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Many people love the look and feel of leather furniture. It exudes an elegant aesthetic, with superb durability compared to fabric.
That said, the thought of purchasing genuine leather products for some people may feel disrespectful or unethical towards animals. This is why there are leather alternative products out there.
At La-Z-Boy, we have an extensive leather selection, which includes vegan leather options, too! This article will outline the different types of vegan leathers offered at La-Z-Boy, as well as some examples of vegan leather products.
In This Article…
- What is Vegan Leather?
- Types of Vegan Leather Options at La-Z-Boy
- Factors to Consider with Vegan Leather
- Examples of Furniture Frames at La-Z-Boy with Vegan Leather
What is Vegan Leather?
As described by Merriam-Webster, a Vegan is a strict vegetarian who does not consume or abstains from anything involving animal products.
Those who follow this lifestyle tend to have a strong affinity towards animals and feel as though associating with animal-related products feeds into the industry of mistreating or harming them.
For some, this means disassociating from anything animal-related entirely, which can include the furniture you sit on. Leather furniture is one of the most common examples of non-vegan furniture.
Leather is made by using the hide of animals. Cowhide, for example, is one of the most commonly used hides to create leather. There are also some other animals, like ostriches and stingrays, that also contribute to leather creation.
Vegan leather, however, is made of faux feather materials instead of animal hides. With that being said, faux leather is made with materials that aim to imitate the feel and appearance of genuine leather.
Most faux leather products, same as fabric products, are made with polyurethane fibres.
The Vegan Leather Selection at La-Z-Boy
At La-Z-Boy, there are many leather options to choose from. By looking at our Custom Leather Program, you can see that our stores carry varying degrees of quality leather.
But what does that mean for vegan leathers?
These leather alternatives are not included in the Leather Program due to the fact that they are simply not genuine leather. Leather alternatives at La-Z-Boy include the following …
Urethane Fabric (UE)
Urethane is a specific coating that is put on fabric to mimic the appearance of leather. These upholstery covers are made with fabric substrate, which is a specific weave that holds all of the fabric together.
A common urethane cover is a polyurethane which is coated on a polymer that can also mimic the appearance of leather.
One of the main disadvantages to these covers, however, is the fact that they do not have as much breathability in them. This means your furniture’s materials will not get as much airflow inside of them, causing them to be less durable.
Breathable Urethane (BU)
Breathable Urethane is another urethane-based fabric cover that acts the same as urethane fabric, except it now has more breathability.
This type of urethane upholstery goes through micro-perforation, which puts thousands of tiny needles into the cover to give the upholstery breathability.
This manufactured breathability gives the furniture more bounce in its cushions and prevents the cover from getting heated on the inside, meaning it lasts a little longer than other fabrics.
Breathable urethane fabrics are mostly found in our Pet-Friendly Fabric options at La-Z-Boy.
Recycled Leather & Renew Leather (RL) - Not Vegan
Last but not least, recycled and renew leather are both considered vegan leather options.
Both of these options, however, do fall under a grey area since they contain small amounts of genuine leather contents in them. That said, they still provide durability and sustainability to your furniture, which can be beneficial if you’re looking for sustainable and durable leather alternative covers.
Recycled leather is leather that the tannery did not use because they were shaved away from the original hide grain.
Although it might be recycled leather, it does not behave the same way as regular leather. It is not as stretchable, breathable, or tear-resistant, but it is still stain-resistant and easily cleanable.
Renew leather is another fabric cover used that mimics leather. It is made out of urethane foam that is heat bonded to polyurethane film, poly-cotton substrate, and a minimum of 17% recycled scrap leather.
Leather contents on recycled and renew leathers appear on the back of the furniture frame, which gives the frame more durability with its polyurethane front.
3 Factors to Consider When Choosing Vegan Leather Furniture
Now that you know of the different types of vegan leather options available at La-Z-Boy, you might wonder, what are the advantages or disadvantages of vegan leather compared to genuine leather?
Here are a few things to consider when purchasing vegan leather products in general…
1. Cleanability
A primary benefit of leather furniture is the fact that it takes less time to clean than cleaning a fabric cover. This fact remains true for vegan leather options!
Fabric covers can be hard to clean because of the fibres made within them. These covers tend to stain permanently if made without stain resistance and can make your furniture look undesirable over time.
With leather and faux leather covers, there is less worry about staining since leather upholstery is made with a polyurethane coating. This means that liquids, for example, tend to stay at the surface and easily wipe away.
To learn more about Furniture Care Tips or How to Maintain Your Leather Furniture, take a look at these articles.
2. Durability
Leather is known to be very durable. In fact, leather covers can outlive the lifespan of fabric covers five times longer!
The reason why genuine leather is so durable is because of the fibres, which are made of long tight strings that help keep the cover breathable. This can be compared to a million different knotted fish lines that are bunched into a woven sheet.
Unfortunately, faux leather is actually less durable than genuine leather, due to the sole fact that it is made with synthetic materials that are comparable to fabric covers.
Even the strongest fabric covers, unfortunately, do not outlast the durability of leather covers. If you want to learn more about the comparison between leather vs fabric, take a look at this article.
3. Cost
As you may already know, leather products tend to be more expensive than fabric covers. Similarly, genuine leather carries a higher price tag than faux leather furniture.
More specifically, the cost of faux leather furniture typically falls within the same price range as fabric furniture. Leather upholstery tends to add about $200 or more to the overall cost of the furniture.
Pros and Cons Breakdown of Faux Leather vs. Real Leather
Examples of Furniture with Vegan Leather Upholstery at La-Z-Boy
If you’re looking to shop for vegan leather furniture at La-Z-Boy, below are some examples of furniture La-Z-Boy offers with faux leather.
1. The Trouper
The first choice, which comes in a Urethane Fabric (EU), Breathable Urethane (BU) fabric, and Recycled Leather (RL), is the Trouper.
Complete with slightly flared arms and a sleek tall back, the Trouper has a look that’s fresh and contemporary.
It’s also one comfortable recliner. The sculpted bucket seat cradles you in softness, while the padded split back provides superb head and lumbar support.
The Trouper is available as a rocking/wall recliner, a reclining loveseat, a reclining sofa, and a sectional.
2. The Soren
The Soren is also offered in all three alternative leather options: EU, BU, and RL. In this updated version of a billowy classic, the Soren combines contemporary style with reclining comfort.
The full, foam-backed bucket chaise seat is soft yet supportive and spacious yet cozy, while the recliner offers laid-back luxury.
The Soren is available as a rocking and wall recliner. You can learn more about the Soren Recliner by checking out this article.
3. The Dorian
Lastly, another recliner with all three alternative leather options is the Dorian, one of the newer reclining family products at La-Z-Boy.
The Dorian features large-scale proportions with soft cushions and tapered armrests for a laid-back style. It’s also a relaxing recliner with a cozy bucket seat that will lull you into a calm state.
The Dorian is available as a rocking recliner, a reclining loveseat, and a reclining sofa.
What's Next?
After reading this article, you should have a detailed understanding of vegan leather in general and what is offered at La-Z-Boy.
If you are looking for a new piece of vegan leather furniture for your home, why not check out our furniture selection yourself?
If vegan leather isn’t something that interests you, we also have a range of furniture offered in all sorts of fabrics to choose from.
Visit us at a local Ottawa & Kingston La-Z-Boy location. You can also schedule a visit online before coming in.
You may even consider taking advantage of our Interior Design Services to see which upholstery cover is the best one for you.
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