) is what most people consider the next step up in quality.

Before a hide is put into production, it is cut horizontally into layers. These layers consist of the top grain (the top layer that maintains the actual surface of the cow's hide where the pores and hair follicles used to be) and then every split below that.

Bicast leather is a layer of split which was too thin or flawed for normal use and that, like bonded leather, is completely sealed on top with a layer of polyurethane. Like bonded leather, no actual point of contact is possible between the natural leather and your skin and, therefore, bicast doesn’t demonstrate any of the same wear or comfort attributes of top-grain.

That being said, bicast can still serve as an economical alternative for people wanting the look of leather without the price. Another benefit might be that bicast and bonded leather wipe up easily (since they have plastic surfaces) and you won’t run into many of the food/drink stain issues you may experience with upholstered furniture. . . continue reading!

Tips How to Hunt on Ebay for Old Leather Furniture

Sometimes leather furniture upholstery is way beyond repair. Either that or the repairs will cost more than the furniture is for. Instead, you may decide to go treasure hunting for old leather furniture rather than having it professionally restored. If you have never used Ebay before, you are in for a treat. The website has numerous options where you can search for an item that you are looking for and then either have the option to buy it now or bid on it.

When considering old leather furniture on Ebay, it may take a while to find because it isn’t something that is posted on a daily basis. You need to take into consideration how much you are willing to spend on a piece of furniture. You can’t forget to take into account how much it may cost to have it shipped to you. If you find a piece of furniture that is somewhat close to you in proximity, it may end up being cheaper to go get it and load it yourself after you have purchased it rather than having it sent via freight.

One thing about treasure hunting for old leather furniture on Ebay is that you need to be absolutely sure to know what you are getting. You don’t want another piece of broken down furniture that you will be disappointed in. Instead, feel free to ask the seller numerous questions and even ask for additional photos. If they are sincerely interested in selling the piece of furniture to you, they should be more than willing to accommodate for your needs.

There are a few things that you may want to ask the seller when you have treasure hunted and found an ideal piece of furniture for your home:
• What are the dimensions?
• Is there any damage to it?
• How did you take care of it?
• Does this come from a smoke free home?
• Does this come from a pet free home?
• What color is it?
• What company manufactured it?
• How old is it?
• Why are they selling it?

These are just a few suggestions to you to ask a seller when contemplating making a big purchase of furniture on the world’s most popular auction website. If it doesn’t work out for you, there are other treasures waiting to be discovered elsewhere. Happy hunting and visit us at www.fibrenew-franchising.com for more about leather upholstery and franchising.

Reblog: Fully-finished leather furniture and auto upholstery

There are many types of leather, and leather jargon can be very overwhelming to people trying to figure out what kind of leather they have and want to buy. We at Fibrenew Franchising - Best Franchise Business Opportunity shares this tip for you to understand the types of leather.

What makes one type of leather different from another?

Leather is often sorted by the type of finish it has.  The three main types of upholstery leather finish are fully-finished, aniline and semi-aniline.  All of these terms are indicative of the type of dyes and protective layers used on the hide, and each surface reacts differently to cleaning products and damage.

What does fully-finished mean?

When tanneries make fully-finished leather out of hide, they put a dye and protective layer on it that will make it more resilient to damage than other types of leather.  You can think of this process like putting paint onto drywall.  It actually forms a thin barrier between the hide and the air.


What does fully-finished leather look like?

Fully-finished leather is usually glossy with a little bit of a shine to it.

Where will I see fully-finished leather?

Fully-finished leather is one of the most popular finishes for upholstery leather due to its durability.  It is used in almost 100 percent of auto leather and makes up a large percentage of furniture leather.

Furniture brands like Lazy Boy, Palliser, Natuzzi and Elite use a lot of fully-finished leather.

What are the benefits and down sides of fully-finished leather?

Pros:

    Fully-finished leather is excellent for pieces that need to withstand some wear and tear.  That’s why it’s so commonly used in cars.  If you have kids or pets, fully-finished leather is probably the way to go with furniture leather as well.
    It is usually less expensive than other types of leather.  Because the layer of dye on top of the leather covers imperfections in the hide, manufacturers can use hides that aren’t naturally as pretty as those they have to use with other finishes.
    It is easy to clean up.  After something spills on fully-finished leather, you usually have time to wipe it up with a damp cloth and dry it before it is damaged from the spill.
    Professionals can usually clean and repair fully-finished leather without much trouble.

Cons:

    Fully-finished leather is not as natural looking as aniline and semi-aniline leather.

Questions about fully finished leather? Comments? We’d love to hear from you!

Source: http://www.fibrenew.com/blog/what-is-fully-finished-leather-cars-andsofas/