Leather Vs. Cloth Sofa

Styles of Sofas

• Both leather and cloth sofas are found in most decorating styles, but some styles are better-suited to one covering than the other. Leather is most often found in modern, contemporary country or traditional decor but is rarely found in a Victorian-style room. Contemporary sofas may use both leather and cloth in one sofa. Cloth is well-suited to curves and exaggerated roundness, while leather is better-suited to sharp-edged styles.

Leather Advantages

• Leather is difficult to rip or tear. It is easy to clean, and, if cared for according to the manufacturer's instructions, should last for many years. It should last at least four times longer than a cloth sofa. Leather does not pill, fray or --- if high quality --- fade in the sun as quickly as cloth, and the softness and patina of leather increases with age. Cats tend to prefer their scratching posts to leather sofas. Leather is a renewable resource and is considered a green alternative to man-made cloth fibers.

Leather Disadvantages

• Leather is one of the most expensive sofa coverings. Because its advantages are so well-known, the demand for leather furniture is high. Leather can be slippery; cushions do not stay in place on a leather sofa, and blankets slide off. Stains may be difficult to remove, and attempting to do so may affect the leather dye. Holes are difficult to repair, as the leather may be impossible to color match. Leather reflects the temperature of a room, so it will be warm to the touch in the summer and cool in the winter.

Cloth Advantages

• Cloth sofas are usually less expensive than leather sofas of similar styles. Patterns, textures and color combinations available in cloth are limitless. Most cloth sofas can be steam-cleaned without damage to the fabric and, if extra fabric was purchased with the sofa, repairs or replacement cushions are possible. Cloth sofa fabric does not stick to exposed skin, and if the fabric is a natural fiber, such as linen, it will feel cool to the touch in the summer and warm in the winter.

Cloth Disadvantages

• Most sofa fabric will fade with prolonged exposure to the sun, whether direct or indirect. Fabric sofas can pill, rip or tear, and undue pressure on seams may cause fraying. The fabric will show use at the areas of greatest friction first --- for example, the front piping on the cushions and the front of the arms. These areas are difficult to spot-mend, and repairs can be expensive. Even stain-resistant fabric may stain, and some upholstery fabric is cleanable with solvents only. Most upholstery-weight fabric has some man-made fibers, which are often products of the petroleum industry.