The life of a leather sofa

When choosing the right furniture for your commercial project, leather sofas are always popular as they bring style, and comfort, and are easy to maintain.

So how long will a leather sofa last?However, there is no direct answer in the affirmative.The longevity of a leather sofa is determined by a number of factors, 

such as the type and quality of leather used to make the leather furniture, the frame and padding of the leather sofa and the way it is cared for and maintained.

Therefore, as a leather sofa factory, we have collated this guide to help you better understand these factors.

The effect of leather on the life of a leather sofa

This is the most important thing you need to consider when sourcing or customising leather furniture and determining its longevity.

Sofas built with quality leather materials will not flake or crack.Because of its natural toughness, quality leather has excellent durability, 

excluding human damage such as scratching with sharp objects, pets in the house scratching the surface of the leather, or putting chemicals, dripping on the sofa.

In daily use, the leather of a leather sofa is very unlikely to be damaged. ICONIC SOCIETY Furniture prides ourselves on providing our customers with the finest leather sofas, 

chaise lounges, dining chairs, bar stools, and lounge chairs, and as the years pass, our leather furniture only deepens its natural appeal.

Full Grain Leather

Full-grain leather can be an expensive investment.This type of leather is the most durable and long-lasting, and also the most expensive.

 Leather sofa manufacturers use raw animal skins, remove the hair and then immerse the leather in natural dyes.

Avoiding additional treatments allows the full-grain leather to retain its original texture, appearance, and quality.

Top Grain leather

Top-grain leather is a type of first-grain leather, made by removing the hard surface layer during the processing of first-grain leather.

Compared to full-grain leather, this has the advantage of giving the manufacturer the opportunity to spray or roll on the protective layer.

Therefore, top-grain leather sofas are resistant to stains and easier to keep clean, avoiding soiling and light scratches. 

It protects it from damage and corrosion, making it last longer.

This means that these leather sofas are ideal for home or commercial use in public places such as bars, clubs, waiting rooms, reception rooms, cafes, hotels, etc.

At the same time, the surface of sofas made from top-grain leather can be given a rich colour and style, while retaining the natural traces of the leather.

Ideal for high-end leather sofas and chairs. At Iconic Society Furniture, each piece of top-grain leather is crafted by our artisans to be soft, attractive and durable.

Click here to find out the story of our leather.

For the above two leather sofas made from top layer cowhide, expect them to last 5 to 20 years or more. 

EARL STANHOPE-Top Grain Leather Sofa

Split Leather 

The split leather is a second layer of cowhide to the original leather. It is still genuine leather, but because the outer grain of the leather is removed. 

It is a softer and easier material to work with compared to the first layer of leather, but it comes at a price. Although it retains the characteristics of leather,

 its loose fibrous tissue and low density make it less durable than the top or full-grain leather.

Bonded Leather

Bonded leather is made from discarded pieces of leather, mixed together and chopped up, which are then mixed with an adhesive and tumbled.

Bonded leather is much cheaper than other types of leather but does not last as long. Sofas made from bonded leather may start to peel within a year or two,

 especially if exposed to sunlight or moisture.

Faux Leather

Also known as vegan leather or imitation leather, it is a plastic product that looks and feels similar to real leather.In our experience as a leather sofa factory,

this material is very prone to scratches and tears. Also, faux leather sofas can show signs of fading very quickly. 

For a sofa made of artificial, bonded, or second leather, it might last 1 ~ 5 years, but in many cases,

the leather will start to show signs of aging in a much shorter period of time.For more detailed information on leather, 

we have written a guide "6 Types Of Leather: An Overview Guide to Leather Quality & Grades".

Other influencing factors

We have already described the different types of leather and how long they can last. But as well as the outer finish, 

it is equally important to have a look at what lies beneath the leather of a leather sofa.

Quality of padding - Foam

The next thing to notice is the padding inside the seat and cushion - the foam. 

Many manufacturers like to cut corners by using poor-quality foam in the inner padding, which is "invisible" to the customer.

It is fine for a short period of time, but using poor-quality foam padding will quickly start to dent and sag, which means that leather sofas become uncomfortable. 

