Update on the marketing of leather

[baileyuph]

Demand has dropped, primarily because prefers softer/more colorful materials for their commodities,
one primary is shoes.  This reduction in demand is driving leather price to lows.

Interesting if this will have a play in price of furniture going forward ..........leather down & imitation up for
furniture?

Leather being more durable with a lower price - furniture market might like this better!

Standby,

Doyle

[baileyuph]

Now, i just got an upholstery job to do in leather.  The owner wants it in a dark grey.  I have
been checking but without much findings.  I will need around 4 hides, I estimate.

I used the number of 40 square feet per hide, of course they vary in size and all of the hide won't be used.

What do you people do to estimate hide requirements?  This is an older lazy boy, I suppose 6 yards
of fabric is my best guess. 

So how many hides do you estimate to do this recliner.

I advised the customer the cost will not be low, but it didn't change his mind.  So, now I have to find
the dark grey and determine the number of hides?

The leather needs to be quality, but for this, don't want it top grain  and original thickness.  Top grain
is desired but definitely not as thick as boot leather.

When you order top grain, how do you specify the thickness?

Doyle.

So,

[MinUph]

Doyle there are many leather suppliers. I have gotten nice stuff from all I deal with. As far as I know you don't order thickness. And Full top grain is the best for furniture. The way to figure the amount is a 6 yard chair will take 108 sq' or 18 sq' to a 54" yard of fabric. I figure 50 sq' to an average hide and will round up to the next hide so it would be 3 hides. Leather ain't what it use to be. Lessor quality will not hold up like you would think. Furniture stores are a good example of this. Genuine Leather is not the only thing that matters anymore. But it is still all good to work with.

  Samples will tell if it Full Top, Top, or lessor. The better the grades the higher the cost as you would expect.

Some suppliers are..
http://www.coast2coastleather.com/
https://www.rodenleather.com/
https://www.greenhousefabrics.com/books/category/328

There are others but these are a good start.

[baileyuph]

Thanks for the source information Paul.

I asked and received some nice leather samples.

The samples ( top grain?  Probably), seem and look like nice leather. 

The thickness is my concern, this is for furniture and given the weight, will yield very heavy seaming. 
There are arm top pillows to deal with plus being a recliner, you can visualize the center section
going in and out (scrubbing).

The leather samples I received looked pretty decent for auto seat work, but have some concerns about
redoing the LA-Z-Boy in materials that might be too heavy.

As an additional thought:  When we examine leather samples, one can be heavier than another but
both can be "top grain".  It is my understanding that leather can be cut into layers  -  if so the top
grain can be preserved on a thinner leather and be top grain - it is minus what has been cut off?

Doyle

[MinUph]

Thanks for the source information Paul.

I asked and received some nice leather samples.

The samples ( top grain?  Probably), seem and look like nice leather. 

The thickness is my concern, this is for furniture and given the weight, will yield very heavy seaming. 
There are arm top pillows to deal with plus being a recliner, you can visualize the center section
going in and out (scrubbing).
I haven't seen any issues with this leather on recliners. It is all for furniture use as well as Auto.

The leather samples I received looked pretty decent for auto seat work, but have some concerns about
redoing the LA-Z-Boy in materials that might be too heavy.

As an additional thought:  When we examine leather samples, one can be heavier than another but
both can be "top grain".  It is my understanding that leather can be cut into layers  -  if so the top
grain can be preserved on a thinner leather and be top grain - it is minus what has been cut off?

Ye4s Leather is cut into several layers. Full Top Grain is the topmost layer and is the best but will contain bites and scratches. I don't think thickness has anything to do with it. All samples won't full top grain. That is pretty expensive. There is so much to know about leather now a days. I don't remember it all.


Doyle

[gene]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2Q2DqCR5k0

A great video on leather.

gene

[kodydog]

Good video Gene. I liked when he was struggling for a word to describe bonded leather and settled on "pure crap" lol.

[baileyuph]

Bonded leather, usually is a problem down the road, I agree.

I will be looking at the samples with knowledge gained - thanks.

Three or four hides seems to be the general requirement. 

Doyle