Leather Furniture Consumer's Guide - Abbreviated Version

Planning on buying leather furniture? Did you know there are different types of leather? Which is best for you? Read on and learn some important tips to keep in mind when shopping.

Start by Mental about the usage patterns you expect with your new leather pieces. Will the furniture be located in an active, "high-impact" setting with children, pets, Food and drinks galore? Or, is your home a quiet, "low-impact" environMent?

Leather Colors

Quality leather is a remarkably durable material that will offer many years of comfort. However, the right type of leather should be excellent based upon how you expect the furniture to be enjoyed. As a leather furniture heal and rehabilitation specialist, I repeatedly hear from my clients how their sales person, designer, etc. Never told them the leather would stain, fade, tear, etc. So, avoid these problems by learning a few easy keys and asking a few easy questions. To understand the issues let me take you straight through a mini-primer about leather.

Leather Furniture Consumer's Guide - Abbreviated Version

There are two ways of coloring cushion grade leather --- with dyes only or with dyes and pigMents. Leather colored strictly with a dye is referred to as unfinished, whereas pigmented leather is classified as finished. So, what's the difference?

If leather is colored only with dye then there is no protective coating. It is sometimes referred to as "pure-aniline" leather. (Aniline is a type of dye that colors leather.) This leather is soft, supple to the touch. Its color is rich and deep as dyes are translucent and they penetrate, often wholly straight through the leather. The leather's natural charm is accentuated by the dye giving the furniture a luxurious look and feel. Only the finest hides can qualify to be unfinished, so unsurprisingly, it's the most expensive category. However, there is a dark side. This class of leather stains beyond doubt (these hides are very porous) and the color fades, in some cases very rapidly. (Uv's the culprit.)

Finished leather is colored with the same aniline dye as unfinished leather any way these hides go straight through a secondary coloring process. A pigmented coating (finish) is applied that is chemically engineered specifically for leather. It has to flex and allow the leather to breath so it has unique attributes that differentiate it from tasteless wall paint. Pigmented leather finishes are opaque, creating a colored film on top of the hide. The color coating is then augmented with a clear coat forming its traditional protection. This clear coat also dictates the sheen, from gloss to matte. potential closed leather may not feel as soft and supple as unfinished, but will be able to withstand the rigors of an active household. It won't stain nearly as readily. It's easier to clean, and fades so slowly, you'll never observation it.

Your first key is placement. plainly put, active, high impact environment like a house room, media center, conference room, dining room, etc. Dictates closed leather. A low impact home, with Uv tinted windows and little threat of staining can indulge the charm of unfinished leather.

The next step is to reconsider your budget. This is where your expectations are appropriately set. There are two traditional considerations, the leather and the frame.

Top-grain leather is the most durable, but will cost more. This is the trueskin of the skin which offers vast majority of the hide's durability. Split-hide leather (leather "split" from the epidermis) won't stand up to the test of time in an active household, but as a low grade is generally more affordable. If you want a piece that will last a long time, then you must insist on top-grain leather.

The internals or guts of the furniture should be considered. Is it constructed using hard wood appropriately joined with tight, solid fits, or is it slapped together with cheap pressed board, staples and cardboard? (No kidding, cardboard.) Clearly, solid construction will cost more, but offer many years of trouble free service.

Color selection is something else to think about. The lighter the color, the more maintenance it will want to keep the leather seeing new and clean.

Finally, is it all leather or did the manufacturer sneak in some vinyl? Vinyl and all its fancy name derivatives like leatherette, leather-mate, leather-match etc. Is a synthetic, not the real deal. It won't feel or wear like leather. It's less expensive than leather, but plainly doesn't have the durableness of potential leather.

So, based on your budget, set your expectations correctly and think about how the piece will be used. Then when you shop ask the following questions.

1. Is the leather closed or unfinished? Remember to reconsider placement and usage patterns.

2. Is it top-grain leather? If it isn't, it won't have the durableness you think you're getting.

3. Is it all leather or is some of it vinyl? Don't be duped.

4. How is the frame constructed? Remember the story of the three little pigs? If it's going to last, it has to be well built.

