Not at all.

All leather wears, I think there is an unreasonable expectation that because its leather and 'protected' in many cases, customers come away with the impression that leather is bulletproof and will stay looking as the day its new for decades, and that is not the case. You will get wear and tear on every leather, of every type, from any production region in the world.

There really are no 'issues' with the current Chinese leathers that I know of. Like any product, there are producers that build a decent product and those that don't, but you can't really characterize them by country. China has some shaky operators, that's for sure - and I don't carry Chinese furniture because the internal construction that you can't see is usually crummy, but leather is exposed and holds no secrets because its out there in the open. Quality USA manufacturers are not knowingly going to buy and install an inferior product on their brands because they have a reputation to keep up. The better tanneries in China have pretty good quality control and deliver a consistent product, more so than the Italians for example, who are all over the board on consistency with their leather products. Chinese leathers are usually USA-raised Cows (China does not have a cattle industry) and the hides are salted and shipped from the USA to China for processing, then returned here as a finished product. I think problems with Chinese leathers were really back in the 60's and 70's when they used to make what was known as 'China Cow' that left active carcinogens on the surface that could be absorbed into your skin if you were sweaty and sat on it. That devastated the Chinese leather industry and overnight all suppliers bailed on 'China Cow' and that reputation appears to be a holdover from 40 years ago.

Companies like Hancock & Moore (specifically their President) make a trip to China once a year to inspect the tanneries they buy from and oversee the quality control. They keep an eye on things and I know that firsthand. The very best tanneries are European, specifically one in Belgium that is the cleanest and most 'green' and produces the best leather in the world - but its a GR 5 leather and most people don't want to pay that price.

I don't particularly like the Chinese leathers because they have no 'soul' and character. They are all highly processed and look too 'worked' for my tastes but they serve a price point to the customer who wants to get into a piece for the least amount of monetary outlay. They will render decent service over the lifespan of the piece if you maintain a cleaning and conditioning regimen as with any other leather. I have no reservations recommending or selling Chinese married covers on pieces in the least, just make sure you are getting top grain leather and nothing 'bonded' or made from split grain.