are fabric sofas crap... is leather the gold standard?

Question

i want to get some lounge furniture. is it worth considering fabric furniture... are they harder to look after do they wear quicker and look horrible after a few years... i'm not into putting plastic covers over everything like everybody loves raymond.

holy moly... so many good answers i can't choose...

Answer 1

Both leather and cloth have their respective advantages and disadvantages, so it really comes down to a matter of preference and allowable expense. If you choose furniture with good solid frames, you can always have it recovered for less than replacements would cost. I personally don't care for leather furniture. It has to be maintained to keep the leather supple and soft, or it cracks. Spills may mop up a bit easier, but can as easily soak in and stain the leather permanently. I also don't care for the sensation of sticking to my chair and having to peel myself out of it. Even with the best care, leather scratches and it's difficult to cover them and match the color well. Cleaning leather is more difficult as well. Fabric will stain as well, and can tear, but I find the maintenance is much easier for me. Choosing the fabric well is also important. I recently had our living room suite recovered, and I chose a hunter green damask. The tight weave makes it durable, but it is very easy to clean. I also had it treated with Scotchguard, so it will be more resistant to spills and stains. I own a carpet/upholstery cleaning machine already, and I make it a point to clean the set at least twice a year, and more often as it is needed. Keeping whatever you choose clean is a major factor in extending the life of your furniture anyway. To be honest, I don't know anyone who has their furniture covered in plastic, at least not in decades anyway.
I do know plenty of people who've sprung for the leather sofa or chair, and now regret it. A good many of them have families, but several are just couples without children. They have all mentioned the irritation of scratches, tears and stains- and the cleaning/maintenance issue. I've also noted they all keep plenty of throws around, on the seats usually, to help combat the sticky problem when it's hot or humid. Once couple has a lighter color leather, and it is highly susceptible to stains and dirt spots.
I don't think anything you get is going to last for decades. Regardless of which you choose, and even if you go for the highest quality, after four or five years of daily use, it's all going to show signs of wear and tear. Or you just get tired of looking at it. So my advise would be to buy with the frame in mind, and when the time does come, you can recover and save some money. And in the meantime, if something untoward does happen- the stain, the tear, or whatever, you can at least salvage something worth repairing.

Answer 2

The lifespan of fabric depends completely upon the kind of fabric that is used. More delicate fabrics may wear out a little sooner but some durable fabrics like microfiber or heavy cotton canvas will definitely outlast leather. Both leather and cloth have to be cleaned regularly or else stains can set in permanently or the fabric can get cut. Fabric can be more easily repaired than leather. To me, the huge cost premium in cost that you pay for leather is not worth it if you can find some fabric furniture made of a heavy fabric. If you are going to get leather there are actually 2 kinds of leather, I forget the crappier kind but rawhide is the better kind that will last longer.

Answer 3

LEATHER IS BY FAR MORE DURABLE. A FEW THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

(1) LOOK FOR FURNITURE WITH FEW VISIBLE SEAMS. WHOLE SHEETS OF LEATHER SHOULD MAKE UP THE BACKS AND SEATS OF THE FURNITURE. SEAMS THERE WOULD WEAR OUT IN TIME. ALSO TRY TO FIND ARMS WITH NO MORE THAN ONE SEAM FOR THE SAME REASON.

(2) IT SHOULD BE CLEANED ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR (I DO IT IN THE LATE SPRING AND LATE FALL)

(3) IT SHOULD BE CONDITIONED AT LEAST TWICE A YEAR, GENERALLY RIGHT AFTER THE CLEANING.

(4) USE A GOOD QUALITY CLEANER AND CONDITIONER (I CLEAN AND CONDITION 3 PIECES FOR UNDER $20.00)

(5) FOR EVERYDAY USE PUT SOMETHING OVER THE BACK OF THE CHAIR. OIL FROM HAIR IS LEATHERS WORST ENEMY. (I USE HAND TOWELS THAT COMPLEMENT THE COLOR OF MY CURTAINS, THEY'RE ABSORBANT, WASHABLE AND DON'T LOOK BAD). TAKE THEM OFF WHEN YOU HAVE COMPANY.

LEATHER CAN LAST FOR MANY YEARS IF TAKEN CARE OF PROPERLY. THE AVERAGE LIFESPAN OF FABRIC COVERED FURNITURE IS FIVE YEARS.

Answer 4

Eww I know what you mean about the plastic. Nasty!

We have leather, but to be honest it's got quite scratched, just from daily use. We've had it for a few years.

Nothing lasts forever and you will have to replace your furniture every few years anyway, so you might as well get whatever you like. Leather is so expensive and it doesn't really last as long as you might think. I'm getting fabric next time.

Answer 5

Leather.

Answer 6

I like leather, but I also have a microfiber lounger. Microfiber is the only fabric i would get if not leather.

Answer 7

i found fabrics to stain easy , rip easy an to hold smells while the lather takes abuse.