With the answers to these questions at least you'll know what you're buying. For more information, go to this web-site advleather.com/

Leather Furniture Consumer's Guide - Abbreviated Version

Friends Link : Buy Shopping Discount Lizard Lick Towing Valentine Candy The Walking Dead Season 2

quality Leather- How Do I Know?

How many times have we seen the advertiseMent claiming "Genuine leather" Or "Quality Leather". Just what is Genuine Leather, or Quality Leather, how do I know I didn't get ripped off?

First, what is leather. Leather naturally stated is the skin of an animal. So as long as the material is made from the skin of an animal, they can claim "Genuine Leather". Quality leather is a different story. When you cease reading this, you will be able to look at a leather garMent and tell immediately if it is potential or not.

Leather Colors

You may or may not have noticed that the flea markets, grocery stores, drug stores, and storage group market have been selling the "Genuine Leather" Coats, Jackets, Backpacks and luggage. They are of a patchwork design, and commonly lined. These are typically made of lambskin leather and being sold for unreal cheap prices. There is nothing wrong with lambskin leather. In fact it is the leather of choice for any leather that is worn close to the skin. The lining too is a benefit if it is used for ease or insulation. The patchwork form is the first indication that this is poor quality leather. The patchwork form is because they swept the scraps off the floor from the form of other garMents, fed them straight through a motor to sew the scraps together, created another sheet of leather and made more garments. The leather itself could made of varied grades.

quality Leather- How Do I Know?

Let's talk about grades of leather. There are 3 primary grades of leather:

Grade 1 or "full-Grain" clear, supple, and clean, is consistent in color, has the top yield of over 90% and the outside is smoothest.

Grade 2 is less consistent in color, has a yield of 78% and the outside is slightly imperfect.

Grade 3 is a blotchy and very inconsistent in color, has a yield of 40% and the outside is very imperfect and will feel stiff, partly from the excessive coating needed to hide imperfections.

These grades are suitable no mater what type of animal the leather came from. There are a lot of different types of animals that are used for leather. all from lamb to cow, and alligator to Ostrich. The two most popular for use in garments are lamb and cow. For the sake of this article we will discuss these two.

Lambskin

The softest, thinnest, most supple skin. A Buttery texture and finely grained. Stretches well and tends to reshape after wearing - has a type of memory. Drapes well, flows, and has good movement - very form fitting. Higher-end leather-wear. Classy and more fashionable look.

Lamb Touch Cow or Cow Nappa

Thin, Soft and supple - close in look and feel to lamb but is not lamb. A Smoother cease and finer texture to cow hide. Lightweight - has good movement and draping ability.
Sportswear and outerwear. Dressed-up, fashionable look. Coats skirts, Pants, and vests.

Cow Hide

Very tough wearing and durable. Heaviest of the cowhides. Very noticeable texture skin and grainy.
Mostly outerwear - especially jackets. Weekend casual, ready-to-wear.

Ok, now we know the different grades, and types of leather, how do we know we got the good stuff? First, use your eyes. A very good way to tell if you're purchasing a garment of HIgh-quality leather is to look at the seams and needle marks. If they seem to be a different color than the garment itself this could mean that the garment is dyed on the outside only - surface-dyed as opposed to aniline-dyed leather (dyed on both sides).

Surface-dyed leather is much different to aniline-dyed leather because surface-dying is like adding a coat of paint to wood. It merely covers up the wood's natural outside and defects. Aniline-dyed leather is like adding varnish to wood, varnish allows the woods natural charm to shine straight through by penetrating the outside instead of outside it up. The natural charm of high-quality leather is descriptive straight through a sheer, rich aniline dye.

Check the items for overall color and craftsmanship. While all skins include some natural marks, there should not be any large unsightly blemishes on the piece you are inspecting. A good manufacturer of leather apparel will not use leather of 2nd or 3rd grade.

Next, use your nose. The garment should smell like leather, not chemicals. And while we are on the subject of chemicals, you want leather that has not been treated with Azo Dye. Azo Dye is toxic and has been linked to many skin reactions.

And lastly, feel it. Is it soft to the touch, is it smooth. It should be free of any bumps and it should flex easily. It should not be stiff and hard to bend.

Be sure to read my next article on how to care for your leather garments.

quality Leather- How Do I Know?

