Leather Question

[horseradish1]

Hi I noticed that the leather seemed to be creasing in a few of the corners, probably ok but just wanted to make sure I am caring for my leather properly. When should i start using leather conditioner? Also, what kind/brand is recommended. THanks!

 

[STE92VE]

I believe crinkling of leather is normal. Never too soon to start conditioning your leather. I treat mine at least every 6 months. At the moment I'm using Turtle wax leather cleaner and conditioner but I've heard Lexol products are good but costly.

 

[Kayger12]

The guys on the BMW forum I frequent including the professional detailers swear by Leatherique.
http://www.leatherique.com/

 

[HandA]

from what I've read most cars that aren't euro-luxury have vinyl coated leather so the conditioners don't do much because they don't reach the actual leather. Not that it isn't a good idea to treat the vinyl coated but from what I've seen the high end stuff won't make a difference:

http://www.303products.com/index.php/product-uses/automotive-leather

"coated leather has become more common than ever. That now virtually 100% of leather upholstery in American and Asian-made cars is plastic coated. Among European car makers naked leather upholstery is still much more common than with U.S. makes, but coated leather is becoming more prevalent there as well."

"Dr. Herndon Jenkins, an industry authority and Technical Director of the Lexol Division of Summit Industries, explains how to tell the difference between coated and naked" leather. Referring to coated leather he states, Such leather can be identified by the failure of a drop of water applied to its surface to be absorbed into the leather after a few minutes.

Contrasting the ability of naked leather to absorb conditioners (and water) with coated leather, Dr. Jenkins states: While vinyl-coated leather is care free by virtue of its protective plastic surface, it is also inaccessible for purposes of maintenance. Meaning, of course, there is absolutely no point to using leather conditioners on plastic coated leather.

So, how should plastic coated leather be maintained? According to Dr. Jenkins, Such leather should be maintained exactly like vinyl upholstery.

 

[STE92VE]

So, are you saying we have "pleather"?

 

[HandA]

no, there's real dead cow under there and it definitely feels different than the edge parts of the seat that are vinyl.

I guess the super thin vinyl coating on it keeps them from having to get large chunks of hide that are perfect because it will cover up imperfections. It may also keep them from having upset customers who would ignore the leather for several years and then complain when it dries out.

 

[STE92VE]

Going to have to perform the water absorption test later. Don't know if I'll be happy or sad if it's vinyl coated since I won't have to condition the leather but if it's plastic coated, it's going to be hotter to the touch in the summer and the seat won't breathe.

 

[HandA]

I was pleasantly surprised last summer that the seats never got uncomfortably hot in the summer (except the one time I accidentally turned on the seat heater). I don't know if it is the perforations or what but it wasn't bad like the aftermarket leather we had added to our prior car.

It definitely isn't soft like a good leather jacket or high end leather boots but it has proven pretty comfortable in the 100 degree summer heat higher humidity. And when I've gotten smudges on it it typically wipes right off.

I keep wondering with the water absorption test, if it isn't coated leather will it dry looking okay? So you don't have a spot on the leather forever as proof it isn't coated? I guess even uncoated leather can take some water.

 

[STE92VE]

I was pleasantly surprised last summer that the seats never got uncomfortably hot in the summer (except the one time I accidentally turned on the seat heater). I don't know if it is the perforations or what but it wasn't bad like the aftermarket leather we had added to our prior car.

I'm sure the perforations help with ventilating the seat especially if it's plastic coated.

 

[jtl]

I tried the water test with a couple drops of beer I was drinking while cleaning the car. It does not absorb. Same is true of my leather couch and chairs and they are much softer leather than my car seats. I think just about all leather has a finish coat that wears over time so you still need to periodically treat the leather. We had a service tech come over to do a little repair on one of our sofas and he said there are some very good but expensive products that he uses professionally but for the home owner he recommended Lexol cleaner followed by Lexol conditioner. He was very specific about using the cleaner and the conditioner separately and said not to use anything that claims to do both in a single treatment.

 

[HandA]

after reading a bunch yesterday on leather it looks like there are at least 3 different basic types:

coated
semi-aniline
and full aniline

My guess is your couch is semi-aniline and the Mazda is coated or "protected".

