Leather only needs occasional wiping down. Seating in aviation takes a heavy beating day in, day out, especially with regard to soiling. This is one of the reasons why high specification leather is the preferred choice for mobility interiors outside of automotive. Temperatures in vehicles can go up to around 100☌, so stopping the leather from shrinking or cracking is vital. Lightfastness, rubfastness, (chemical) resistance, and flexibility help car seats to withstand the daily wear, tear, scuff, stain, and soiling. Standards continue to improve, and coatings enhance the natural qualities of the materials. Many of these issues are already dealt with by the natural properties of leather. After all, car interiors are subjected to heavy use, high temperatures, sunlight (UV), staining, and soiling. Consumers expect higher expectations from car leather compared to other leather types. Automotive leather - performanceĪnother major difference between automotive leather and other leather types are performance standards. The thickness is always quoted as a range by the tanner as it will vary by as little as 0.1 mm (one-tenth of a millimeter). To achieve this thickness, the hide is shaved. Car leathers are commonly less than 1.4mm thick, with surface coatings less than 50µm thick. The thickness of leather, though, determines how strong and resistant it is to damage. Other mobility sectors face the same challenge because less weight means a reduction in fuel consumption. Weight reduction in car interiors is a focal point and has been for some years, especially with the increase of electric car mobility. One of the differences is in the leather thickness. Its property is not singularly focused on either hardness, flexibility, resistance, or touch. Car leather is a peculiar case in that regard, as it is one of the leathers that needs to do a lot. More and different performance qualities than needed would simply be wasted and use more resources than needed. Another example is denim shirts, which are a much softer, thinner denim than is used for your jeans. Compare it to fabrics: the material that would be beautiful for a wedding gown is a horrible choice for hiking gear. Unlike the leather for your jacket or shoes, automotive leather would be too firm. Why are all these leathers produced with different properties and not just treated to have the best on all fronts? Different ways of making leather result in performance tailored for the purpose. Chamois leather used to dry your car uses fish oils. Belts, bridlery and saddles have a focus on appearance but are working items that need more firmness and may have less softness. Fatliquors are used to make the hide fibres soft.

Some examples in different kinds of leathers are: An upholstery leather will need to be softer and more malleable than shoe upper.

Yet, like with every product, you need to find the right balance between quality, performance and application. Normally it’s the grainthat tells us something about the quality. Leather is a natural product, which means there’s a certain level of variety. Automotive leathers are an entirely different product, highly engineered and designed to meet the most stringent performance, aesthetic and environmental requirements, and customer demands Quality and performance Leather is leather (unless it isn’t), but closer inspection reveals that there’s a big difference between the materials used in fashion or upholstery and the ones used in your car.

Most consumers are not aware that there is any difference between the leather of their shoes, sofa, or car seats. Why automotive leather and car leather are different to other leathers

Automotive grade leather hides