LEATHER CARE

Make your furniture an extension of who you are. Let your lounge suite tell its own story, one with imperfections, that is as unique as a fingerprint and as different from the next. That’s what makes owning a genuine leather lounge suite so appealing. With genuine leather not being a man-made product, natural scars, marks and “imperfections” exist. These should not be seen as flaws, but rather as a sign of genuine quality leather.
When offering leather lounge suites in different colour options, a dyeing process is required. The hide will absorb the colour based on the cell structure of that piece of hide, which means the hide could be darker or lighter in different areas.
Keeping in mind that genuine leather is a natural material and has characteristics that are not evident in man-made options, genuine leather can be rigid at first but will soften and become more suppler with time and use. Genuine leather will stretch over time, increasing the comfort even more.

Care and Cleaning Instructions:
Genuine Leather
1、This leather should be wiped regularly with a dry soft cloth in order to prevent the accumulation of dust.
2、Never use detergents to clean leather.
3、Dab spills immediately with a soft dry absorbent cloth.
4、Leather finish is sensitive to light; please keep away from windows and areas with direct sunlight.
5、Condition the leather approximately every 9-12 months using a good quality hide food which contains softening and nourishing agents. This will prevent leather from drying out and cracking over time.
Synthetic Areas:
1、Dust regularly with a soft damp cloth.
2、Dirt can be removed by washing with warm water and soap.
3、DO NOT use hide food, solvents, detergents or furniture polish, as this will cause the synthetic leather to harden and crack.

FAQ
What is Genuine Leather?
Genuine Leather is made from the complete animal hide and is more expensive to purchase than that made from bonded material. The natural strength of leather comes from the skin or top layer of the animal hide, this is referred to as “top grain” or “full grain” leather. A great feature of this leather is that instead of wearing out and peeling, it creates a film that gives extra strength and shine. So instead of wearing out over time, it gets better looking and has a long life span.
What is Genuine Leather Uppers?
Genuine Leather Uppers refers to the use of genuine leather on the contact areas (parts of the chair you will touch when seated) and imitation leather-look upholstery covers on the non-contact areas (parts of the chair you would not be in contact with, i.e., sides and back of the chair).
What is Leather Combination?
Leather Combination refers to the use of a combination of leather and imitation leather-look upholstery covers used on both non-contact (parts of the chair you would not be in contact with, i.e., sides and back of the chair) and contact areas (parts of the chair you will touch when seated).
What is Bonded Leather?
Bonded Leather is sometimes called “vinyl” and does not come from the whole animal skin. Bonded Leather is a polyurethane fabric with leather shavings glued onto the back of the fabric. These leather shavings do not constitute genuine leather and do not have the benefits associated with genuine leather, i.e., it will crack and deteriorate over time.
Can the colour hide the natural marks?
Yes. Darker colours will conceal natural marks, while the lighter colours will show them off.
Do the natural marks weaken the leather?
Not at all. This is a true indicator of genuine leather.
Does the presence of more marks mean it’s a cheap leather?
No. Cheaper leathers show very few marks. Natural marks are a signature of expensive leathers. Lower priced hides have an embossed grain that results in less wastage and thus a cheaper product.


THE MARK OF GENUINE LEATHER
The Scratch and Scar – Small surface scratches form part of the natural characteristics of genuine leather. Scars that have healed over time are as strong as the rest of the hide – this is not a flaw. Scratches and scars will be found all over the furniture.
The Crease – These typically occur where the hide had loose skin. Small creases can be found all over the furniture.
The Wrinkle and Stretchmark – These occur as a result of a stretched belly. Wrinkles and stretchmarks would be used on the sides and back of the furniture.
The Bite – Mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, etc., unfortunately leave bite marks shaped as small circles or tiny holes in the hide. These marks will be found all over the furniture.
The Vein – The animal’s veins appear as such on the hide. Vein markings are more evident from older animals and reflective of their climate. In cold weather the veins are smaller to reduce heat loss through the skin and alternatively the veins are larger in warmer conditions. These marks can be found all over the furniture.
The Brand – This will be found on almost every hide. This could be a letter, number or shape and is seen as a natural mark. These parts of the hide are used on the sides or back of the furniture.


GENUINE GEMSBOK LEATHER MARKS

Healed Scars – this part of the hide is used all over the furniture, but not concentrated in one area.
Healed Scars – this part of the hide is used all over the furniture, but not concentrated in one area.
Open Cuts – these marks can be found on the back and sides of the furniture.
Flay Cuts – these marks can be seen on the main parts of the lounge furniture, but more often on the back and sides.
Uneven Colour – this will be used all over the lounge furniture.
Uneven Thickness/Discolouration – these parts of the hide will be used on the back and sides of the lounge furniture.