What Is The PU Leather

Sofas and chairs are indispensable pieces of furniture in our work or life.Traditional sofas and chairs are made of real leather. However, as living standards improve,the quantity of genuine leather cannot meet the demand for leather.Various artificial leathers have emerged, the PU leather being widely used in furniture, automobiles, and luggage. in the furniture industry, most sofas and chairs are made of Pu leather.

What Is The PU Leather

PU leather is short for polyurethane, chemically known as" Polyurethane leather." it has a soft and natural sheen, a supple touch, and a strong resemblance to genuine leather. it is resistant to wear and aging, easy to process, and its texture and color are very similar to those of natural leather. In many cases, it can be indistinguishable from the real things, making it difficult for non-professionals to tell the difference between genuine and artificial leather. Therefore, some factories often use artificial leather as a substitute for genuine leather. PU leather is cheaper than genuine leather, and it is also easier to maintain and more durable, making it a popular choice among many customers. it is an ideal synthetic leather products to replace natural leather.

PU leather is a synthetic material whose backing is made from cotton,various fabrics, or Vinyl. in the production process,a polyurethane coating is evenly applied to the base material, and then various textures and colors resembling genuine leather are embossed on its surface. Additionally, Pu leather feels softer and more delicate, while also possessing the characteristics of genuine leather, however , PU leather differs from genuine leather in that it is entirely man-made, using only synthetic material in its manufacture, without any animal products.

For animal protectors, they have found an alternative to genuine leather, thus fulfilling their desire to protect animals, pu leather has become the only choice for animal protectors.

PU leather has various different names

PU leather is referred to in many ways,here are some common terms people use

• PU leather
• Faux Leather
• Bonded leather
• Split leather
• Vegan leather
• Reconstituted leather
• Microfiber leather

If you are working in the leather industry, you must be familiar with these terms, For instance, when your clients mention any of these names for PU leather, you need to understand what they are referring to.

The advantages of PU leather include

• Cost-effective :PU leather with the colors and textures of genuine leather but at a lower price,it is more suitable for the common consumer.

• Durability :The surface of PU leather is composed of polyurethane, which provides excellent resistance to abrasion. it is not prone to wear and tear or cracking, and can maintain its aesthetic appeal over time. Typically, a PU leather sofa and office chair can be used 3-5 years under normal usage conditions.Here, all our PU leather sofas and office chairs come with a 5 years warranty.

• Easy to clean and maintain:The surface of PU leather is usually smooth, so when it gets dirty, it can be easily cleaned with a damp cloth and regular leather cleaner.compare to the cleaning and maintenance of genuine leather sofas and chairs, PU leather is much simpler

• The color and textures are diverse: There are a wide range of colors and textures available for PU leather, all of which are visually very good. They can be made into various textures, such as crocodile skin and snake skin patterns, providing users with a multitude of choices.

The disadvantages of PU leather include

• Breathability:Since the surface of PU leather is a layer of polyurethane material, which is uniformly distributed and covers the base material with a certain thickness, and cannot reveal the underling color, this results in poor breathability of PU leather.

• Prone to aging:When PU leather is exposed to sunlight and ultraviolet rays for extended periods,it tends to fade and peel, leading to a shorter lifespan compared to real leather.

• Low tensile strength:PU leather has less elasticity than genuine leather and is prone to tearing under tensile stress, This is because the base layer of PU leather is made of non-woven fabric or other fibers, which have relatively lower strength compared natural leather.

• Lacks the texture and feel of real leather:Although PU leather's texture and color closely resemble those of genuine leather, the texture still appears unnatural. Additionally, when touched by hand, the feel does not match the tactile experience of genuine leather.

• odor:When first manufactured,PU leather may emit a plastic or chemical odor,which tends to diminish or disappear over time.

• luster and texture:Over time,real leather maintains its natural luster and texture.

How to distinguish between genuine leather and pu leather

When purchasing sofas and chairs,sales people often introduce various models with significant price differences,here's how we can distinguish between real leather and PU based on our experience.

• Smell the Odor: PU leather is synthetic and produced using various chemical substances. if you sniff it carefully,you will notice that PU leather emits a plastic or chemical odor. in contrast, genuine leather exudes a natural leather scent.

• Breathability:Genuine leather has pores,and under a microscope,you can observe numerous tiny pores on its surface. if you stretch genuine leather with both hands and blow air forcefully, you will notice that the airflow passes through the leather.PU leather, has a polyurethane coating and lacks these tiny pores. No matter how hard you blow.PU leather will not allow air to pass through.

• Texture and surface:

Real leather, being a natural material,has a certain degree of imperfections on its surface. which are scars from the animal hides. these imperfections are irregular in shape and size.in contrast, the texture and color of PU leather are very uniform,without any imperfections.

• Using the burn test:If you burn real leather with a flame, it will emit a sell similar to roasted meat,and the resulting residue will crumble into a fine powder when pinched.on the other hand ,PU leather,will produce a foul odor, and residue after burning will be hard and cannot be crushed by hand.

• Water test: The surface of genuine leather has tiny pores that can easily absorb moisture. water will permeate through these pores.in contrast, PU leather does not have these small pores. when a drop of water is placed on its surface, after some time, the water still be there.

The application domains of PU leather

PU leather is a versatile material that is economically priced and durable,typically lasting 3-5 years,it is widely used in our daily lives, Below are some common application areas for PU leather.

• Furniture Industry: The office sofas,residential sofas,dining chairs,Beds, office leather chairs,office stools,furniture handle,and office desk writing pad all use PU leather as a substitute for genuine leather,in furniture production,PU leather furniture is economical, with an appearance and texture that closely resemble genuine leather,making it highly popular among consumers.The maintenance and cleaning of PU leather is simpler and easier compared with real leather.

• The Automotive industry:Economy class vehicles mostly use synthetic leather,including for car seats,interiors, and steering wheels, as a substitute for real leather to reduce the production costs.

• Clothes industry: Due to its durability,water resistance, and easy maintenance,PU leather is widely used in clothes industry for jackets,trench coats, and outerwear, providing consumers with economical and fashionable options. As PU leather manufacturing techniques and fashion design continue to evolve, PU leather will have new developments in the clothes industry.

• Clothes industry: When traveling,you'll see tourists pulling a variety of different suitcase and carrying various type of bags. Most of these bags are made from PU leather, and they come in different colors and styles, with different leather textures.