Choosing Leather FurnitureA Must Read: What kind of leather do I have?

Type of test⇒

Type of Leather material

Underside test: flip over the material

Water test

Use a fewdrops of distilled water in a hidden spot

Scratch test

Mild pressure with your fingernail

Feel test

Finished leather

Suede-like fuzzy knap

Water will bead up and roll off  it.

Will not scratch with mild pressure

Silky soft to semi-stiff feel

Bicast leather or Vinyl

 

Vinyl will have a fabic backing, bicast a suede-like fuzzy knap

Water will bead up an roll off of both of these

Vinyl will not scratch, bicast leather will lighten when scratched

Same silky to semi-stiff feel but sometimes more plastic feel

Semi/ full aniline leather

Suede-like fuzzy knap

Water drops will darken the leather almost immediately

Will lighten with mild pressure

Butter-soft,drag feel

Nubuck/Suede

Suede-like fuzzy knap

Water will bead up for a few seconds then penetrate the leather

Does notscratch but nubuck will change color

Soft and fuzzy feel

Oil/Wax Pull-Up leather

Suede-like fuzzy knap

Water will bead up for a few seconds then penetrate the leather

Will easily change color with a nail scratch, heat or by being squeezed

Oily/ waxy to the touch

 

 

 

Before you can care for your leather correctly, you must know what type of leather you own.  Follow the tests in this table to identify your leather.  Then all of the other information on cleaning and repairing your leather will make more sense.

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