Understanding leather, under the skin

They are known to enhance the character of a home, adding a touch of luxury along with it. That’s why leather furniture is so popular, even if it is faux leather.

“People love using leather furniture in the UAE because it’s a cool fabric compared to other materials. It’s natural and hard-wearing,” says Anam Siddiqui, senior interior designer at Perfect Proportions in Dubai. “However, people prefer using PU (polyurethane) leather or synthetic leather because it is easier to maintain compared to genuine leather and is, of course, less expensive. Genuine leather will cost at least five times more than PU. Moreover, to care for PU, all you need to do is use a soap and sponge regularly”.

Chirantan Joshi, general manager of Leather Doctor, a company that provides cleaning and repair services for leather furniture, car and yacht upholstery and other leather products, is, however, of the opinion that genuine leather products are not only longer lasting, they are worth spending on.

“We’ve recently repaired a sofa which was around 15 years old. It was in immaculate condition. So there’s leather that can last this long and longer,” says Joshi. “Sometimes faux leather products may be good, but really not worth paying for repairs or extensive maintenance”.

There’s an extensive variety of style, colours, quality and price-range leather furniture available in the market. Along with bringing in the “Wow, leather couch, eh?” kind of reactions from friends and family, as it ages it not only becomes your favourite lounging spot in the house, it’ll add character to your room. It’s tougher than other natural fabrics and can withstand the test of time as long as it is kept away from harsh sunlight. It’s also easier to care for, if regular cleaning is done and conditioning every 6-12 months. You will also find that indoor leather furniture will keep you cool during the summer since it’s natural, it can breathe and be warm during winters as it warms with the body heat.

Some say it’s environmentally friendly too, though twisted. Leather is a by-product of the meat industry and some of it would be scrapped, if not used to make leather furniture and products.

Moreover, changing the look of the room with the season around the statement leather couch or settee is easier and cost effective. A simple throw or coloured cushions can brighten up a monotone leather couch, giving it an instant new look. So you can save on the re-upholstering or buying new furniture to keep up with the trend.

But, why restrict your use of leather furniture to a couch or sofa set or just tables?

“Today one can look beyond the couch for leather elements,” says Siddiqui. “Use leather tiles instead of wallpaper to give your wall a distinguished look. Or pick up a leather patchwork rug for bringing out the glamour of your antique centre table. Leather cushions can be another option”.

However, keep pens, sharp objects and pets away from them — a professional cleaning or repair job does not come cheap.

“Ask the store you are buying furniture from before you do. They will always recommend what is suitable for the furniture,” says Siddiqui.

“There are two aspects to the maintenance of leather furniture,” says Joshi. “Cleaning-conditioning, which is fairly fast and easy to do, and paint patching. The former which can cost approximately Dh100 per seat (also dependent on the size of the sofa), will only take the dirt off the surface, not the deep stain. If you’ve managed to wipe off the spill as soon as it happens and before it seeps in, then cleaning is all you need. But if the drink or oil has seeped in then it cannot be removed just by cleaning and we need to do paint patching. It is quite a lengthy procedure and can cost anything between Dh400-600 per patch.

“For repairing cuts, cracks and holes, we need to first fill up the gap with leather fillers. It is then allowed to dry before we paint match it to the actual colour, over which is applied a layer of protector because the paint in itself is not long lasting. The skill is in the colour matching. If you have a white sofa, after a few years, the white doesn’t really remain white so you match that colour not put on the original colour. Also critical here is to create the grains again because when you paint patch it, the grains are gone. Actually you need to do it when you use the filler and then paint on it. There are different grain or texture samples, which are matched to the original and then used.”

So cleaning and repairing can come at a price and Joshi does not recommend it if the leather is fake or of poor quality.

“Once we receive a call we do a free survey of the product. We advise whether the leather is worth repairing or not, especially when it’s cheap leather. But, one should consider not just the value of the individual piece. If you have a 3+2+1 sofa set, consider the value of the entire set, not the individual seat. If there’s a cigarette burn on one seat, it ruins the whole set, not just the piece. Then Dh400-600 seems a small price to restore the set, which may have cost you Dh30,000.”

HOW DOES THE WEATHER AFFECT THE LEATHER?

“We haven’t seen much impact of weather in home furniture, because it is usually in an air-conditioned/temperature controlled environment,” says Chirantan Joshi of Leather Doctor. “However, make sure the furniture piece is not placed next to a window from where you have direct sunlight. Then it would start fading.

“The leather used in outdoor furniture is a different material, which can weather the sunrays. But then you have high-end and cheap leather in that too. The latter is usually replaced at regular intervals, say six months. Because of its low quality it is not worth repairing that. For the high-end leather used in outdoor furniture, regular cleaning, conditioning and protecting is necessary.

TIPS ON MAINTENANCE

If you remove the dirt with regular cleaning and six-monthly conditioning, it looks fresh.

Use a good quality leather cleaning cream with a soft sponge or cloth and not any other material cleaner, such as dish soap, detergent, nail polish remover, furniture polish or glass cleaner.

Conditioning is important to maintain the oil balance.

If you have a small damage, immediately repair it else it will spread.

Avoid eating or drinking on leather furniture. Other issues may be accidental but if you are eating or drinking on a leather sofa, you are inviting trouble.

Don’t lay an oily head on the sofa. Removing an oil patch is the most challenging repair job on leather as it seeps in. You may need to change the whole panel as paint patch may not work. Wipe off excess oil, grease or butter stains with a clean dry cloth.

DON’T FORGET

Suede should be cleaned immediately. If caught before it seeps in, it can be cleaned. If you leave a dirt or other stain on it, it’s very difficult to clean after a few hours. Maintenance is very important for this kind of leather.

Unlined leather tends to soak in dirt/moisture very fast. Normal leather usually comes with protective layer but unlined leather does not have a top coat. It will become part of the design.

Cheap quality leather is simply not worth cleaning. These are bonded leathers where the top portion may look like leather but has fabric under it. But once it starts peeling it’s going to damage slowly because the “leather” is not really leather. Re-upholstering is a good option in this case.

WHEN YOU BUY

What should you keep in mind when buying leather furniture?

Buy all together: Being skin, leather will have natural imperfections, texture, colouring and uneven surface. So, if you wish to set up your sitting room in leather, buy all pieces at same time as you may not be able to get the same coloured or textured items later.

Buy from a reliable source: Ensure you are paying for the genuine material. Real leather pieces should come with papers of authenticity and instructions for care. Preferably, get furniture with zipper leather covers as they will be easy to take off and clean.