If you have some basic knowledge regarding faux leathers, you must have heard about microfiber leather. It is basically a type of superfine synthetic fiber that is a great alternative to natural leather. In this blog, we will help you identify microfiber leather and understand its characteristics.
If you have some basic knowledge regarding faux leathers, you must have heard about microfiber leather. It is basically a type of superfine synthetic fiber that is a great alternative to natural leather. In this blog, we will help you identify microfiber leather and understand its characteristics.
It is undeniable that real leather is manufactured after plenty of processes, including hide sourcing, tanning, and finishing, and is higher in cost than synthetic materials. We often need to find cost effective alternatives to real or genuine leather in order to create long lasting but affordable products. Microfiber leather, with its incredible durability and other properties, is a suitable and less pricey synthetic leather that you can go for instead of real leather.
What is Microfiber Leather?
Microfiber leather, or Microfiber Polyurethane leather, is a nonwoven synthetic material. It is made with a three dimensional structure consisting of short superfine fibers and a PU resin layer. The manufacturing process of microfiber leather includes adding resin to crushed cowhide leather scraps to make skin pulp. This pulp then undergoes mechanical calendering and is coated with PU film using wet or dry processes.
Microfiber Leather Characteristics
Packed with several extraordinary qualities, microfiber leather is undoubtedly reputable for being a leather substitute.
● Durability
Due to its stable surface layer, microfiber leather has better resistance to wear and tear than genuine leather.
● Breathability
Microfiber leather has an adequate level of air permeability and breathability.
● Age Resistance
It stays in good shape without peeling for a long time, adding to its age resisting property.
● Flexibility
Microfiber leather has good flexibility, appropriate for making comfortable leather garments, bags, and shoes of good quality.
● Waterproof
The polyurethane resin on its surface makes microfiber leather waterproof to some extent. Also, it has tightly woven fibers, which means articles made of this synthetic leather are easily washable.
● Stain Resistance
One of the best qualities of microfiber leather is that it is highly resistant to staining.
● Environmentally Friendly
If you feel uneasy about using natural leather products due to their animal origin, microfiber may be the right environmentally friendly vegan leather option for you. Microfiber leather is a nontoxic material, safe for the environment. It is also resistant to moths and mildew.
● Easy to Sew
The pliability of microfiber makes it easy to work with. This is also one of the reasons why it is a sought after synthetic material for different types of uses as compared to bonded leather or genuine leather.
● Suitability for All Weathers
Microfiber leather's cold resistance and ability to absorb heat while dissipating it less make it suitable for use in all kinds of weather. In winter, it will keep you comfortably warm, while in summer, it will keep you cool.
Microfiber Leather Uses
Unlike other inferior grade faux leather types, such as the Bonded Leather, microfiber will last a long time without peeling, making it suitable for various uses. Proven to be of satisfactory quality, microfiber leather is highly in demand. Manufacturers use it to make leather garments, such as pants, jackets, skirts, and leather coats. Leather accessories made of microfiber, such as bags, luggage, belts, shoes, and gloves, last long.
The type of leather is frequently used to make car seats and other automotive interior parts. It is also used to make durable furniture upholstery, with microfiber leather sofa, chairs, and couches being highly popular.
Difference Between Microfiber Leather and Natural Leather
When dealing with real leather and microfiber leather, the presence of natural pores found on the animal skin are the differentiating factor that sets real leather apart. Microfiber fabric leather is synthetic leather, so its texture is uniform and smooth, more like plastic.
Micro fiber leather has a plastic like odor, although high quality artificial leather usually doesn't have any smell. As for real leather, it is made from animal hides, so a natural smell of animal skin is present in it.
Another difference between microfiber leather vs real leather is that of specific gravity, with genuine leather having a high level of 0.6, while microfiber leather has about 0.3. Genuine leather products are thus heavier in weight than microfiber synthetic leather.
