The Benefits Of Fabric Vs Leather Sofas
The Spruce / Caitlin Rogers
Sofa shopping is confusing, to say the least. There are a thousand different choices to make in the quest for the perfect sofa. Among the considerations: Modern or classic? High or low back? Fixed or loose cushions? All important questions, in terms of style and look. But, as a designer, the question most often asked is, Should I buy leather or fabric?
Reduce Clutter On Couch
Minimize decoration, keep it as simple as possible. If you are allergic to dust mites, try not to place too many pillows, blankets, stuff dolls, or textile artwork on the couch. Not only will the clutter attract dust, you are essentially giving another platform for the dust mites to crawl into. Also, move the sofa away from curtains or blinds as there will be a good clump of dust trapped underneath.
Hypoallergenic Furniture To Keep Allergies Under Control
Creating an allergy-free space is something that we allergy sufferers dream about. While we cant get rid of allergens like pollen, pet dander, and dust mites completely, you can minimize them by adding hypoallergenic furniture to your home! And with springtime in full swing, theres no better time to make it happen.
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Color And Pattern Options
Although leather can come in a variety of colors, fabrics are virtually unlimited in pattern, texture, and color, so fabric offers a much better chance of matching existing decor and getting the look you want.
This is a great opportunity to express your familys style. Choose a sofa with a fun, bright fabric to grab attention or, alternatively, choose one in a calming neutral to anchor a room filled with art or decorative pieces.
Vacuum Regularly With A Hepa Vacuum Cleaner
A normal vacuum cleaner is not capable of catching dust mites and their tiny eggs hiding in the sofa. You will need a vacuum cleaner with HEPA filtration that can trap 99.97% of the microscopic pest. The strong suction plus microfilter bag ensures dust mites and other tiny microbes will be removed from the couch and stop it from further growth. We recommend vacuuming every other day and while youre at it, vacuum the rug, carpet, and entire house thoroughly.
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Leather Couches And Dogs Preventing Sofa Damage From Occurring
Though fabric couches can be incredibly beautiful, they arent particularly practical for families that share their homes with dogs. Since dogs often enjoy tasty treats such as raw meaty bones or pieces of leftovers from their familys dinner that can leave behind greasy stains, fabric upholstery can easily become marked and damaged, leaving the sofa looking worn in no time at all.
Though there are many cleaners on the market today to assist with removing stains from dog paws, slobber, treats, and more, many families opt instead to purchase leather couches to avoid this common problem altogether. However, simply purchasing a leather couch is no guarantee that it too will not succumb to wear and tear from having Fido around. As with most things in life, the key to keeping leather couches looking pristine is preventing damage from occurring in the first place.
The Best Furniture For People And Pets That Suffer From Allergies
is the best furniture to use in your home for people and animals that suffer from allergies. Leather furniture can be the first step to creating an allergy free home. Could your furniture be making you sick? Unlike fabric upholstery leather does not hold odor or dust mites. Leather is a natural product and stays room temperature and naturally breaths through the hair follicle holes. This keeps your leather sofa and loveseat comfortable year-round.
We all know that genuine leather furniture far outlasts any upholstery and now it has been proven that it is worth its weight in gold for allergy sufferers. You can still have a beautiful home despite suffering from allergies. Both you and your fur babies can live a more comfortable and healthier life.
Our Pets and Allergies
Most all-American households have either a cat or a dog that lives in the house with us. More and more these days our pets are suffering with allergies just as we do. Sometimes its only seasonal while others suffer year-round. There is no reason for our pets to suffer any more than they have to. Leather is best for pets all the way around. Best for not absorbing their slobber, it can stand up to their claws and can be wiped clean with just a mild soap and water. Remember our pets are home more than we are. If they have allergies and you dont have the right furnishings they will suffer even more than we do.
Leather Furniture Takes the Worry Out of Allergies
Leather Furniture is Best for Allergies
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The Glam Side Of Faux Leather
Leather jackets and bags look extremely chic and glamorous, yet another reason why it has gained so much popularity among youngsters too. They prefer buying clothing which look good and thus comes the factor of quality.
It is not always necessary that for garments to look good the quality of faux leather need to be compromised, but often cheaper and lesser known brands tend to sell products which dont last long. A good option would be to invest a little in better brands so that one could enjoy the beauty of the product for a longer time, provided it is maintained.
Faux leather is versatile and thus the different textures that could be incorporated into it make it open to being customizable. They could be embellished, embroidered, printed and given different textures. Household upholstery tends to get boring and monotonous with time, playing around with colors and patterns makes it more vibrant.
Faux leather has that added advantage over natural leather, which does not have the option of too much chemical experimentation.
