Leather is the hide we seek

Whether it resembles a well-traveled saddle or a buttery smooth burst of cherry red or lime green, leather furniture is classic and strong.

Trends in leather include gray as a neutral as well as metallic and pearl finishes.

As upholstery, leather lasts four times longer than fabric, according to American Leather. The Dallas-based manufacturer creates furniture in fabric and leather for stores including Crate & Barrel, Design Within Reach and Macy's.

"Try to tear this," says Lonnie McDonald of Grandview, Mo., holding a tanned leather hide. He cleans, repairs and refinishes leather furniture and leads maintenance sessions for the Leather Pro division of the Textile Care Group. He has served as liaison between the American furniture and cleaning industries to rewrite labels on leather care.

The leather in McDonald's hands is resistant. "It has a tensile strength of more than 200 pounds per square inch," he says. "So yes, it's durable."

Doctors also recommend leather furniture for allergy sufferers because fabric harbors dust mites. Besides swapping carpet for tile or wood flooring, the Mayo Clinic's website recommends replacing fabric-upholstered items such as sofas, chairs and headboards with leather.

The look and feel of leather are the characteristics that draw most people. For more than two decades, Steve Maturo has sold leather furniture at Museo in Kansas City, Mo. He has a 20-year-old black leather sofa and Mario Bellini leather dining chairs in his own home.

Leather is so comfortable and soothing because it is skin, McDonald says. And it becomes more supple and comfortable with use.

However, leather furniture is not for everyone. For starters, it costs 25 to 50 percent more than fabric upholstery.

Because of the expense and lifestyle considerations, not everyone's a fan. Interior designer Sallie Kytt Redd of Lenexa, Kan., says, "Buckles in children's shoes can scratch and puncture it. In the summer, if you have bare legs, it can feel sticky, even in an air-conditioned room. And it's not cuddly and warm in the winter; it's stiff."

Although leather is a luxury product, sales were up 20 percent in 2011 at American Leather, spokeswoman Jennifer Green says.

Aniline: A hide that has been treated with aniline dye, either organic or inorganic. The dye is transparent and allows the grain and natural characteristics to come through. If you scratch it, it should retain the top color of the leather. It feels buttery soft.

Leatherette: A material, most likely vinyl, that resembles leather. Other imitation leathers are ultra-suede and pleather.

Nubuck: The top grain of leather that has been brushed or sanded. It feels like velvet to the touch.

Pigmented: Leather whose surface has a finish containing pigment particles that create an opaque look. Most upholstery leather is pigmented and is recommended for busy family rooms. Also called "painted," "protected," "finished" or "semi-aniline" leather, it feels slick and smooth to the touch.

Split: Not from the top grain. Cheaper leather is sometimes pigmented splits with embossed imitation grain.

Suede: A leather finish produced by running the flesh side of leather on an emory wheel.