Have you ever know what kind of leather are you using, the quality, mechanism & durability ? Seller or sofa suppliers keep claiming that there are selling full or 100% leather for interior furnitures especially sofa. Few years later, those who bought leather products, facing a problem of defectiveness on their leather products.Pathetic! Any furnitures material made need good maintenance either its a fabric, plastic or leather kind. That is why you need to understand your leather products & how to maintain it.
There are a few common animals been used for leather sofas;
Cows
According to recent research, cows have distinct personalities and are generally very intelligent animals who can remember things for a long time. Animal behaviorists have found that cows interact in socially complex ways. They develop friendships over time, sometimes hold grudges against other cows who treat them badly, form social hierarchies within their herds, and choose leaders based upon intelligence. They are emotionally complex, and they even have the capacity to worry about the future.
Researchers have found that cows can not only figure out problems but also, like humans, enjoy intellectual challenges and get excited when they find solutions. Cows have been known to perform impressive feats, such as leaping over a 6-foot fence to escape from a slaughterhouse, walking 7 miles to reunite with a calf after being sold at auction, and swimming across a river to freedom.
Cows who are killed for their skins are subjected to painful procedures such as castration, branding (which causes third-degree burns), tail-docking, and dehorning—all without painkillers. At slaughterhouses, they are often hacked apart and skinned while still alive.
Kangaroos
Millions of kangaroos are shot for their skins every year in Australia. According to Australian government code, orphaned joeys and wounded adults should be killed by decapitation or a sharp blow to the head "to destroy the brain." When hunters kill a mother kangaroo with a baby in her pouch, the baby is often yanked from the mother's lifeless body and stomped to death or left to writhe in agony.
Pigs
Pigs are curious and insightful animals who are thought by animal behaviorists to have intelligence beyond that of an average 3-year-old human child. They are smarter than dogs and every bit as friendly, loyal, and affectionate. When in their natural surroundings—not confined to factory farms—they are social, playful, protective animals who bond with each other, make nests, relax in the sun, and cool off in the mud.
Pigs dream, recognize their own names, play video games better than some primates, and lead social lives of a complexity previously observed only in primates. People who run animal sanctuaries often describe pigs in terms of human characteristics because they've learned that, like humans, pigs enjoy listening to music, playing with soccer balls, and getting massages.
Pigs who are killed for their skins spend their lives in extremely crowded, filthy warehouses where many of them never get to see daylight. Their testicles are cut out of their scrotums, their tails are cut off, many of their teeth are clipped in half, and their ears are mutilated, all without any pain relief. Many pigs end up scalded alive in hot-water tanks meant to soften their skin and remove their hair after they've been slaughtered.Pork skin are NON HALAL for muslim user.
Leather Sofa are not all the same!
If you have decided to treat yourself to a new leather sofa it is a good idea to think carefully about what you want before you look around the stores and the internet. First of all you need to decide exactly what kind of leather sofa you want to buy. Didn’t know there were different types of leather sofa? Well there are.
If you choose a full leather sofa then the whole of the sofa covering will be made of leather. A half leather sofa will cost you a little less but it will only be made of leather where you actually sit and the rest of it will be made of fake leather, leatherette or matching fabric. A bonded leather sofa is made from recycled leather which has been processed to look like new and it is not the real thing, but it is the cheapest way to buy a leather sofa if money is an issue.
If you have decided to treat yourself to a new leather sofa it is a good idea to think carefully about what you want before you look around the stores and the internet. First of all you need to decide exactly what kind of leather sofa you want to buy. Didn’t know there were different types of leather sofa? Well there are.
If you choose a full leather sofa then the whole of the sofa covering will be made of leather. A half leather sofa will cost you a little less but it will only be made of leather where you actually sit and the rest of it will be made of fake leather, leatherette or matching fabric. A bonded leather sofa is made from recycled leather which has been processed to look like new and it is not the real thing, but it is the cheapest way to buy a leather sofa if money is an issue.
Check the seat and the back of the sofa to make sure it is comfortable to sit on. Everyone is a different size and what might suit a small person may not be any good to a larger one. The main thing to look out for is soft comfortable seating. Sometimes a leather sofa can feel hard and uncomfortable to sit on.