Since the texture is largely dependent on the manufacturer, faux leather could also be sewn easily. This makes it easy to stitch in different shapes according to our choice and hence makes it a very user-friendly material to work with.
Sheen and rose gold patterns seem to be the talk of the season and women particularly tend to incline towards such patterns. Various embellishments and dyes make faux leather look very glamorous.
Choose Upholstery And Fabric Covers Wisely
When choosing furniture, opt for those that the base does not sit on the floor. That will make it easier to clean, and no mold or dust can settle beneath the furniture. Opt for hypoallergenic upholstery materials such as leather or vinyl. It is good to opt for high-quality leather and vinyl as they are easy to clean and repel allergens.
Investing in quality sofa covers is also a good idea. They should be hypoallergenic materials and easy to clean. Sofa covers help to protect the furniture.
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Leather Is Great For Furniture But What About Dust Mites In My Bed
Making the switch to leather furniture is a great decision for people with dust mite allergy. But what about the floors and beds?
Dust mites also thrive in our beds. In fact, sleeping is when the majority of allergic symptoms take place. Some people experience dust mite allergy and asthma, others experience watery eyes, chronic cough, or itchy skin.
Covering your pillow and mattress can be one of the best things you can do to reduce dust mite allergy symptoms .
Flooring is also a major contributor to dust mite allergy. Carpets not only harbor dust mites but pollen, mold, and pet dander can get trapped in carpets for years and cause symptoms in allergic individuals. Even the best allergy vacuums wont remove all dirt and dust from your carpet.
Dust Mite Encasings Eliminate The Dust Mites’ Friendly Habitats
Beds & Pillows – Dust mites’ most troubling habitat is deep inside of our box springs, mattresses, and pillows where they form colonies. Pillow and mattress encasings are the best way to fight these bedroom colonies. Encasings close off these environments with a barrier that dust mites and dust mite allergen can’t pass through. The dust mites that are already there are trapped inside, out of harm’s way, and the dust mites outside can’t burrow in and find a protected place to live. Many allergists recommend allergen encasings as the most effective means of allergy prevention in the bedroom. Dust mite encasings can be a frontline defense and should be one of your first considerations when using environmental controls to relieve allergies.
Carpets, Rugs, & Upholstery – Carpets, rugs, and upholstery are another prime habitat for dust mites. Dust mites can’t survive on hard surfaces like wood, tile, and vinyl floors. Dust mites also have a hard time on leather, vinyl, and wood furniture. When it’s an option, hard floors and non-upholstered furniture make it much easier to keep a room free of allergens. When it’s not an option, there are a number of ways to get rid of dust mites and their allergens in your carpets, upholstery and laundry.
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How To Tell Thequality Of Aleather Sofa
Although it is not always possible to physically visit a showroom before you buy leather furniture it is best if you can. You can then get up close to study and touch the fabric.
For most sofas, you should see where the skins have been stitched together.
First, how do you determine whether the leather is genuine? For most sofas, you should see where the skins have been stitched together. There should also be a clear label explaining where the leather is from together with additional details. If you can look at the reverse of the leather, it should be colorless and rough to touch.
Smell will give you added reassurance because there is no mistaking the rich, pleasant aroma of real leather.
Next you want to check out the grain.
Next you want to check out the grain. If this is perfectly uniform, you could be looking at a faux or bonded leather piece. Alternatively, it could be that the leather is genuine but with an embossed pattern .
If you are purchasing an aniline leather sofa or seat
If you are purchasing an aniline leather sofa or seat you should be able to see the imperfections in the grain clearly and the surface should be warm to the touch. The grain in pigmented leathers will be less visible and feel cool due to the protective surface coat.
Why Is My Sofa Faded In Spots
Sunlight is a powerful thing. The author of this post turns bright red after three minutes in the sun, and your leather sofa is only slightly more tolerant of direct light. As we described above, sunshine and direct light from lamps or other artificial light sources will cause your leather to fade. This is less likely to happen to pigmented or semi-aniline leathers, and more common in aniline pieces.
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Leather Vs Fabric: Couch Potatos Pick
What gives you more bang for your bucks!
Anwesha Barari
Even before there was Netflix and chill, there were television sets and cozy couches in front of them. So the symbiotic relationship between the couch and the couch potato has existed from time immemorial. Cutting back on the nostalgia, a sofa is probably the first thing you buy when you move into a house. Most people/families spend a lot of time on and around it. Buying a leather vs fabric sofa is both a financial and emotional investment, so lets make sure it is an informed one too.
The conundrum around leather versus fabric sofas has been playing out forever. Hence, we couldnt resist the urge to play devils advocate.
