Progressive Furnishings Leather Guide

Our leather sofas at Progressive Furnishings are all constructed from High-Grade Thick Semi-Aniline Full Grain Leather which is the best quality leather for sofas and chairs. It is strong with a natural texture, has good colour and is highly durable. All these features make our sofas ideal for busy families or trendsetting couples alike. Our sofas represent great value as they are an investment that will last and look good for many years to come.

Not all types of leather are created equal and prices can vary greatly across different retailers. To help explain why a cheap sofa may not necessarily be the bargain it looks, we thought we’d share the main types of leather and what is the best type for your next new sofa.

Full Grain – Genuine

This is the first layer of a hide and has the following features and benefits:

• It has natural grain features
• There is a natural colour variation
• It has natural textures
• It has a very soft supple feel
• The hides can have scarring and branding but thee imperfections can often be corrected
• It is naturally water resistant
• It is strong and durable due to naturally tight intertwined collagen micro structure
• Full grain leathers provide a natural look as no sanding has taken place to remove any layers and generally, Full Grain leathers come from better quality hides then other types.

This type of leather is what most of our leather sofas are made from, making them not only beautiful but durable, strong and comfortable to rest upon.

We can source other leather types if requested by one of our customers.

Progressive Furnishings Sofas

Sofas in our showroom are made from full-grain leather as we believe it is the most durable and beautiful leather for our furniture. We only offer high-quality products to our customers that we know will look beautiful in their homes for many years to come.

 Top Grain – Genuine

This is the second layer of a hide and has the following features:

• It is the 2^nd layer of a hide as the top layer has been sanded away to provide a more uniform look to the leather but natural features are still visible.
• It has natural grain features
• There are natural colour variations
• It has a natural texture and supple feel
• There is less scarring and no branding, so you get a natural look with less imperfections
• It is naturally semi-water resistant
• The top portion of this leather is strong and durable but the lower portion is less tough as it is suede.

Graphic showing leather layers

Suede/Nubuck – Genuine

Nubuck is the remaining layers of the hide and has the following features:

• It has no natural grain
• It is naturally a very soft “fuzzy” texture
• There is no scarring or branding
• It is very absorbent and does stain easily. It will need regular maintenance for cleaning and protection
• It is less tough and not so durable which is due to the collagen micro-fibre structure being larger and less intertwined
• There are a variety of finishes
• Nubuck has a velvety look and will change shade when you run your hand across it

Corrected Grain – Not a true type

Corrected leather grains go through various processes such as sanding, buffing, stamping and dying to create a uniform look. Other key points for corrected grain are:

• It can be from any layer
• 1^st and 2^nd layers do not meet
• It goes through extra tanning processes to become corrected grain
• Suede is made to look like full grain or top grain by adding coatings and embossing it. Embossing is when a pattern is pressed into the leather.
• The grain can look unnatural with a very uniform appearance that can be rubbery to the touch.

Bonded Leather – “Real Leather”

This type is also known as reconstituted or blended leather.
It is manufactured from scraps of leather glued over a backing cloth or is made up of leather pieces/fibres that are mixed with binding agents then moulded into sheets. Think of this as the MDF of leather! It is weaker and less durable than other leather types which doesn’t make it ideal for a sofa that will be used daily.

Leatherette – Artificial Leather

The following terms are all used to describe false leather and there are new ones being invented all of the time – faux, PU, eco, vegan, vege, mushroom, vinyl and pleather.
Despite the use of terms such as eco and green, false leathers are often made from plastic so are not actually eco-friendly!
The quality of leatherette can vary greatly but as a rule of thumb is used for cheapness and a budget material. UV light can also damage leatherette. This is not an ideal material for any sofa or chair is regular use.

None of our sofas or chairs are made from this material as we believe it doesn’t give good value for money as the products are not durable and do not last.

Take a look at our leather sofa section to view our extensive ranges.

Our range includes the following designs: