Sometimes unscrupulous manufacturers pass it off as eco-leather – leatherette or PU leather.
To recognize a fake, pay attention to the following points:
- The difference between eco-leather and artificial leather is that it is softer; the heat of the human body is transferred to it. Faux leather feels like plastic. It remains cold after contact with your hands;
- eco-leather stretches, but leatherette does not. When purchasing, lightly pull the edge of the product to check its elasticity;
- smell the product or piece of material. Eco-friendly leather smells almost the same as natural leather, it has a pleasant, slightly sweet smell. Leatherette, especially cheap ones, has an unpleasant, pungent chemical aroma.
Eco-leather is a new generation material. It combines the advantages of natural leather (hygroscopicity, breathability) and artificial leather (water resistance, low price). If we compare two analogues of natural material, the high-tech substitute wins in several respects. It is more pleasant to the touch, has high hygienic qualities, is elastic, and resistant to low temperatures.
Dear readers of the Blogrism, if you still have questions on this topic, we will be happy to answer them. Leave your reviews, comments, share stories if you have dealt with this material! Your life experience may be useful to other readers.
What and how to restore leatherette?
So, we come to the most important question: what are the ways to restore artificial leather? The upholstery on the sofa is exposed to mechanical stress almost constantly, especially if there are small children in the house. You don’t always want to get rid of a cozy leather sofa if it has cracks and damage, outerwear or even small accessories.
There are several options to get rid of this problem
Orange peel
This affordable component can give gloves, a wallet, a business card holder and other small accessories their former shine. Please note that with this option it is impossible to remove scuffs and cracks on eco-leather, but you can only update the coating. It is advisable to carry out this procedure periodically in order to protect the material.
Dishwashing liquid
If a greasy stain appears on your jacket or sofa and you don’t know how to remove it, then regular dishwashing detergent will come to the rescue. It must be applied to a sponge and wipe the contaminated area.
Gasoline or turpentine
With this method you can easily and quickly remove even the most stubborn stains. Alcohol can penetrate deep into eco-leather, which will visually mask all the flaws of the damaged surface. To apply alcohol or turpentine, you need to use a small piece of gauze to apply the product to the damaged material for 15 minutes. After complete drying, the skin will become one solid piece, and defects will be almost invisible. If the skin on your product has peeled off in the cold, it can be restored following the rules.
Special dyes for artificial and natural leather
This is an excellent solution for getting rid of weak and strong defects in the surface of leatherette. The coloring pigment penetrates deeply into the structure of the material, which allows you to completely eliminate the defect and give the product an attractive appearance.
The most important advantage of this method is the rich palette of colors and shades – from standard leather options to acidic ones. Such dyes make it easy and simple to process and smooth the surface.
Aerosols
They are similar to paints, but are used to remove minor scratches and level the surface. Aerosols must be applied in a thin layer, as a thick layer can cause smudges and cracking, which will only worsen the situation.
Liquid skin
Using this product, you can achieve an ideal “skin” relief on the surface of the coating. “Liquid leather” is used to fill scratches, cuts and small punctures. Before using this substance, be sure to read the instructions for use.
Partial replacement of material
This method is used only in case of severe damage to the material – deep cuts and lack of coating on the product. Only specialists with knowledge of special technologies for restoring artificial leather can restore eco-leather with numerous defects. In case of such damage, it is advisable to have the furniture reupholstered, since partial repairs cannot restore the product to its original appearance.
Advantages and disadvantages
The production of eco-leather does not require large expenses for raising animals – the fabric itself and the chemical component are needed.
Other advantages include:
- Strength and wear resistance;
- Hypoallergenic;
- Elasticity;
- The ability to choose any color and texture of the canvas, but more often the pattern copies natural leather;
- Keeps its shape well, does not stretch;
- Does not require delicate care;
- Hygroscopic backing material: moisture does not retain on it, so a person will not sweat;
- Good breathability;
- Resistant to low temperatures, does not harden in the cold;
- The ability to choose the required size of the canvas, which is unrealistic with genuine leather;
- Humanity, cost-effective production and environmentally friendly material;
- The quality is slightly inferior to natural leather and at the same time low cost;
- No unpleasant odors.
The disadvantages include:
• Cat owners should refrain from buying a sofa and other products with eco-leather upholstery. A deep cut or scratch reveals a fabric base that cannot be hidden or sealed with liquid leather.
• It gets dirty quickly; you have to try hard to remove marker marks from the surface.
• Budget eco-leather takes a long time to heat up, which is not very convenient in winter.
How and how to iron a leatherette jacket
There are several answers, choose the appropriate option.
Iron
1. Turn the leather jacket inside out, lay it on the ironing board, and carefully straighten out the folds with your hands.
2. Cover the product with a clean cotton cloth and run a warm (not hot) iron over it. To smooth out the leatherette without damaging it, use the delicate mode on the device; it is better to turn off the steam function.
3. Immediately turn the ironed jacket right side out. Try to give the item some volume by putting it on your own body or on a suitable mannequin.
Steamer
Here, too, the leatherette is exposed to high temperatures, so caution is important
- To avoid sticking of parts, use a mannequin or a hanger with rolls of towels placed in the sleeves.
- Only the problem areas are steamed; do not keep the device in one place for more than five seconds.
- The distance between the steamer and the fabric is at least 10 cm.
- During the procedure, it is better not to touch the jacket with your hands so as not to leave marks.
- After steaming, allow the product to cool.
Smoothing with water
- Turn the jacket inside out and hang it on a hanger.
- Spray with water at room temperature from a spray bottle so that it is not wet, but damp.
- Wait for the item to dry.
Hair conditioner and vinegar
- In equal proportions (about 5 tablespoons each), mix 9 percent vinegar, room temperature water and conditioner.
- Pour the resulting liquid into a spray bottle and treat problem areas.
- Let the product dry.
This method of smoothing leatherette is unusual, but effective.
Shoe polish
Colorless cosmetics for shoes can also care for other leatherette products. Apply a small amount of cream to a clean rag and treat the wrinkled areas of the jacket. Skin moisturized with a special product will quickly straighten. Glycerin is useful as an alternative.
Rain
And here you don’t even need to think about how to smooth out the artificial leather. Put on a jacket and go for a walk in the rain. Just don’t forget to hang the product on a hanger when you get home. And drink hot tea so as not to get sick.
“Steam bath”
- Pour hot water into the bathtub and hang a wrinkled jacket over it on hangers.
- Close the door.
- After 5 hours, take the jacket into a cool room and wait until it dries completely.
Determining the quality of tailoring
It is especially important to know how to choose a women’s leather jacket
The fact is that women usually pay attention not only to the appearance of the product, but also to the quality of its tailoring, namely the carefulness of the cut, finishing of the seams, as well as accessories. The fact is that this item of clothing, especially for women, must be properly cut in order to fit perfectly on the figure
Therefore, in addition to knowing how to choose a leather jacket for men, you will also need to understand how to choose the right size of a leather jacket.
In addition to seams and edges, when purchasing this product, it is also necessary to check the zipper, for example, to study how easily the slider moves along it. It is best if the zipper is made of metal, since a plastic product can break quite quickly. When buttons are used instead of a zipper, they must be made of durable materials such as metal and plastic, while the loops must be made of durable materials, as well as carefully stitched. Buttons should be chosen only that are strong and fasten well
As for the options for making the lining, it can be fabric or fur. Fur coats are best suited to be worn in spring and autumn, and if your region has relatively warm winters, you can wear this jacket in winter as well.
In this case, it is important that the lining is sewn on and not fastened with a zipper, as it quickly fails and can break at the most unexpected moment.
If you are purchasing a jacket to wear in the summer and it has a fabric lining, you to be prepared for the fact that it will be quite thin, which you remember when it can get very cold in the summer. If we talk about the lining material, then the best option is viscose, which lasts much longer than polyester. Polyester wears out and tears quite quickly, which can significantly shorten the life of your jacket.
A leather jacket also goes well with light clothing. This is ideal for cool summers
Be sure to pay attention to the color of the lining. It shouldn’t be flashy or too simple.
It is better to opt for light-colored fabric, although gray would be appropriate, but red or yellow would be difficult to match. In any case, the main thing when choosing fabrics for it should be compliance with quality and strength, since during wear the lining can tear quite easily.
The lining of a leather jacket can be quite original in itself, which will complement the look
How to distinguish artificial leather from natural leather before purchasing?
Conscientious sellers honestly tell buyers what material the product is made of, even if it is high-quality eco-leather. However, no one is safe from buying a fake. To prevent this from happening, you need to be able to independently determine the origin of such material.
