Rich, luxurious, and gorgeous… There are plenty of good reasons why leather has been the furniture material of choice for many centuries. Leather furniture is durable, long-wearing, and comfortable. And when that furniture is made from genuine full grain leather, there are even more reasons to rejoice in your purchase!
Should You Choose Full Grain or Top Grain Leather?
Full grain leather is the highest quality leather available for purchase. It comes from the outermost layer of the hide and includes all the natural grain of the leather. It’s thick, tough, and difficult to work with. However, its gorgeous appearance and long-lasting durability make it well worth the effort (and the price!)
Next in quality is top grain leather. It’s basically full grain leather that has had the more durable outermost layer removed by sanding it off. This makes the leather thinner and less stiff, easier to work with, and more uniform in appearance. It may also have an imitation grain imprinted into it to improve its appearance and make it look more like full grain leather.
Full Grain Leather Has a Story to Tell
That story reflects the life and environment of the individual animal from which the leather came. Wrinkles, insect bites, scars, scrapes, color or shading variations, and more add character to the leather. Even a light imprint of the animal’s brand is sometimes seen. Since the top layer of top grain leather is sanded off, it shows a more uniform surface with much less character than that found in full grain leather. These natural ‘beauty marks’ aren’t imperfections — they’re an indication of superior quality!
It Ages Beautifully
Furniture made with low-end leather is lucky to last 2 to 5 years. Furniture pieces made with top-quality full grain leather only improve with age. They will probably be handed down as treasured family heirlooms!
Since this top-quality leather includes the strongest fibers found in the hide, it is exceptionally strong and durable. Years of wear will only improve its fantastic good looks as it becomes burnished to a warm glow and softens into exquisite comfort. That kind of rich and highly-valued patina only happens when you start with full grain leather and enjoy it for many years!
Full grain leather has an exceptionally tight grain structure. This tight cellular structure is why it wears so well. It also helps make it resistant to liquids so spills can be quickly wiped up before they have a chance to soak into the leather.
You’ll Enjoy Its Breathable Comfort
Full grain leather doesn’t need any kind of finish to protect it so it’s naturally breathable. This exceptional natural breathability means it stays cool in summer and warm in winter. You’ll never feel either chilled or uncomfortably sticky from sitting on it for an extended period like you will when sitting on much less breathable ‘finished’ leathers. Those same finishes that impair breathability on top grain and other leathers also mean they can’t develop the lovely patina that so enhances the desirability of aged full-grain leather.
Let Us Share Our Leather Expertise With You
We love leather and top-quality leather furniture! So much so that we’re known as Leaxperts and we love to share our expertise in this natural material with others. If you’re looking for stunningly beautiful furniture that will last a lifetime, and only improve along that journey, visit our furniture store in Clearwater or any one of our 5 convenient locations.
We have no doubt that you’ll become a fellow leather enthusiast once you’ve experienced the beauty and comfortable luxuriousness of full grain leather furniture for yourself! Contact us today if you have questions about which leather furniture pieces will best fit your unique lifestyle.
