# Fabric or Leather?



## roger1014

Looking to purchase a dual reclining Love seat ..with console in middle ... and was wondering what is the best choice. Fabric such as micro-suede or leather?


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## RSH

There is no best choice. It is what will work for you best. Leather or bonded leather would be easier to maintain. In most cases mild water/soap solution will be enough to clean it.


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## roger1014

RSH said:


> There is no best choice. It is what will work for you best. Leather or bonded leather would be easier to maintain. In most cases mild water/soap solution will be enough to clean it.


Don't/wont go with the bonded leather! Bought a couch and love seat combo for my living room, awhile back, and the bonded material is flaking off! 

I'm leaning towards real leather but need to look a cost different with fabric. I agree with the cleaning part ...


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## RSH

Bonded leather like any product could be of a different quality. Do not discount it right away. We are using really nice bonded leather that is a durable if not more durable than leather, and it holds up quite well. I have customers with the chairs they bought close to 3 years ago, and they have no problems whatsoever...


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## dougc

I just threw away two bonded leather couches that lasted 4 years until the leather began to separate. They were very comfy so I was sad to see them go. No bonded leather for me in the future.


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## tripplej

How to tell if you have bonded leather or real leather?


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## NBPk402

Do you have any pets? If so microsuede is the way to go.


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## RSH

> How to tell if you have bonded leather or real leather?


Sometimes you cannot. They make bonded leather so leather like that sometimes it is impossible to distinguish...


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## roger1014

RSH said:


> Bonded leather like any product could be of a different quality. Do not discount it right away. We are using really nice bonded leather that is a durable if not more durable than leather, and it holds up quite well. I have customers with the chairs they bought close to 3 years ago, and they have no problems whatsoever...


I agree that, as in all products, the quality varies, but I would hope that a "good" couch or love seat would last more than 4 years. Don't want to be replacing every four years or less. 

The manufacture is looking into this problem I'm having!


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## roger1014

ellisr63 said:


> Do you have any pets? If so microsuede is the way to go.


Yea I have pets but they are not allowed on furniture ... or bed!

I have a micro-suede recliner that is about 4 years old. I'm using it in my man cave so it is not used as often. Really comfy but want to get love seat so my wife can sit near center of viewing. No problems with materiel except in does have a couple of stains from food.....


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## roger1014

RSH said:


> Bonded leather like any product could be of a different quality. Do not discount it right away. We are using really nice bonded leather that is a durable if not more durable than leather, and it holds up quite well. I have customers with the chairs they bought close to 3 years ago, and they have no problems whatsoever...


Okay, Pulled up a couch cushion and found this info ....50% poly, 25% cotton and 10% leather .... hmmm what is the other 15%!

Is a higher percentage of leather going to make a difference?


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## roger1014

RSH said:


> Bonded leather like any product could be of a different quality. Do not discount it right away. We are using really nice bonded leather that is a durable if not more durable than leather, and it holds up quite well. I have customers with the chairs they bought close to 3 years ago, and they have no problems whatsoever...


Okay, Pulled up a couch cushion and found this info ....50% poly, 25% cotton and 10% leather .... hmmm what is the other 15%!

Would a higher percentage of leather going to make a difference?


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## roger1014

opps sorry for the double replies ....computer locked up when sending...


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## NBPk402

Costco has some nice couch recliners in their store right now (or at least ours does). We picked up a pair of power recliners in microsuede for about $600 for the pair. I think the Couch is about $800 with the ends power reclining.


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## phazewolf

I would go with micro fabric less reflective then leather and the feel of it if you happen to not have a shirt on is not going to be ice cold in the winter.

I have a leather couch right now and with my dog getting up onto it it has seen better days. My mom has micro and it has held up very nice to her dogs.


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## roger1014

Was already to purchase dual recliner, for man cave, and a Couch with love seat, to replace Living room furniture until my wife fell in love with a dining room set while we were looking. Guess what I didn't get....oh well.


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## tripplej

roger1014 said:


> Was already to purchase dual recliner, for man cave, and a Couch with love seat, to replace Living room furniture until my wife fell in love with a dining room set while we were looking. Guess what I didn't get....oh well.


