Air leather is a new advancement in faux leather technology. If you’re looking to buy furniture and happen to hear about air leather, you’re at the right place to know all about it. In this article, we’re going to look at what air leather is, how long it will last, whether it is better than regular faux leather, and how to clean it.
What is air leather?
Air leather, also called Leather Aire or Leatheraire, is a faux leather whose main feature is its breathability. It is a relatively new product popular in furniture as breathability is an important factor that makes furniture more comfortable to sit on. Air leather chairs and sofas keep you cool on warm days and warm on cool days.
What is leather air fabric made of?
Air leather is made from micro-perforated polyurethane materials to mimic the qualities that make up genuine leather. This type of synthetic fabric feels and looks like genuine leather, but it’s more breathable. The polyurethane material is sourced from petroleum products which basically makes it a type of faux leather. Faux leather that doesn’t breathe can be sticky and uncomfortable after a short period of time.
Is air leather real leather?
No, leather air is not real leather. Since it is made from micro-perforated polyurethane material, it is considered a type of faux leather. This type of fabric is made using zero animal products and is considered a good alternative when it comes to synthetic leather.
Is air leather better than bonded leather?
If you’re looking for comfortability, then air leather is considered to be the better option. Since bonded leather is usually made with powdered scrap genuine leather mixed with synthetic materials to create a leather-like material. It cannot be considered real leather as it is usually only composed of 20% real leather.
Each square meter of leather air fabric actually has around 10,000 microscopic air holes which makes it a great material for use both in winter and summer. If you can’t afford real and genuine leather, then air leather is the best alternative as it will provide you with almost the same comfort and reliability but for a cheaper price.
Does air leather crack and peel?
Many upholstered sofas are made from leatheraire because they will last longer compared to common faux leather. The air leather fabric is designed to minimize the chances of it cracking and peeling. This is because it is created with microscopic holes that make it more breathable, and in turn, make it more flexible compared to real leather.
Air leather is considered an upgrade from the normal faux leather materials that you commonly see. What makes leatheraire even better than most synthetic leather materials is its flexible fine fibers which make the material firmer. Compared to other faux leather materials, air leather can be stretched more without cracking and wrinkling. Even if you stretch and twist the air leather fabric, it will still return to its original silky texture.
Is air leather durable?
Yes, air leather is pretty durable considering that it’s a type of synthetic leather. Most faux leather items are fragile and do not last very long, but since air leather is not made from real leather, it still isn’t as durable as the real thing. You can maximize its lifespan by making sure you don’t use the leatheraire item more than you need to.
Leatheraire is also known for its high wear resistance. This type of leather fabric is pressed to make multiple layers of textures, making it thick to the touch but also light enough to use. The surface is also water-resistant which makes it better than real and faux leathers which are more at risk when wet.
How long does air leather last?
Faux leather isn’t something that is considered to last very long. In most cases, faux leather is practically just aesthetics first and durability is just an afterthought. It is part of the faux leather market strategy that the material breaks down after 1-2 years of use so you have to buy a new one.
Leath-aire, on the other hand, is made with durability in mind. It is mostly used in furniture that people expect to last long, and it’s hard to justify buying a sofa that only lasts 2 years until it starts breaking down.
Factors that can affect the leatheraire’s durability include having pets or children who can easily damage your furniture. Another thing is its price. Even though leatheraire is much cheaper than real leather, if the price is alarmingly low, then you shouldn’t expect the material to be high quality.
Many air leather customers have reported that their furniture has lasted 3 years without any problems and furniture stores claim that they are made to last decades and will not peel with regular use. There are also claims of it being the most durable type of faux leather as it is highly engineered for long-lasting furniture.
How to clean air leather
There is no doubt that air leather is one of the easiest materials to clean and it requires minimum effort to maintain. However, this doesn’t mean that you can just leave it uncleaned and unattended during its entire lifespan. Here are some ways to keep air leather or leather-aire clean:
Mild soap
Since leather aire is much easier to clean, you don’t need to go through all the complicated processes using different types of solutions to clean it. Using mild soap and a damp towel is the simplest thing you can do, and most of the time, it’s all you will need for cleaning this type of leather fabric.
Things you will need:
- Microfiber towels
- Mild soap
Steps:
- Use a dry microfiber towel to wipe away any loose dirt on the surface.
- Make a lather using mild soap and water mixture.
- Dampen your microfiber cloth using the cleaning solution. Make sure it’s not dripping wet, but only damp.
- Wipe away any stains that you see. This will also remove any unpleasant smell that might be on your air leather product.
- Use another dry microfiber cloth to wipe the excess water.
Baby wipes
If you don’t want to use soap and water for your leathaire item, you can always go for baby wipes. They can clean almost any surface and have a mild scent to remove bad odors from the air leather surface. Just make sure to wipe the surface using a dry soft cloth to remove the excess moisture from the wipes.
Tips and extra information:
- Since air leather has thousands of microscopic holes on them, it is considered to be porous and if you happen to spill any liquid on it, wipe it off immediately and do not wait for it to get absorbed.
- If the liquid has absorbed through the surface and into the foam inside, air dry it in a well-ventilated room to avoid it from smelling bad.
Armor All
You may want to check out our article about how to use Armor All. It is mainly used in cars, but they’re great and easy products to use on large pieces of furniture as well.
Conclusion
Air leather is an amazing new material that’s more durable than most types of faux leather. If you can’t afford a real leather couch or furniture, but you don’t want uncomfortable sticky faux leather sofas, this might be a great alternative.
It is not as expensive as real leather, but it can provide more comfort because of its breathability and porosity. We would advise you to make sure that you are buying a high-quality product. Buying the cheapest air leather item may still leave you with an unsatisfactory experience or a short experience as low-quality materials, whether real or not, may still disappoint.
FAQ
Is 100% leather the same as genuine leather?
Genuine is a layer of leather, rather than a distinction between real and fake leather. Genuine leather is still real leather, but it is not the highest quality leather. Not all 100% leather is genuine leather. Some may be higher quality leather like full-grain and top-grain leather which are more expensive and durable types of leather.
What kind of leather will not peel?
Most real leathers will not peel. However, if your item is synthetically coated, like a corrected grain leather, then that synthetic coating that mimics the pattern of real leather may peel off, revealing the genuine leather underneath that may not be as pretty as the corrected grain. If you want leather that does not peel, suede and full-grain or top-grain leather should be your go-to products. They do not peel, and with the exception of suede, are very durable and can last multiple decades.