Leather Sofa vs Fabric Sofa

Buying a good and stylish sofa is always confusing for a lot of people because thousands of choices are available and every sofa or couch has its unique qualities. Like either, we should go with a Modern or classic sofa? High or low back sofa? Loose or fixed cushions? But the most common question that will be asked is “Should I buy a leather sofa or fabric sofa”. So here we provided a Leather sofa vs fabric sofa guided for you so that you can decide which one is better and best for you:

Benefits of Leather Sofa – Leather vs Fabric Sofa Guide

Leather Sofa Comfort

For a lot of people, comfort is everything but may mean completely different to different people as it is subjective. But it should have quality frame structure features like suspension type, cushions foam type, reclining position, and length. We have highlighted some of the characteristics of comfort for a leather sofa below:

• Leather is luxurious & soft.
• It’s warm in winter and cool in summer it adjusts to the temperature of your body. But that is for the specific type of leather like top-grain leather, and not for treated grain leather or faux leather.
• Full-grain leather becomes more comfortable with use and conforms to your body shape.
• The leather becomes more graceful and luminous over time if it is properly being cared for.
• Real leather retains its fragrance even after tanning. It has a distinct leathery smell and that can be comforting for some people.
• Leather often do better for people who have allergy because leather doesn’t harbor dust, and pet dander easily as the fabric does.

Leather Sofa Appearance

• Leather sofas have modern look, natural beauty, elegance, and a unique appearance.
• Top grain leather adds interest and beauty to any room they are placed in.
• The leather sofa is timeless and looks even better with age.
• Leather comes in a variety of different types and colors.
• Leather usually gets darker when it is contacted by some external thing and form a luxurious finish called patina.
• One of the unpleasant things that some people find in leather is wrinkles and puddling. But a lot of people say that the same wrinkles and puddling basically adds appeal to the leather in its natural beauty.

Leather Sofa Durability

• Leather has amazing strength and it has the capacity to last 4 times longer than fabric although linen and cotton have more strength as well.
• Top grain leather is thick and tough so it’s difficult to make scratches on it by your pet’s claws. However Aniline leather is unprotected and susceptible to scratches.
• Leather will not burn or melt readily because of its resisting power against flame.
• Leather prevents the penetration of dust, pet dander due to its tight and strong fibers.
• The smell of pets or other things doesn’t remain with leather.
• It is better for people who suffer from allergies because it doesn’t keep dust and smell in it.
• Leather has a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years so If you want a long-lasting piece then leather is a great option for you.

Leather Sofa Maintenance

• Leather will maintain its beauty for ages and might get better with time.
• As leather has different types of couches. So, it has different cleaning and maintenance requirements as well.
• For cleaning purposes, it is always better to check the tag of the couch and follow the procedure given by the manufacturer because its different variety of cleaning procedures will change depending upon its type.
• Keep leather sofas away from direct sunlight because they may fade their color.
• Also keep the leather products away from fireplaces, radiators, and generators.

Read the cleaning procedure of leather

Leather Sofa Cost

• The leather upholstery cover is more expensive than the fabric.
• A good quality leather sofa-like top-grain has usually 2.5 times more costly than a sofa that has low-quality upholstery leather.
• Due to its high quality leather never gets out of style and holds its value.
• Leather is a long-lasting and durable material.

Leather Sofa Environmental Impact / Sustainability

• Leather upholstery is processed from animals. Its tanning process produces the biggest environmental impact.
• Genuine leather products at the end of their useful life do not add any environmental problems.
• Artificial leather at the end of its useful life can turn into toxic waste.

Benefits of Fabric Sofa – Leather vs Fabric Sofa Guide

Fabric Sofa Comfort

Same like leather we have provided some of the basic characteristics of comfort for fabric sofa below:

• Fabric sofas have a lot of variety in it so it varies depending on the fabric itself, the frame construction, and joinery assembly.
• Fabric is generally softer than leather
• Cotton or linen are comfortable and softer than leather but they might get wrinkle or sag when you get up.
• Fabric sofa may harbor dust mite, pet dander by which some people have an allergy. However, some people also have allergies to leather their skin gets red and tender.

Fabric Sofa Appearance

• The fabric has unlimited patterns, textures, styles, and colors to match your existing décor, unlike leather. Leather also does have a variety of colors and material but when it comes to unlimited patterns, texture, style, and color definitely fabric wins the race.
• Because of fabric’s unlimited choices, you can complement existing decor and get the look you want for your living room, apartment, or office.
• Fabric-like linen and cotton do have wrinkle issues but if you buy polyester fabric it is resistant to creasing and can keep the shape when you get up.
• Some people like tailored sofa style so fabric allows you to this. In leather faux leather also allows having a more tailored style.

Fabric Sofa Durability

• Cotton and linen have very strong fibers but due to their looser weave, they may get wear quickly, however, their tightly woven threads prevent dirt from entering into them so which makes them more durable.
• A synthetic blend containing polyester is the most durable type of fabric.
• Synthetic blend is also good for people who have allergies to dust etc.
• Synthetic blend is also very soft and comfortable due to its smaller fibers.
• Canvas has a lot of the same qualities as synthetic blend except for its softness and comfortability due to its large fibers. Tightly woven threads will prevent dirt and spills from penetrating so it is more durable.

Fabric Sofa Maintenance

• Wear and tear depend upon the type of fabric.
• Microfiber couches are excellent against stain resistance.
• They can be easily handled with solvent or water-based techniques.
• Fabric doesn’t get scratched as leather (except to grained) does, so the fabric has more capacity to handle the pet’s claws.
• Direct sunlight for a long time can damage your fabric.

Read the cleaning procedure of fabric

Fabric Sofa Cost

• Fabric is usually the least expensive option. Its price depends upon several factors due to which can be high or low.
• Fabric usually has tighter, denser weaves which increase the labor that ultimately increase the cost of construction.
• However, the biggest factor that controls the cost of fabric is its volume. If fabric has lesser volume the cost can reach the cost of leather as well, however, if you buy in bulk then its cost will be lower.

Fabric Sofa Environmental Impact / Sustainability

• Synthetic fibers are usually produced from chemicals non-renewable resources.
• Even natural fibers don’t necessarily mean they are eco-friendly. Because the process depends upon several important factors.

The summary of fabric sofa vs leather sofa in terms of their pros and cons is given over here:

Fabric Sofa Pros

• Flexibility: Fabric has a lot of variety in it that makes it flexible in terms of choice. You can make a unique personal style sofa due to its versatility.
• Price: Fabric couches are usually lesser expensive than leather couches.

Fabric Sofa Cons

• Stains: Fabric couches might get stains very easily as compared to leather couches.
• Durability: Fabric couches are not as durable and long-lasting as leather couches are.

Leather Sofa Pros

• Natural Elegance: Real leather has an elegance and a luxurious look. It further gets better with age.
• Durability: Leather is more durable and long-lasting if cared for properly.

 Leather Sofa Cons

• Price: The price of leather couches is always high as compared to the fabric. Due to its better durability and long-lasting life, it is however a great investment.

WINNER of Leather Vs Fabric Sofa

While the fabric has a clear advantage in cost and a larger number of pattern options available, leather has the edge on durability.  Depending on your priorities and the relative importance of each criterion, we hope this helps you make a more informed decision.