Recommend : Buy Shopping Discount Worst Dressed Oscars 2011 Naacp Image Awards 2011

Black Leather Sofas

At first thought, selecting a black leather sofa may seem straightforward but this isn't the case. With the many dissimilar varieties of sofas, a black leather sofa in one person's imagination can be thoroughly dissimilar from that of man else's perspective.

Sofas are great pieces of furniture that habitancy use all the time. Out of the many varieties of sofas all over the world, black leather sofas are just one of them. Still, there are a great whole of dissimilar black leather sofas that are obtainable. It all depends on the preference of the owner.

Leather Colors

After looking at a large collection of sofas, even narrowing down the selection to color and material isn't enough. However, this is a good place to start. Black is a practical color for sofas, looking as they can blend in nicely with almost any other color. an additional one great factor about them is that even if they get stained badly and cannot be cleaned; it is difficult to consideration against the black coloring, something that parents with messy children appreciate a lot.

Black Leather Sofas

Now, if we focus on the color, there is still a celebrated variation in the middle of the many shades. A deep ebony black? Or perhaps, a nice faded duller black? This is also partly associated to the texture of the sofa. If you are looking for a sofa that is easy to clean, selecting a shiny one would be ideal. Still, if it's too shiny, it might be too slippery. With the advanceMent of technology these days, it is now possible to create a huge collection of textures in leather sofas.

Now that the color and texture is chosen, the style must be determined. More than anyone else, the style is obviously one of the most important factors that one must decide. The purpose this sofa is for can greatly influence the size and appearance of what is ideal. For one person, a chAir sofa would be suitable, with armrests and maybe even one that reclines - great for relaxation. Or possibly the ever beloved loveseat. As the name suggests, this is generally used to seat a couple, or two people. Sectionals are an additional one widely selected style these days. Basically, they contain two pieces that "join" together at a 90 degree angle. They come in any size, either it's three pieces or sometimes even up to six. Comfortable for lying down on, they are great to have for a fun get-together among family and friends. Furthermore, a sofa bed. These great pieces of furniture are overwhelming to own. Comfortable and practical, also a nice place to sit, they can be converted into a bed, in case a guest is staying over, or maybe it's just too much work to walk back to the bed when its past midnight and the Tv is on.

Going even deeper into the style of the ideal sofa, you can look straight through the dissimilar time periods. Retro sofas are usually more rectangular, with harder edges. Some may not even have armrests. Modern style sofas tend to be more unique, with funky shapes and designed for a collection of purposes. Circular ones even, used to lie down on. Even the armrests are different: some in zigzag shapes, others in rounded spiral patterns. Modern-contemporary sofas are the ones that are probably seen the most often. Shiny but plush and luxurious, many families love the warm feel of these comfortable sofas. Black leather sofas is all the time great looking.

Black Leather Sofas

Visit : Buy Shopping Discount St. Peters Basilica Pro Audio Cable Tester Precision Products Lawn Sweeper

Women's Leather Coats: beautiful and Functional!

WoMen's leather coats come in many dissimilar styles, sizes, colors and prices. There are a ton of them out there, so it is important to know what you are finding for when it comes to woMen's leather coats.

First of all, you will want to make sure that you live in a climate where it would be useful and comfortable to wear women's leather coats. If you live in an area where it seldom gets cold, chances are that you will be too hot in women's leather coats.

Leather Colors

In order to make your search for women's leather coats that you would be concerned in, it is always a good idea to make a list of what you are finding for. Will the jacket be yours, or will it be for man else? Is there a specific color that you want to search for between the many women's leather coats? Are you trying to stay within a singular budget?

Women's Leather Coats: beautiful and Functional!

There are many coat makers that yield women's leather coats, including: Forzeri, Tibor, Scully, Sienna Studio, Cleveland, Interstate Leather, Wilson's Leather and many more. They are ready in a gauntlet of colors, including: black, brown, tan, blue, green, white, purple, red and just about any other color in the spectrum.

Many styles make up the women's leather coats line, along with trench coats, bomber jackets and others. If you are unsure as to which one you should be finding for, an easy way to shape it out is to think about what you are admittedly finding for.

Do you want to see women's leather coats that are lightweight? Are you more implicated with style or comfort? Is there a particular color you would like? What kind of price range must you stay within? There are many women's leather coats to search through, so
making mental notes will make it a little easier on you.

