To support the human lifestyle, craftsmen across the globe designed various kinds of furniture. Foam, Frame, and Upholstery together form furniture. The frame is supportive in nature and is generally made of Wood or Metal. The foam offers a good experience to the user and cushions the impact of the user’s weight. The Outer cover, Webbing, and Padding constitute the Upholstery of furniture. Analyze pros & cons of all materials before shopping furniture. Otherwise, your investment on the furniture can turn futile.
The Outer cover of the furniture is protective and decorative in nature. Generally, it is made of Leather or Fabric.
Leather Furniture: The leather has been part of the home furniture for centuries. Earlier, the Animal hide is widely used in daily activities. Later on, the technological advancements in the tanning industry unveiled different types of leather like Faux Leather, Bonded Leather, Top-grain Leather, Split Leather, and others.
a) Faux Leather is the man-made leather which appears like a genuine leather. It is made of different polymers like Polyurethane which has many advantages.
b) Bonded Leather is affordable and Eco-friendly because it is made from the scrap. It is a treasure derived from the trash.
c) Split Leather is the natural leather which is extracted from the bottom layer of the animal hide. It is relatively cheap and less durable
d) Top-Grain Leather is attained from the top layer of the animal hide. To remove the Animal hide marks, it is processed in the tannery. It is durable.
Advantages of Leather Furniture
- Leather furniture is Hypoallergenic. It doesn’t allow mites and other allergy causing organisms to rest on it.
- It has a very good ease of maintenance, unlike fabric. Users can easily wipe off the dust and dirt.
- The appealing nature of the leather furniture adds charm to the surroundings. Contemporary Sofas come in sleek designs.
- Leather furniture stands the test of time.
Disadvantages of Leather Furniture
- It is sensitive to temperature and some may find it slippery.
- It is susceptible to splitting.
- The genuine leather is relatively very costly.
- It offers a less number of choices compared to the fabric furniture.
Fabric FurnitureThe fabric upholstery of the furniture offers a good number of advantages. The quality of the fabric determines its durability and appeal. The popular fabrics used for upholstering the furniture are Acrylic, Polyester, Cotton, Wool, and Rayon.
- The acrylic upholstery is relatively cheap. It can resist stains.
- The furniture upholstered with the cotton will not fade and can withstand wearing. It has a good Breathability factor.
- The furniture upholstered with the wool offers a good resistance to wrinkles.
- The Polyester upholstery has various advantages.
- The rayon upholstered furniture is comfortable and is resistant to moths and mildews.
Advantages of fabric furniture
- The fabric furniture offers a wide range of choices to shoppers. One can select the color and pattern of the fabric which best suits their décor.
- Unlike, the leather furniture, the fabric furniture comes at reasonable prices. So, people from all walks of life can afford it.
- The fabric furniture gives matchless comfort to users.
- The fabric furniture can enhance the appeal of the existing décor.
Disadvantages of fabric furniture
- It is relatively less durable.
- It is difficult to maintain.
- It absorbs odor and gives a bad experience to the user.