#Leather vs Fabric Sofa: Comfort
Comfort is king when it comes to a couch it will not sit dainty in a corner like a side table, you will actually use it. Comfort depends on several things including the overall stability of the structure, the design of the sofa, and the volume of foam used etc. However, the material used to upholster a sofa plays a critical part in determining its comfort quotient. Leather tends to heat up when you spend long hours sitting on it. It also reflects the temperature of the room meaning, it is cold in winter and hot in summer. So fabric definitely gives you a more comfy couch.
#Leather vs Fabric Sofa:Aesthetics
#Leather vs Fabric Sofa: Durability
#Leather vs Fabric Sofa: Maintenance
#Leather vs Fabric Sofa: Cost
#Leather vs Fabric Sofa: Pet/Child-Friendliness
Before Your Make Your Purchase
If you think you are ready to make a purchase of Italian leather, its important you read the next bit of information before buying.
Italian leather has a wonderful reputation, however its not unusual for some unscrupulous retailers to offer faux or low quality leather products with an Italian Leather label. Here are few smart tips that will help you avoid being scammed.
One valuable piece of advice is to always check for a certificate tag! This is one simple way to find out if your leather product is of the best quality.
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Faux Leather: What It Is And When To Use Avoid It
Faux leather has increased in popularity over the past several decades for a variety of reasons . If you want to learn more about faux leather in home décor, what it is, and when it makes sense to use it, read on. Were going to cover all the basics of faux leather to let you figure out for yourself how you feel about the material.
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Definition of Faux Leather: Faux leather is exactly what it sounds like fake, artificial, or syntheticleather. Faux leather is the term commonly used in its application on furniture , but the material is by other names as well: leatherette is used in clothing and auto upholstery, and koskin is used in consumer goods.
Replace Your Air Filters
Dont forget to replace the air filters for your air conditioning system for healthier and cleaner air. Just follow the manufacturers instructions to see how often you need to change them! This is an easy way to lessen your allergies regularly.
Once youve taken all these tips into account, youre on your way to an allergy-free home! If youre inspired to shop at an El Dorado Furniture store, you can shop online anytime or visit a showroom near you in Naples, Miami, West Palm Beach, Ft. Myers, St. Pete, and Broward. Feel free to tag us on Instagram using the hashtag #myedfhome with photos of your hypoallergenic furniture for a chance to be featured on our Instagram account.
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Is Your Leather Sofa Making You Sick
Weve been following some interesting safety news from across the pond. The BBC News in the United Kingdom has been reporting that more than 1,600 people have suffered skin rashes and chemical burns from their new Chinese-made leather sofas. Reports say that one person has died.
After investigation, it was found that the couches were packed with sachets containing dimethly fumarate , an antifungal agent intended to prevent the leather from getting moldy during storage and shipment from China. The chemical evaporates, penetrating the leather and can transfer to clothing and skin. Even small levels of exposure can cause serious skin sores, blisters, rashes and eye irritation. And some victims have reported that their problems have persisted long after the couch has been put on the curb.
On May 1, the European Union and British governments ordered a recall of all products containing dimethyl fumarate.
We wonder if the problem has worked its way into the North American market since much of our furniture is imported from China. I asked the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission if they had received consumer complaints about leather sofas, but they were not aware of any problems.
Unless, that is, you count “Uh, Oh Canada” a recent episode of “King of the Hill” in which a guest complains of getting a rash from sitting on Hank’s and Peggy’s new sofa. “Probably the petrochemicals in the synthetic fiber,” the guest scoffs.
Keep Pets Off The Couch
Whether it is dog, cat or any exotic breed, avoid having your furry friend on the couch. Pets are ticks, dust mites, and germs prone even if they stay indoors all the time. Like human, they shed an excessive amount of dander which is the food source for dust mites. By restricting them off the sofa, there is less pet dander and dust mites to deal with. For those that insist on letting their pet sleeping on the sofa, groom and bathe them regularly to reduce the amount of pet fur shed. They are also temporary solutions like dander removal spray that will work wonders in killing off allergens.
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All You Need To Know Aboutspotting Buyingquality Leather
We all know that leather is one of the most prized fabrics for a wide range of practical items and fashion accessories, not least furniture upholstery. We also know that marketers go to great lengths to persuade buyers that their firms leather is the best.
This can make it challenging to sort out your grades from your grains, your nubuck from your suede and your genuine high quality leather from your convincing faux leather imitations.
This furniture buyers guide to leather will make sure you have all the information you need to spot, buy and care for high quality leather.
If you are in a hurry, we have provided a handy dos and donts checklist at the end of each section .
This furniture buyers guide to leather will make sure you have all the information you need to spot, buy and care for high quality leather.
