Different Leather Sofa and Buying Guide

1. COMMON LEATHER TYPES

The raw material of genuine leather comes from real animal skin, which can be divided into cowhide, sheepskin, pigskin, and other animal skins.

2. WHAT KIND OF LEATHER IS USED FOR A GOOD LEATHER SOFA?

General cowhide is suitable for making leather sofas. According to the type of cattle, the cowhide can be divided into yellow cowhide and buffalo cowhide. According to the level of cowhide, the cowhide can be divided into first-layer cowhide and second-layer cowhide.

1) Types of cattle

Yellow cowhide

The leather surface is brighter, softer, has better fullness, and is more durable but at a higher cost.

Buffalo cowhide

The leather surface is darker, harder, and rougher, and the fullness is poor at a low cost. The leather will become harder and fall off more easily after long-term use.

2) Type of level of cowhide

1. The first layer cowhide

It consists of a dense, thin layer of fibers and a slightly loose transition layer that is tightly connected. So the first layer of cowhide has good strength, flexibility, workability, and other properties.

2. The second layer of cowhide

This cowhide only has a loose fiber tissue layer, which needs to be sprayed with chemical materials or polished before it can be used to make leather products. The texture of the second layer of cowhide with poor breathability is much worse than the first layer of cowhide. And it is easy to crack, and other phenomena.

So how do we tell the difference between first-layer and second-layer cowhide?

Easy!

Press down the leather with your hand. The leather without wrinkles is the second layer of cowhide.

The first layer of yellow cowhide is considered the top material of the sofa.

And when you face with general buffalo leather sofa, the merchant will not take the initiative to tell you that this is buffalo leather. They will only say that this is genuine leather.

If you can not distinguish the difference between these two types of cowhide correctly and buy a sofa with buffalo leather, You will realize this sofa is a substandard product after long-term use. You have to be alert if the merchant does not answer you positively about what kind of leather this is. But it does not mean that buffalo leather definitely can not be used. Just don't buy buffalo leather at the price which is same as that yellow leather.

Fancyarn leather sofas are made of precious first-layer yellow cowhide.

With absolute genuine, Fancyarn furniture can withstand more tests of time!

3. SKIN EMBRYO LEVEL DETERMINES THE QUALITY OF THE LEATHER SOFA

We can remember this formula when choosing a leather sofa.

The cost of a leather sofa = leather embryo (75%) + process treatment (25%)

Leather embryo grade determines the merits of a leather sofa, and is a key indicator to measure the quality of leather.

The leather grade is divided into three grades, A, B, and C.

Fancyarn only uses A-grade leather for furniture making.

The production of A-grade leather embryos accounts for only about 15% of all cowhide production.

Also, the A-grade leather embryo is the most ideal leather embryo in all leather sofas!

The sofa made by Fancyarn is the "best" in terms of appearance and quality!

4.DIFFERENT FINISHES OF THE FIRST LAYER OF COWHIDE

From left to right, Embossed leather , Pearlescent leather, Frosted leather, Full grain leather, NAPPA leather, Oil wax leather, Dry milled leather, and Lychee grai

1)Oil wax leather

This material is the "NOBLE" of leather. It is made of a high-quality layer, unprocessed since it is the most natural high-grade leather leads to its high price. American, European, and other classical furniture are fond of using this material. In recent years, it has also become popular with people who love vintage.

Images of real touch

(See the color in a tiled state. And see the finish under the folded state.)

2)Frosted leather

This type of leather is made of genuine leather surface that has been polished and buffed to give it a brushed texture. Because of the special looks, this leather is popular and loved by young people.

Frosted leather is mostly water-dyed, which presents an unstable color. If the grade of the skin embryo is low, it will easily show light decolorization. In addition, this material is very difficult to take care of, it is more popular in the top-end market.

3) Pearlescent leather

The surface of pearl leather is made of high-mesh pearl powder, which can present different colors. For example, gold, silver, beige, etc. These colors are often used to make Mediterranean-style European sofas. But its process is not durable and aesthetically outdated, you may need to think carefully before selecting this types of furniture.

4)Lychee grain

Like its name, the lychee grain is a "synonym" for the texture of lychee shells with its unique imprinted grain. It retains the characteristics of the original leather: clear pore texture, a grainy feel, good elasticity strength, and technical plasticity. It is thicker but not smooth to the touch.

You can recognize the lychee grain as real cowhide in the following way. When your hand gently presses down, the leather is wrinkled.You can recognize the lychee grain as real cowhide in the following way. When your hand gently presses down, the leather is wrinkled.

5)Dry-milled leather

Dry milled leather is placed in drums which, through heat and movement, give it a wrinkled and lived-in appearance. The finish of wrestled cowhide is thicker than NAPPA but lighter than the embossed cowhide.

This material is also one of Fancyarn's selected cowhide, it is generally used to make light luxury bags, luxury car interiors, and leather seats with the first layer of yellow cowhide. Dry milled leather has a more outstandingly soft touch feel! It will make you feel in love with it!

6) NAPPA Leather

This leather is very soft to touch. If the finished product is classified by grade, it is classified as the best grain leather.

It requires a high grade of original leather germ. The number of pores on the surface of the leather is clear, and it feels very smooth when you touch it with the back of your hand. It has a natural glossy feeling, most Fancyarn leather sofa is made of NAPPA leather. Most of the first layer of leather embryos are imported from America.

For cattle captivity, the ranch will have a scientific special captive breeding method to ensure that the leather is healthy and high-quality, to produce higher-quality whole leather embryos. We have investigated far and wide to find a good cowhide!

7) Embossed leather

The embossed cowhide has a thicker finish and requires a lower grade for the leather germ. Although the overly heavy leather finish may affect the texture of the leather, the production process of the skin selection process can be simplified, so it is very cost-effective.

8) Full grain leather

Before understanding full-grain leather, you can take a glance at this picture. It will help you quickly understand what is grain leather!

If the skin is divided into three layers, from the outside to the inside it can be divided into the granular layer, the reticular layer, and the subcutaneous tissue layer.

Most of the top-grade germ will be used to process into full-grain leather. It preserves the natural grain of the leather, even the blood vessels and the smallest scars.

This kind of leather is basically not going to be retouched, it comes with the most natural scars. The price is over $10,000. It has a matte visual effect and a lightly brushed feel that tends to make people feel like they can't stop touching it.

Tips:

Dry milled leather and NAPPA leather series are very versatile. It can be used in different home styles.

Oil wax leather and lychee grain are suitable for classical style and medieval style.

Embossed leather and full-grain cowhide comes with a heavy vintage flavor.

You can choose different leathers according to your favorite preference and home style.

5. How to Choose Full Leather and Half Leather Sofa

Full leather sofa

All parts of the sofa that use leather are genuine leather.

Half leather sofa

The parts that people are in contact with are genuine leather. Other parts that people are not often in contact with may be imitation leather.

So how to choose your sofa?

The sofa is an important piece of furniture in the home, located in the center of the living room. We suggest you choose a sofa depending on your personal budget. If the budget is sufficient, we first recommend the full leather sofa. Full leather has an exceptional appearance and quality for long-time use.If the budget is not enough, the half leather sofa is acceptable, and its appearance is not inferior to the full leather.