In general, the higher the density of the foam, the longer it will last. And a leather sofa with high-density foam as padding should easily last for decades without causing problems.

In ICONIC SOCIETY factory, we consider only durable, high-density foams with high-quality fluffy down to create soft and flexible fillings for the furniture.

Wooden frame

The internal wooden frame of the sofa is invisible to the naked eye, but this part fully reflects the true strength of a sofa brand.

ICONIC SOCIETY leather sofa factory will use solid pine wood, thick enough for plywood, to make the interior frames of our sofas and chairs.

The timber for the frame of each piece of furniture is hand selected, cut, assembled, and bolted together to ensure that it is stable enough to be perfectly durable. 

This means using the best craftsmanship to assemble solid wood that is strong enough and environmentally responsible. 

This will ensure the frame lasts at least as long as the leather upholstery on average.

Even with the best leather-made sofas, their quality is also closely related to the frame inside. 

A solid hardwood frame would be a good choice if you are looking to purchase and build something that will last for many years. 

Spring

The next is the quality of the springs inside the leather sofa and the way it is assembled. The arrangement and structure of the springs also affect the durability of the leather sofa.

Iconic Society leather sofa factory will use "Z-shaped" springs and woven belt interlacing to create a firm support for the sofa with excellent elasticity.

Skilled craftsmen hand-fasten the springs to the frame to hold them in place for maximum comfort.

Care and Maintenance - How to make a leather sofa last longer?

In addition to the quality of the leather sofa itself, the obvious factor that affects the life of a leather sofa is the way it is used.

Although good quality leather sofas are very durable, they also require regular maintenance and cleaning in daily use.

We would like to give a few recommendations for daily maintenance.

1. Keep away from danger

Avoid sharp objects that come close and scratch the leather surface of the sofa. 

For example, knives and forks, the sharp claws of pets, or even the nails of naughty children. 

Even the toughest quality leather will not stand up to a scratch from a sharp object.

2. Avoid spilling food and drink

Although this is difficult to avoid completely, when spills do occur, they need to be cleaned promptly with a damp cloth.

3. Pat after sitting for a long time

After sitting on a leather sofa for a long time, you should pat the seat, or flip its cushions and backrests, so that it returns to its original state, 

reducing the concentration of sitting force and mechanical fatigue of the slight depression phenomenon.

4. Placement in the right place

Sofa placement to ensure that the location of ventilation, too dry or wet will accelerate the aging of leather.

Leather sofa placement, try to avoid the sun's rays and air conditioning vents below, which can easily lead to leather hardening or fading.

5. Don't use soapy water for cleaning

Do not use soapy water, detergent, care wax, etc. on the leather sofa cleaning and maintenance. 

These cleaning products not only can not effectively remove the dust accumulated on the surface of the furniture, 

but also has a certain corrosive, and therefore will damage the surface of the furniture, shortening the service life.

For daily cleaning, simply wipe gently with a cloth or use a professional leather wipe.

For more information on how to care for and clean leather sofas and chairs, 

we have written a more detailed guide “Leather Sofa Care:10 Tips to clean and Maintain your leather Chesterfield sofa”

Choosing a reliable leather sofa factory

Overall, you now realise that how long a leather sofa lasts depends not only on the quality of the leather 

but also on the internal structure of the sofa, as well as on daily maintenance and where the leather sofa is used.

Some cheap leather sofas may look good, but beneath the surface, 

some leather sofa manufacturers may cut corners in order to produce a sofa at a lower cost.

Therefore, choosing a reliable leather sofa supplier will benefit your business.

For over a decade, Iconic Society Furniture as a leather furniture factory

 has been loved by our customers for the exceptional quality of each piece, handcrafted using the finest materials and customized to bring your vision to life.

Each piece is handcrafted using the finest materials, customized to bring your vision to life,

 and tested to exceed the industry standards of BSCI, CertiPUR USA and BS5852, CA117.

Click here to find out more about Iconic Society Factory 

and we hope we have the opportunity to work with you in the high-quality leather furniture industry.

Let's start by contacting Iconic Society Furniture!