There is that old saying - a happy wife is a happy home. Funny that there isn't a saying like a happy husband is a happy home. Lol.


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## tcarcio

I don't think it really makes much difference if your room is properly treated. I would just go with what you like and can afford. I have bonded leather but would not hesitate to go with something else if I liked it and it is within my budget.


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## roger1014

RSH said:


> Sometimes you cannot. They make bonded leather so leather like that sometimes it is impossible to distinguish...


While looking at love seat today I found out the have another product/material that sits between the bonded and leather as far as quality is concern and of course price!


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## roger1014

tripplej said:


> There is that old saying - a happy wife is a happy home. Funny that there isn't a saying like a happy husband is a happy home. Lol.


Agree with the Happy Wife. I could have gotten the Love seat, if I had really pushed for it, but wife said she still wouldn't spend that much time down in my man cave. Thinks it is too dark! Guess it will stay my man cave and not a Home theater! I will be happy as it is set up just for me....


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## chashint

We have fabric couch / love seat and a leather recliner.
All the pieces get heavy use.
They all started showing wear around 10 years and now at 14 the recliner was just replaced.
The couch and love seat will be recovered or replaced very soon.
As it turns out recovering with the same quality we started with is 2/3 the cost of replacing with the same brand.
I guess in a very round about way I am just saying fabric and leather can both be very good options.


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## MetropolisLake

Just in case anybody wanted to know what fabric looked like on a home theater setup. This is the Magnolia that Pallister makes for Best Buy except covered on "phantom black" instead of the fake'ish leather.


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## chashint

I like leather, my wife likes fabric.
I seldom sit on the furniture in shorts but my wife wears shorts alot, leather is cold on her legs and fabric is not cold on her legs.
If we were going to get a unit similar to what you are shopping for it would be a nice fabric.
Neither of us are fans of the micro-fabrics.
There is no answer that is right for everyone, talk it over with your wife and choose what is best for both of you.


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## MetropolisLake

I will say that at least the fabric stinks pretty bad for awhile. They coat it in the anti-flammable stuff just like all cloth furniture and it stinks for a few weeks, smells like formyldehyde. I don't know how leather compares in this regard.


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## phazewolf

Anyone with microfiber would like to comment on how it holds up? I like microfiber a lot less reflective then leather that I use now.


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## MetropolisLake

tripplej said:


> How to tell if you have bonded leather or real leather?


As far as I know, typically you will have to pay a hefty upcharge and purposely get real leather, so its kind of obvious. The halfway affordable seating from popular companies I'm aware of will always have bonded if you get the stocked choices.


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## MetropolisLake

phazewolf said:


> Anyone with microfiber would like to comment on how it holds up? I like microfiber a lot less reflective then leather that I use now.


I've had mine for almost a year and it looks and feels new. That's probably not a good test though, ask me again in a few years. 

I've had other furniture though. The only problem I'm aware of is that after a few years microfiber will get matted down and a little nasty looking, the arms will absorb oils from your skin and will get darker and slicker. I don't like lighter colored microfibers because of this. 

Also there are WAY more fabric choices than simple microfiber. Just because its not leather doesn't mean its microfiber. Regardless, your better companies will rate their fabrics based on the number of rubs, so like if you find one with a 50,000 rub rating that's pretty good in terms of longevity, 20,000 maybe not so much.


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## willis7469

I definitely prefer leather. Warmer in the winter, cooler in the summer. A little maintenance and it doesn't collect dust, or odor. For reflectivity, I just put a plush blanket on the back when it's time to be critical, or take measurements. And as mentioned, microfiber can matte. And that usually looks gross.


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## MetropolisLake

willis7469 said:


> I definitely prefer leather. Warmer in the winter, cooler in the summer.


Real top grain leather maybe. Cheap bonded leather or vinyl is the exact opposite. Its cold to the touch at first in the winter and after awhile it can get pretty warm, especially in the summer, especially on bare skin. This is exactly why we got microfiber. We had a set of cheap leather couches and my wife hated them. Personally I like thick top grain leather but our $2,400 set of theater seats was more like $7,000 with the good stuff. I can't do that.


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