Leather Sofa Buying Guide

Rule number one when buying a leather sofa: make sure it's real leather!  That is, of course, you don't care what the sofa is made of as long as it merely LOOKS like leather.  If so, you don't really need this guide and can just get any of the many leather sofas out there that are "leather" in name only.  For the rest of us, a little education on the types of genuine leather we are likely to encounter out there is in order.  For instance, there are leather mixes out there that are blended with PVC, which is a synthetic material that has been linked to cancer.  You are also liable to come across sofas made of pigskin or goatskin- leather, to be sure, but generally much less durable than cowhide.  A good rule of thumb is that if it seems too cheap to be genuine cowhide, it probably is.

Real cowhide generally comes from cattle in the beef industry. America has a beef industry that is heavily subsidized with taxpayer money and the cows suffer routine mistreatment in terms of an inappropriate diet (they are fed grains instead of grass, which is their natural diet, resulting in sickness from E. coli among other health complications). Watch the documentary "Food, Inc." for more information on the topic of industrial beef. Though the industry is cruel and in need of reform, there are still benefits to using leather. It will be up to the conscience of each individual- perhaps buying local free range beef would be a way to change the status quo of industrial meat production in the country as the hides of the cows would be thrown away and could be put to better use in making durable sofas. Durability is the key quality of leather sofas- with the right quality leather, such a sofa should outlast a fabric upholstered sofa by many years. Of course, we are all familiar with the sentiment that leather is a fine material indicative of wealth and luxury. It has a look and feel that nothing else can match- especially if you get leather that still has natural markings intact. The disadvantages of leather are that it does not make great seating in extreme temperatures, meaning it tends to get very hot in summer weather and very cold in the winter. Of course, this depends a great deal on whether your house is well insulated from the outside weather, but it is a consideration that may be important to a prospective buyer. The black leather sofa is perhaps the quintessential leather living room seating, with the brown leather sofa a close second. Of course, you can also get a white leather sofa or red leather sofa if you wish. In terms of design and layouts, a leather corner sofa can really make a room feel pleasant and cozy while a leather sofa bed can serve more practical purposes. Hopefully you learned something new and will be able to find a leather sofa that makes a welcome addition to your living room.