Source
r/explainlikeimfive•
copycat

ELI5: Why is leather still such a popular luxury item for things like upholstery?

Hasn't science created better fabrics by now? Is it really luxurious considering it isn't rare with hundreds of thousands of cows being slaughtered daily?

I was watching some show where the guy was showing a $20 million Leer jet and he kept going on about the leather. You have this amazing piece of technology that has only been available for 50 years and you're excited about the pieces of dead cow skin that has been used for thousands of years.

I eat meat and using up the leftover skin makes economical sense, but I don't get why it's the premier fabric of luxury.

Posted Nov 22, 2015, 6:52 PM UTC

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90s_altrock_forevs•

Leather is extremely durable, and a lot of people find the look, feel, and smell of it pleasant. It's been in continual use for thousands of years because it's just a great material. And the synthetic materials you mentioned are all petroleum derivatives.

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oskiller•

The other thing is not all leather is created equal. Leather that has been treated properly for clothing and furniture can either be really cheap and not worth the money, or it has been taken care of properly throughout the process and will be worth the money.

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catechlism9854•

Also full grain v suede etc

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B_P_G•

Its expensive not because its rare but because its simply more difficult to process when compared to fabric. Science hasn't created anything yet that trumps the feel and durability of it.

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anunusedusename•

Also because you need a cow that's lived to adulthood without damaging or scarring it's skin.

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fizzlehack•

But hey, at least you've got a steak while enjoying that awesome leather recliner on game day, yea?

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anunusedusename•

If you use the whole cow that provided the leather you probably have a whole season worth of steak. And some.

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Omuck3•

Just to add to the other answers, leather becomes softer with age. So unlike having a cloth couch, a leather couch will become more enjoyable to sit on as time goes by.

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SandyRegolith•

The chemical makeup and structure of leather is an incredibly complicated organic thing, and it has all kinds of good qualities as a result: porosity, waterproofing, softness, heat transfer, stain resistance etc etc. It got that way through millions of years of evolution. If you could make a plastic which had all those qualities (cheaply) you'd be a billionaire. Currently we take advantage of those millions of years of evolution by growing animals and then using their skins because it's way cheaper than trying to synthesize it.

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zwei2stein•

Yet is is still extemelly uncomfortable in hot weather becuase of sticky sweat and in winter because of it being cold.

I feel it has less to do with actual material (which is great skin for living organism and not evolved to be great piece of furniture) and more with what people percieve as luxurious.

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blackrat47•

A bit tangential, but I can't fucking stand leather. Very cold to sit on in the winter, very sticky and gross in the summer. Don't see the appeal. When I bought my car, pretty much my only condition was that the seats weren't leather...

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beautifulpumpkin•

Unsure why all the downvotes, I hear what you're saying. I do like leather, but in terms of comfort, it's not the be-all-and-end-all for the reasons you just mentioned.

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zwei2stein•

Yeah ... id take cloth any time - less sweaty mess in summer.

I do not understand it as luxury material.

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JasonAldeanMG88•

You can't beat leather when it's used for boots/shoes. They last forever if you take care of them.

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LastDitchTryForAName•

Leather looks good, feels good, smells good. It's the absolute best "fabric" for pet owners. Good quality leather can last for decades. No, it's not rare, but nothing beats quality leather for durability and timeless appeal.

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This_name_is_gone•

A lot of work and expertise goes in to tanning and working with leather, which is a major factor in its price and "luxuriousness" of it. There's really nothing man-made that beats it for weather resistance, warmth, durability, and looks.

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Euphorigenic•

I think that items that are expected to be of the highest quality and as such demand the highest price are expected to be made of leather. If you were the best damn wallet maker in the world and you found a synthetic material that you wanted to use because you believed it to be superior, you are would be doing so knowing that you'll be taking a hit in your own. As a result the best craftspeople are incentivized to use leather for concerns beyond quality alone.

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bawse1•

Cow leather is not considered as luxury anymore since it is so mainstream but lambskin is still luxury but it is not used for upholstery very often because of the size they come in.

Synthetic materials that are considered luxury such as true Alcantera are being used for upholstery these days and is very expensive.

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TheGoldenRat•

Alcantara is the shit.

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