What Is Microfiber Leather?

Now, when deciding between real leather and fake leather, there is one material that is on the rise and that material is microfiber leather. If you’ve ever thought about what microfiber leather is and what its utilities are, why it is getting more and more popular, and its differences from real leather. You are in the right place. In this ensuing blog, all aspects of microfiber leather including characteristics, applications, and even comparison to natural leather will be discussed. Let's dive in!

What Is Microfiber Leather?

Microfiber leather is high-quality synthetic leather that is produced with the help of superfine polyester and polyurethane resin. It is made through a complex procedure which provides it with a somewhat realistic relief as to the touch and the weight, it resembles a real leather. This material is a very popular imitation of genuine leather due to the numerous advantages it has over genuine leather, it is also cheaper.

Microfiber leather also called microfiber polyurethane (PU) leather has similarities both in appearance and texture to natural leather but has some additional advantages such as increased wear resistance, stain resistance, and, environmentally friendliness.

How Is Microfiber Leather Manufactured?

Microfiber leather can be produced by the nonwoven process, whereby polyurethane resin and fabric-covered fibers that are extremely small in size are bonded together. The fibers are compacted and the material is layers with PU coatings. Wide-width fibers are used and the material is often layered. While bonded leather utilizes animal skins, microfiber leather does not, taking into consideration the fact that it incorporates synthetic fiber in its structure. This makes it an environment-friendly substitute for normal leather while dishing out some of the qualities associated with the same.

Characteristics of Microfiber Leather

Microfiber leather has some unique characteristics: it is extremely wear-resistant, flexible, and very easy to take care of. Let’s break down some of its key characteristics:

1. Durability

Microfiber leather is also very durable and will not easily wear out for accessories that are being used regularly. The material is non-fade; it does not fray or peel with regular usage due to its dense weave. This is one of the reasons that make it preferable in the production of furniture and specialized upholsteries, car seats, and leather jackets.

2. Breathability

Firstly, microfiber leather has the breathability problem solved, unlike other synthetic materials. The fact is that it easily lets air through and thus it can be used as clothing and as upholstery material throughout the year.

3. Waterproof and Stain Resistant

This material is in the category of microfiber leather, which is very water resistant due to the polyurethane layer applied to it. It will not stain easily, which makes it suitable for use where you want to avoid stains such as furniture and accessories among others.

4. Flexible and Lightweight

Hence, microfiber leather is softer than real leather and can be processed in vogue in fashion, accessories, and automotive industry. This makes it practically used in making bags and shoes among other lighter products.

5. Eco-Friendly

Microfiber leather is not real leather but it is a vegan product and therefore perfectly safe for use by individuals who have a conscience against the killings of animals for animal-derived products like real leather. It is also free from toxicity and thus considered a friendly product to the environment.

6. Weather Resistant

Another benefit that has come with the use of microfiber leather is that it is ideal for both indoor and outdoor use. It does not turn stiff in cold weather and gives insulation during hot weather since it has the qualities of wool.

Uses of Microfiber Leather

One of the strongest and biggest advantages of microfiber leather is the fact that it is multi-purpose and is used in several products. Some of the most common uses include:

1. Clothing and Fashion Accessories

This type of leather is applied in various types of clothing apparel such as; jackets, pants, and skirts among others. Its versatility & strength make it suitable for developing clothing and accessories that have the appearance of actual leather at considerably lower costs. Many similar Microfiber leather jackets are replacing the traditional real leather jackets.

2. Furniture and Upholstery

Microfiber leather has found a popular application in furnishing and especially in the making of furniture. When selecting between a microfiber vs leather couch, there are many times that microfiber leather is selected over the other due to the ability to repel stains and ease of cleaning them. It is also way cheaper, especially for homes with children or even pets which makes the ease of cleaning it simpler.

3. Automotive Interiors

Such material as microfiber leather is quite popular in the automotive industry particularly in car seats and interiors because it is resistant to many types of transmission and weather conditions. This is cheaper for the interior of a luxury car as it looks like leather without having the actual characteristics of leather.

4. Footwear and Bags

Microfiber leather is welcomed by shoe and handbag makers because it is flexible, wear-resistant, and water-resistant. The plastic is ideal for making products that require to be used daily as it does not wear out easily.

Microfiber Leather vs Real Leather

Therefore, the microfiber leather is in contrast to that of the natural leather. Well, let us try to have a deeper look at how microfiber vs leather differ from each other.

1. Texture

Authentic leather has a rough surface because flakes and natural surface openings present in animal skins produce distinctive patterns. Microfiber leather which is used in this design is similar in texture, however, its surface is less busy as it is man-made. But, microfiber leather of high quality looks very much like real leather.

2. Durability

As stated earlier both the materials are quite durable but microfiber leather has an upper hand in the scratch and abrasion resistant factor. Real leather can arrive at roughness and usage over time while microfiber leather does not wear out as fast.

3. Weight

Real leather is often denser than microfiber leather; however, the latter is more lightweight than real one. It makes microfiber leather even more comfortable for things such as bags and shoes.

4. Water Resistance

Real leather, on the other hand, is subject to swelling in water and suffering from wear and tear at some point in its use while microfiber leather is naturally water-repellent. This makes it easier to maintain and more suitable for outdoor use as contrary to the indoors where germs and other bacteria build up rapidly.

5. Cost

Real leather is costlier because of the high process involved in tanning animal skin. Microfiber leather is cheaper, therefore making it easy to obtain by anybody with a limited budget.

Microfiber Leather Vs Other Synthetic Leathers

• Microfiber Leather vs PVC Leather

PVC leather is the other kind of synthetic leather, but it does not have the flexibility or breathability of microfiber leather. PVC can harden over time, and besides, it cannot possess the softness and flexibility that microfiber has.

• Microfiber Leather vs PU Leather

Sometimes people use the terms PU leather and microfiber leather interchangeably which is not quite accurate since the two materials are distinct from each other. PU is not as strong as microfiber leather and also does not have as much abrasion and hydrolysis resistance as microfiber leather.

What Is Microsuede?

If you are perhaps curious to know the answer to the question ‘What is microsuede’, all you need to know is that it is a type of microfiber that has been given a suede-like texture through brushing. Microsuede is softer than microfiber leather and is applied in furniture, the production of footwear, and clothes. It’s rather long-lasting, simple to wash and it doesn’t catch stains easily.

Bottom Line

Microfiber leather is a great synthetic leather that is almost as good as the real thing, it’s durable, flexible, and has numerous applications. Regardless of whether you are seeking furniture, automotive interiors, or fashion accessories, microfiber leather is an inexpensive, and recyclable material. Thus microfiber leather which has the look and feel of real leather and yet is made up of microfiber is gradually being used.

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