Changes in leather over time

Hi All,

I’m new to the forum, which I found doing research on my upcoming sofa purchase for the new apartment I’m buying this fall.

I’ve seen many comments about the value to be had in paying a bit more up front for high quality leather furniture from companies like H&M and BY.

I’m a bit curious about how the leather on these pieces holds up after several years’ use. I’m aware that everyone subjects their pieces to different degrees of wear, tear, spills, etc., and that the nature of the leather itself is also a big factor (coated, non-coated, etc).

Still, I was wondering if anyone would be willing to share pictures of some of their older H&M, BY, or other sofas/chairs/ottomans. Someone mentioned specifically buying only unprotected leathers that they could “break in” like a baseball glove. What does a nicely “broken in” sofa from H&M, for example, look like?

It would be great if we could get a mix of good and bad, coated and uncoated in various colors and grades.

Thanks!

It's all about your lifestyle and willingness to maintain a cleaning regimen, FAR more than leather type.

Leather doesn't break-in, but it can break-down.

Here's my very first leather purchase I ever made when I first became an H&M dealer. I bought this off my sales floor in 1987 and still use it today. Still on the original cushion cores and mechanism. Not bad for 22 years old, eh? The key to longevity of the cover is to keep it clean, and there is a STICKY thread under the LEATHER forum how to do that.

And do not ever buy bi-cast, its sold as 'leather' but its not.

Wow.. I would never have thought that chair was 20+ years old!

Out of curiosity, what sort of leather is that? Do H&M still carry it? I like colors like that, but tought they'd be harder to keep clean than seems to be case.

When I talked about breaking in the leather in my original post I had in mind the customer you mentioned in another post who always went for uncoated leathers so that they could build character over time. Do you have any pics to show what that means?

I'm pretty meticulous about cleanliness and not eating on sofas myself, but will probably be renting out my place to other grad students/professors for 3-12 months at a time when I'm doing research abroad, and wanted to plan my choice accordingly (i.e, get something that could survive a 9 months or so with someone who won't be throwing wild parties, but realistically won't be as attentive to care as I am, either).

I don't have kids, pets or other such factors to worry about, so thought a heavily coated leather would be overkill. I'd like to shoot for an uncoated higher grade leather, but was just wondering how 10+ years of occasional stains would show on such a piece. If whatever I buy can make it through even 10 years like your chair, I'd be very happy!

Thanks for the pic!

Oh my, I cannot remember the leather I bought that in, but it was probably one of the less expensive promotional hides. It's definitely a protected leather, and they don't even make many hides like that any more, the market wants softer/plusher. Its been a good chair, and It should last the rest of my lifespan, and maybe longer.

You can easily get that same durability out of several H&M leathers (and those of other makers as well). Look for Serviceability 2 rating and even if you can only clean the hide once a year that will do the job. Ones in the H&M line that come to mind at good price points are Columbia and Cavalier.

Very few people are dissatisfied with their higher end recliner purchases. Yes, they cost more initially, but they tend to last a long time given a reasonable standard of care. In the long run they are actually less costly because of their durability vs, the cheap and poorly made LaZboys and Barcalounger, etc.