![]() However, these are mostly collector cars that will rarely be driven or exposed to the sun for prolonged periods of time.įor this reason, we do sell some furniture-grade leathers. When you’re doing one-off builds with some extreme angles and compound curves, you need to have some flexibility. Some of our hot rod and custom car upholsterers prefer to work with furniture leather because of its elasticity. ![]() There are applications where an automotive leather just won’t work because it’s too stiff or the wrong look. Is there any case where using furniture leather to upholster cars is a good idea? This is especially true with waxed and oiled leathers, or aniline leathers, as they have minimal or no urethane top coat for protection. The other factor is that the colors can fade because there isn’t enough UV resistance in the leather. What are the possible negative consequences of using furniture leather in cars?įurniture leather can be too soft for a car’s interior, and overtime the leather can stretch and become loose without rebound. I have seen cases where excessive moisturizing has altered the moisture content inside the leather hide, which causes the leather fibers to lose their strength and the interior becomes very loose, and in some cases dashboards bubble up or shrink. Occasional moisturizers are not going to hurt, but their benefits are also debatable. When lotions are applied to it, it’s really just sitting on the surface and then rubbing off on clothing. ![]() The proper amount of ingredients have been added to make the leather last as long as possible, and it has been tested thoroughly.Īuto leather has a pigmented and urethane top coat to seal it. The leather has been tanned to preserve it. Therefore, I feel that adding a lot of leather protectants and lotions is unnecessary. Is that also true of automotive leather?Īutomotive-grade leather by nature has a lot of protectant in it. There are also extra additives in the pigment dyes for durability and abrasion resistance and to minimize off-gassing (the windshield fog that we all wipe away).įurniture leather needs a lot of upkeep. In automotive leather, there is more UV protectant to block out the sun’s rays. There are differences in the surface finish. Is automotive leather chemically treated differently than furniture leather? This creates a leather that is more resistant to stretching and bagging. In automotive leather, durability and long life is needed so less fat liquors are used to create a stronger hide. ![]() Furniture leather uses a lot of fat liquor to make the skin fibers elastic and soft, which creates a supple leather. The primary difference is in the tanning process. What is the primary difference between automotive and furniture leather? We recently spoke with Aaron about the differences between automotive and furniture leather, the pros and cons of each, and how his team of experts can pretty much match any color out there. Meanwhile, furniture leather is softer and available in many different looks and finishes, but is susceptible to the elements and unsightly stretching.īut don’t just take our word for it - listen to Aaron Laithwaite, founder and CEO of Hydes Leather, the auto upholstery industry’s premier supplier of OEM automotive-grade leather. For example, automotive leather is stiffer and designed to withstand UV rays and abrasions, but unavailable in distressed or naked finishes. Auto trimmers should be aware of the significant differences between automotive- and furniture-grade leather before choosing a hide to upholster a client’s car.īoth types of leather offer benefits and drawbacks that must be taken into account.
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