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Leather & Synthetic leather types
Many new types of materials (PU, bonded PU & PVC) are now on the market and vary in naming throughout the furniture industry. Some imitation leather names: PLEATHER, LEATHER TOUCH, BONDED LEATHER, LEATHER BOND, LEATHER LOOK, ECO LEATHER, AIR LEATHER etc. etc.
At Furniture Warehouse we are very careful with these naming and prefer to call LEATHER what it is and to remove the word leather from any imitation materials that are definitely not LEATHER. Please be careful when offered a product with the word “leather” added in the name as this is totally misleading.
- Leather:
or “leather hide”. Thick and durable (very expensive) : Genuine leather
- Bonded PU:
Poly-urethane with a bonded backing to make the material thicker (medium price range). A fake leather that is not durable.
- PU / Leatherette:
A fake leather that is not durable. Poly-urethane. No bonded backing so the material will be thinner than Bonded PU (budget price range).
- PVC:
Thin/ plastic material that does not “breathe” (will cling to your skin) (low budget range). A fake leather that is not durable.
