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What to look for when buying leather chairs

A beautifully-fitted sofa set can elevate the elegance of any room, but what should you look for when buying leather chairs and how can you spot genuine leather? Read on to find out.


Types of Leather

full grain leather

Leather is one of the four main materials that make up a standard sofa; the others being wood for the frame, coiled iron spring or rubber for the suspension and foam or feathers for the filling.

Also Read: How to get that beautiful leather furniture at 30% discount

There are two types of leather: natural and synthetic. Natural leather, sourced from animals, has five different grades listed below in the order of quality:

  1. Full Grain or Top Grain
  2. Embossed or Corrected Leather
  3. Split Suede
  4. Nubuck Suede Grain
  5. Reconstituted Leather

If you want really classy leather chairs that last for years and years, Full Grain or Top Grain leather is what to go for.

Characteristics of Natural Leather


leather chair

High-quality leather upholstery isn’t cheap, so if the price sounds too good to be true then you are probably right. Apart from the price, natural leather also always feels warm to the touch, and even when heavily processed it still retains the distinctive smell of animal hide.  

Leather furniture makers indicate the quality of their material by branding the product with ‘Top Grain’, ‘Full Grain’ or ‘Genuine Leather’. Leather materials branded Top or Full Grain are the highest quality of leather and usually feature irregular patterns known as grains. The cost of a large sofa made with Full Grain leather starts from N1.5 million at Lifemate.

Next in terms of quality is embossed or corrected leather. It has all the physical qualities of Top Grain except that its irregular patterns have been heavily corrected or virtually erased, with even patterns embossed on the finished product. This type of leather is considerably cheaper than Full Grain depending on the other materials used in its construction. Furniture outlets stocking all the different qualities of leather in Nigeria include Bedmate Furnitures, Lifemate, FurnishNG, Leatherworldng and Domestico, they all offer at least one year warranty on their products.

Furniture made from split suede and Nubuck suede is rare, so except you have a connoisseur nearby it would be hard to determine the quality.   

Leather Mixing

in many cases, high-quality leather is mixed with synthetic leather on the same piece of furniture.
in many cases, high-quality leather is mixed with synthetic leather on the same piece of furniture.


According to leather upholstery experts, in many cases, high-quality leather is mixed with synthetic leather on the same piece of furniture. In recliners, for example, Top Grain leather, Embossed or the Suede variants are used for the seat, back and arms whilst the back of the chair that is usually hidden from view is made from faux leather or synthetic materials.   

The other materials used in the manufacturing of leather furniture is as important as the leather itself. When hardwood such as acacia, cedar or mahogany is used for the frames, the chairs tend to last longer. Experts also recommend a heavy gauge, sinuous no-sag spring or a webbing suspension system when choosing quality leather chairs.

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