What is Faux Leather?

As the name implies, faux leather is artificial leather made from synthetic materials, making it utterly opposite to natural leather. Various terms are attached to it, like, PU leather, vegan leather, and synthetic leather. It comprises two main types named Polyurethane (PU) and Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC). We use PU leather most commonly in our furniture, apparel, and bags as it is a non-porous material and good for the environment.

We can define faux leather as fake leather that is used in place of genuine leather and involves the use of chemicals in its manufacturing for texture, color, and appearance to look like a real one. Although it is not as hard and genuine as real leather, it is water and stain-resistant.

Pros and Cons of Faux Leather

There are many ways in which faux leather benefits us and provide us with a better option than real leather; however, it is also true that all these benefits come with a downside when we start to pay attention to the cons of faux leather.

Here are some of the pros and cons of faux leather.

Pros

Compared to real leather, faux leather is more economical and reasonable.
It is easier to polish and give any look to faux leather because of its adaptability.
It is easier to maintain faux leather.
There are fewer chances for faux leather to grow dim.
It is highly repellent to UV.
Faux leather is far more convenient to make than real leather.

Cons

Most faux leather made from PVC is known to be unbreathable.
The polish and radiance of faux leather are temporary.
Faux leather is non-stretchable and does not wear down as real leather.
Faux leather is not resistant to tears and punctures.
The manufacturing of faux leather gives rise to significant environmental waste.

How to Clean Faux Leather?

Cleaning faux leather should not be a problem as it is an effortless task that anyone can do. Nevertheless, the real trick is to remain consistent in doing so.

No matter what color or type of faux leather you've got, always go for a mild clean every once in a while. Faux leather is prone to drying when you use harsh detergents over it, so it's best to go with one that consists of fewer chemicals.

Take a non-abrasive cloth, rinse it in lukewarm water, and simply wipe it over the stain. As faux leather is resistant to stains, it will quickly go away. But, if the stain is steady, the clever way to get the stain off is to use a liquid washing soap mixed with the lukewarm water. Wring the cloth first, then gently clean the leather's surface. Finish by drying it out using a soft dry microfibre cloth.

Coconut oil, baking soda, and gentle stain removers are the commonly used supplies for faux leather cleaning.

Maintainance of Faux Leather

To keep faux leather from losing its shine and polish, you can maintain it for as long as possible. Look for some of the simple techniques below to ensure you take the proper care of your faux leather.

Avoid Sunlight

The key to preventing faux leather from drying is to avoid placing it in the sunlight. Direct sunlight can cause the material to dry out in no time, so putting your essentials like furniture, bags, and wallets somewhere in the shade is the option to go with.

Colour Transfer

Colour transference occurs when dark-coloured clothes transfer their colours over light-coloured clothes. You can quickly save your faux leather from such stains by wiping them with a baby wipe; otherwise, they will become permanent and won't disappear.

Test Beforehand

Another vital factor to consider is testing before cleaning faux leather. You must take a small amount of the cleaning agent and then apply it to the part where it is hidden and not easily visible. Wait until it dries completely, and see if it had the opposite effect. If not, you can use it on the rest of the faux leather.

Product Selection

When selecting cleaning products for faux leather, it is better to go for mild ones that won't severely affect the fabric. Thinking about it as skin would help because you would never apply anything harsh to the skin at the end of the day.

Avoid Bleach

Never forget that bleach is an open enemy to your faux leather due to the immense amount of drying agents present in it. No matter how big or small the stain is, bleaching won't help as it will only destroy the structure of that part and result in a shorter lifespan of the leather.

Use Non-abrasive Cloth

Using abrasive cloths and scrubbing the faux leather surface is probably the worst thing you would do to your faux leather. Instead, work with clothes that are soft and non-abrasive so that the stain vanishes smoothly without producing any cracks. Plus, regular circular motions will also help.

Clean-up after Cleaning

To ensure your faux leather doesn't wear out quickly, give a finishing clean-up at the end. You can do so by using a mild detergent and then cleaning the area you cleaned earlier.

Is Faux Leather High Quality?

With considerable durability and a long life span, we can say that faux leather is a high-quality leather if appropriately maintained. Meaning, that if you take good care of it, which involves frequent cleaning and maintenance, then there is no doubt your leather will resist scratches and other scraps for a more extended period.

Check out our high-quality front pocket wallets and travel wallets.

Is Faux Leather as Good as Real Leather?

We know faux leather mainly because of how durable and affordable it is. But is it as good as real leather?

To be honest, it is undoubtedly a great alternative to real leather, but it does not work exactly like real leather, unlike real leather, which builds up a patina on its surface. Faux leather is prone to cracks and wears out in less time. These two also differ in their appearances. While real leather looks entirely natural and comprises a soft texture, faux leather will sometimes appear artificial.

Conclusion

Remember, it requires a significant amount of care and nourishing to get the best experience with faux leather, and as we have the tips mentioned above, what is stopping you from getting the most of it?