Here's the best write-up on the types that I found:

Aniline Leather

Aniline leather is highly prized for the way it looks. It is the most natural looking leather and retains the unique surface characteristics. Aniline leather is dyed by immersing the hide in a dye bath, and the surface is not coated with any polymers or pigments. Only the very best hides are used as all surface marks remain visible, which is why it is also called "naked leather."

Advantages: Aniline leather is very soft and comfortable. It retains the unique markings and characteristics of the hide, making each piece different.

Disadvantages: Since it is not protected, aniline leather can be stained easily. It is not recommended for young families or very high traffic areas for that reason.

Semi-Aniline Leather

Semi-aniline leather is a little bit more hardy than aniline leather because its surface has been treated with a light coat that contains some pigment and this makes it more soil and stain resistant.

Advantages: While it retains the uniqueness of aniline leather, semi-aniline leather has more consistent color and is more resistant to stains.

Disadvantages: The markings are not as apparent, and therefore less unique than aniline leather.

Protected, or Pigmented Leather

Protected leather is the most durable type of leather, for that reason it is the most used leather in furniture and car upholstery. Protected leather has a polymer surface coating containing pigments.

While the thickness of the surface coating may vary, it allows the manufacturer to have more control over the properties of the leather. It is possible to add more resistance to scuffing or fading.

Advantages: This type of leather is easy to maintain and stands up to different conditions and uses.

Disadvantages: This type of leather does not have the uniqueness of aniline leather, and looks less natural. It can be hard to tell one kind of grain apart from the other as the surface is coated and embossed.


Trevor
Mazda CX-5 Accessories

 

[jtl]

Had it not been for the fact I wanted some things on the GTw/Tech, leather not being one of them, I would have opted for the cloth interior and put in the Katzkin after market. They have different grades of leather and it is much nicer imo than the OEM stuff. Guess I could still do that but at some point I lose the value aspect of the CX5. It really isn't a "luxury" vehicle.

 

[rcs914]

What Trevor posted is spot on - almost all leather furniture (including car upholstery) is going to be in the "protected" category. It actually becomes much more convoluted than this. I was researching leather types when I was considering a leather sofa, and frankly there is so much variety in grades of leather that it will make your head spin. Anything that you see that is Natuzzi furniture, where the leather is basically "hard" much like our leather seats in the CX-5 is "protected and corrected" - essentially the hide is dyed, and then a colored piece of vinyl is stamped onto the top, along with an embossed "hide" design, so it looks like leather grain. Honestly this is what you want in a car, or on a couch that is going to be subjected to children, because the color doesn't fade, it doesn't absorb water, and it doesn't stain easily. What it loses is character and "hand" - it doesn't feel like a piece of furniture made out of a top grain hide, or a soft leather jacket. Typically the better quality the leather is the easier it is to damage, either by water, stains, sun, scratching, etc.

 

[HandA]

on the plus side, the leather is holding up quite well at 21,000 miles. I was afraid the getting in and out would wear down the side bolster but no signs of wear there yet. The Classic Soft Trim leather we had added to one of our cars before got a lot more lines in it from use.

 

[jtl]

What Trevor posted is spot on - almost all leather furniture (including car upholstery) is going to be in the "protected" category. It actually becomes much more convoluted than this. I was researching leather types when I was considering a leather sofa, and frankly there is so much variety in grades of leather that it will make your head spin. Anything that you see that is Natuzzi furniture, where the leather is basically "hard" much like our leather seats in the CX-5 is "protected and corrected" - essentially the hide is dyed, and then a colored piece of vinyl is stamped onto the top, along with an embossed "hide" design, so it looks like leather grain. Honestly this is what you want in a car, or on a couch that is going to be subjected to children, because the color doesn't fade, it doesn't absorb water, and it doesn't stain easily. What it loses is character and "hand" - it doesn't feel like a piece of furniture made out of a top grain hide, or a soft leather jacket. Typically the better quality the leather is the easier it is to damage, either by water, stains, sun, scratching, etc.

Totally agree.