Next, decide whether you want a two-seater or a three-seater leather sofa. You might also consider the dimensions of your room and opt for a corner model. There is lots of choice in colour and style but it is always wise to have some idea what you are looking for before shopping for furniture, then you will not come back with something you don’t really want.
The right shape of leather sofa in the right colour can look rich and fabulous in any room, whether it is a lounge, sitting room, bedroom, or even an office. Leather has a special texture and aroma that cannot be matched by any other material. A well looked after leather sofa will last for many years.
Before you part with your hard earned money make absolutely certain that you are getting what you think you are getting. Ask questions but also inspect the sofa (pr leather chairs), bearing the points mentioned above in mind. That way you will not end up disappointed.
How To Shop?
Leather furniture can be a confusing product. All you see is the outside leather. The construction of the sofa – frame, springs, cushions and padding are hidden from view. Whether you are looking at a leather sofa with an $800 price tag or one tagged at $3000, it isn’t easy to determine what you get for the money.
Salespeople at a general furniture store may not be knowledgeable about leather furniture. Many don’t have the time to learn about the details of leather choices (if offered at all) or upholstery construction.
In the past, consumers have often used brand names and warranties as the only measure of quality. In the case of leather furniture, a brand name many times is just not helpful. Only a few of the hundreds of furniture manufacturers have recognizable brands – through massive advertising expenditures. Prices you pay often reflect the cost of image building – not necessarily quality. In fact, a majority of the products marketed by the brand names that your mother trusted are now made in China – where labor rates are the lowest in our global economy.
TYPES OF LEATHER UPHOLSTERY
Leather used for upholstery is divided into two categories: aniline and semi-aniline. All leather hides are drum-dyed with an initial color to penetrate completely through the cowhide. Aniline hides are the finest available and need little or no surface correcting or buffing to remove the natural blemishes of a cowhide. These premium hides have a natural patina that will develop over time, creating different shadings throughout the hide, but offer little resistance to fading and stains.
Semi-aniline means that a combination of methods are used to ensure color consistency – light surface buffing and pigmentation. Active families are often suggested to use semi-aniline leathers for stain protection. Natural softness (the real reason you love leather) can be reduced with a semi-aniline leather.
Colors in leather today are plentiful, but beware of the store that wants you to select the color they have in stock. Your leather furniture retailer should have numerous colors and types of leathers available for your choice. Why not get that hot red leather sofa? Why not a yellow recliner? Yes, brown is always available, but haven’t you always wanted a caramel-colored leather sectional?
The conventional wisdom used to be that an upholstery frame should be made of solid wood. Today, virtually all upholstery manufacturers use a combination of solid wood pieces and furnituregrade plywood. Plywood will not warp and is structurally stronger than solid wood. Additionally, plywood component parts are now cut with Mortise & Tenon joints to fit together like a super-strong puzzle. Finally, metal fasteners and glue are used to create a world class frame.
Cowhides, in their natural state, are too thick to be used for most conventional purposes. They first must be split into thinner layers.
Full Grain Leather is outermost layer of the hide. It is leather that has not been corrected or modified outside of removing the hair. Full grain leather is often seen as the most authentic type of leather because it maintains all of the texture from the original cowhide.
When the hide is split into layers, Split Leather is taken from the inner layer of the hide. It is typically more delicate than full-grain leather, and is often used to create suede.
Top-Grain Leather is the same as full grain leather but the cowhide that is used is most often severely defective. To remedy this, top grain leather is typically sanded and then a finish coat is added to the surface. It is usually less expensive and has higher resistance to marks and blemishes than full-grain leather.
In conclusion, leather furniture is now an affordable luxury for every lifestyle. Many leather sofas are within a few dollars of a fabric sofa – but will last far longer in your home. With all of the color choices and styles (traditional, casual and contemporar y) available, it just makes sense to choose leather when you want to update your living room or family room – you’ll love the natural feel of leather.
HELPFUL HINTS
- • Leather is four times more durable than other fabrics.
- • Choose the right leather for your lifestyle.
- • Leather allows you to choose the color you’ve always wanted.
