Synthetic leather upholstery fabric became available when the Naugahyde brand was invented in 1920. When a leather fabric appearance is desired or perhaps when the need is for an extremely durable furniture covering, faux leather fabric is often the ideal choice. At DecorativeFabricsDirect.com you can purchase Naugahyde as well as other quality brands of faux leather upholstery by the yard and at distributor wholesale prices. Below are the most common applications for imitation leather upholstery fabric:
- Residential Interior Furniture Upholstery
- Commercial Interior Furniture Upholstery (Hotels, Restaurants, Convention Centers, Health Care Facilities)
- Outdoor Weather-Resistant Upholstery (Outdoor Patio Furniture Upholstery, Pool Area Furniture Upholstery. Porch Furniture Upholstery)
- Marine Upholstery (Cabin and Exterior Cushions)
- Automotive Upholstery
- Commercial Transportation Seating Material (Truck, Bus, Train )
Faux Leather FAQs
What is faux leather?Faux leather is a synthetic fabric made to resemble the look and feel of real leather but is much more affordable. There are two primary types of faux leather construction: polyurethane (“PU”) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC – “Vinyl”). Imitation leather is commonly used for upholstery and is referred to under the following names:
- vinyl leather
- imitation leather
- fake leather
- artificial leather
- synthetic leather
- leather alternative
- pu leather
- upholstery vinyl
- leatherette
What is Polyurethane Leather | PU Leather?
PU leather is a type of faux leather but different from a vinyl leather fabric in that pu leather is produced by coating a backing fabric with a flexible polymer which produces a very soft fabric that is hard for many to differentiate from genuine leather. Polyurethanes and semi polyurethanes offer a wonderful alternative to genuine leathers, yet at a much lower price point. Polyurethane leather often referred to a PU Leather and semi polyurethanes differ from typical faux leather upholstery vinyl by having a more supple, softer hand like that of a true leather.
How do you clean faux leather?
Because of its manufactured plastic-based composition, faux leather is extremely easy to clean and highly water and stain resistant. For cleaning dirt, debris and stains the process is as easy as taking a cloth with warm water and dabbing or gently wiping at the area until the blemished area has been cleaned. Then let it air dry.
Most quality brands have a finish applied as a top coat of the imitation leather fabric that provides a high level of stain resistance, abrasion resistance and clean-ability.
What are some of the advantages of using a Faux Leather vs. Genuine Leather?
- Faux leather is up to 75% less expensive than genuine leather.
- Faux leather materials can usually be wiped clean with a rag and warm water. Unlike genuine leather, it does not retain moisture, so faux leather items will not become warped or cracked. Some of the new performance faux leathers can remove ink, liquid and food stains with only a dry cloth.
- Faux leather can be purchased by the yard as opposed to buying a full animal hide.
- Faux leather is very durable and long lasting. It can withstand scratches that would typically mar genuine leather. Imitation leather is not prone to crack or peel like leather. It will not fade as easily as real leather in ultra violet (UV) light and is resistant to stains.
If you care to refine your faux leather upholstery vinyl search by color and have not done so already please click a color option below.