Women's leather coats can have a merge of dissimilar fillings and linings, along with polyester and down. They type of climate you live in will have a huge impact on the filling that you need. If you live in an area that does not get very cold, you will be quite uncomfortable in heavy women's leather coats. If you live somewhere that gets very cold, you will certainly want to keep warm!

There are many merchants that offer great prices on women's leather coats; you just have to look around. Don't think that you have to resolve for lower ability in order to find women's leather coats you can afford. There are many merchants that offer wholesale and discounted women's leather coats, so take a little time to comparison shop.

Women's Leather Coats: beautiful and Functional!

My Links : Buy Shopping Discount Waterproof Shower Speaker Lizard Lick Towing How to Use Trimline Edger Video

Leather Test Methods For Colorfastness and Color determination

The discolored results of numerous motor washings and the Early fading of manufacturing textiles are indications of a lack of quality. This is why color Fastness tests are gaining international meaning. There are a quantity of test methods systematically used for colour Fastness and for dyes. The more requisite are:

- Grey Scale for Assessing convert in Colour: This Grey Scale is for assessing changes in colour of leather in colour fastness tests, for example, wash fastness, perspiration fastness, etc. The scale consists of nine pAirs of grey colour chips all representing a optic divergence and contrast.

Leather Colors

- Grey Scale for Assessing Staining: This Grey Scale is for assessing the degree of staining caused by a dyed leather in colour fastness tests. For example, the staining of wool and cotton fabrics in the wash fastness, perspiration fastness, etc. The scale consists of nine pAirs of grey colour chips each representing a optic divergence and contrast.

Leather Test Methods For Colorfastness and Color determination

- Colour Fastness of Leather to Light: This recipe is intended for determining the resistance of the colour of leather to the activity of a standard synthetic light source. The Xenon lamp has an emission wavelength profile close to daylight. The side to be tested of the leather sample is exposed to light from a Xenon Lamp, under controlled conditions, along with eight blue dyed wool standards (blue scale). The light fastness is assessed by comparing the fading of the leather with the fading of the blue standards. The fading is typically made in 2 exposure times to great aid the evaluation.

- Colour Fastness of Leather to Mild Washing: Fastness of the colour of leather to hand washing is the resistance to washing under mild domestic laundering in water. In washing leather, not only changes in colour can
Occur in the leather, but coloured substances may bleed from it and may stain adjacent textile materials.

- Colour Fastness of Leather to motor Washing: Fastness of the colour of leather to motor washing is the resistance to washing under domestic motor laundering in water. In washing leather, not only changes in colour can occur in the leather, but coloured substances may bleed from it and may stain adjacent textile materials.

- Colour Fastness of Small Samples to Dry Cleaning Solutions: This recipe is intended only for determining the resistance of the colour and the quit of leather to dry cleaning solutions. It does not cover the suitability of composites or faultless leather garMents to dry cleaning processes.

- Colour Fastness of Leather to Migration into Plasticized Pvc: The colour fastness in respect of migration into plasticised poly(vinyl chloride) - Pvc - is the transfer of colour from leather to white plasticised Pvc at 50 C. The side of the leather sample to be tested is settled on a white pigMented sheet of
Plasticised Pvc and the composite speciMen is exposed to heat under pressure in an standard apparatus for16 h at 50 C.

- Colour Fastness of Leather to Perspiration: By fastness of colour of leather to perspiration is meant its resistance to the continued activity of an synthetic perspiration solution.

Another way of test is Chrome-free leather. This leather has slowly gained market importance, particularly for automobile cushion applications. In many respects, however, chrome-free leather is inferior to chrome-tanned leather. Uv and heat are known to be more detriMental to chrome-free leather than to chrome-tanned leather, especially in regard to the colorfastness of dyestuff and mechanical properties. Temperature, Uv radiation, and humidity are key environmental factors that influence leather properties. The role of humidity and its interaction with Uv radiation and temperature on leather properties, however, are not clear to the leather industry, and this facts is needed for formulation of antioxidants that will safe chrome-free leather from Uv and heat damage.

Leather Test Methods For Colorfastness and Color determination

Friends Link : Buy Shopping Discount The Walking Dead Season 2