What Is Reconstituted/Bonded Leather?

Have you bought leather furniture in the last few years and this is how they look now?

The reason is because unbeknown to you what was actually purchased is reconstitued leather. Reconstitued leather or bonded leather is a term used for partially synthetic leather. It is a synthetic material made of varying types of plastic such as vinyl that may be spread over ground-up leather and other substances, mechanically processed to give the appearance of leather, but at reduced cost and with less wastage compared to natural leather. Technically the retailers and wholesalers can sell the product and advertise it as 100% leather. It’s the same as McDonalds advertising there juice as 100% orange juice when in reality it’s reconstituted orange juice. Majority of the major retailers selling this type of leather are fast earning a bad reputation within the furniture market as the leather they sell is peeling and customers have had enough of paying money for bad quality products. What is disappointing is even Australian branded manufacturers are contracting work out to South East Asia where competition is high with great demand to keep manufacturing costs low. This results in substandard products. Reconstituted leather is sold less than what actual leather costs however it doesn’t last anywhere near as long as leather and the finish product is very disappointing.

Sydney Upholstery only uses genuine cow hide analine or semi analine leather imported from leading tanneries in Europe mainly Italy and Spain, USA and South America which adhere to Australian Manufacturing Standards. We have established a respectful relationship with all the leading leather suppliers and only stock the best quality hides.