Fake Leathers – Types and Basic Description
There are unique types of fake leathers used for diverse purposes. Such materials are popularly referred to as “Faux leathers”. They look like real leather but in actual sense, they are made-made. They are often made out of other materials. In most cases, they are used in producing diverse kinds of furniture products, vehicle seats, garments, electronic accessories, shoes, handbags, and other products.
PVC Leather Fabrics
There are two major types of faux leather namely; PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) and PU (Polyurethane).
PVC Leather
PVC leather is usually made by mixing plasticizers with dye and adding the mixture to polyvinyl chloride.This makes it to have a natural color and also appear very flexible. The PVC material is often used in producing diverse kinds of quality products such as jackets, fabrics, car seats, and so on.
PVC leather Jacket
PU Leather
Polyurethane (PU) leather is usually made by coating a fabric with a flexible polymer. Thefabric can be cotton or any other material. After the coating process, the end product is properly treated to appear like a beautiful animal hide. The PU material can be used in producing upholstery,shoes, bags and other products.
From the above instances, it’s very clear that both types of faux leather materials are very useful. They can be used in manufacturing diverse kinds of products. In any case, there are some differences noted between the two. Here are some points to note:
PU Leather Upholstery
– PVC leather is not quite breathable like the PU leather. Hence, it’s not always used for producing clothing materials. It’s less commonly used for covering surfaces that come in close contact with the human skin.
– The fact that PVC leather is not breathable makes it a good material for producing electronic accessories and other hard products. It’s also good for binding books.
– PU leather is more flexible, stronger and more durable. That’s why it’s often used for producing shoes, bags, and other materials that come in close contact with human skin. It’s also a good option for shiny upholstery products.
PU leather shoes
Faux Leather Vs Real Leather
Real leather normally has irregular pores, irregular patterns and rough edges. On theother hand, faux leather doesn’t have such irregular features. It’s known for having smoother edges. In most cases, the edges look like plastic.Faux leather materials as described above are man-made. They differ a lot from real leather materials. Here are some points to note:
– Real leather usually feels buttery at times while faux leather feels vinyl or plastic.
– Real leather has a distinctive odor while faux leather doesn’t have any smell. It can only smell like a plastic.
The Pros
There are unique benefits attached to faux leather. In the first place, faux leather of any type can be made into diverse colors and textures. It’s often very affordable when compared to real leather. It’s also known to be very durable.Moreso, faux leather products are known to be environmental friendly
In all, faux leather still remains a quality material that can be used for diverse purposes. It’s actually called “fake” or “artificial” because it’s purely man-made.
