Genuine leather can be a pricey investment, so leather match can be a budget-friendly alternative that checks all of your sofa-buying boxes. If you're not sure what leather match is, our guide breaks down the basics.

What Is Leather Match?

Leather match is a type of leather upholstery that uses genuine leather in the parts that you frequently touch, like the seat and armrests. Faux leather is carefully matched to the genuine leather and used to cover the parts that aren't as visible, such as the sides or back of the furniture. This technique is most popular for large pieces of furniture like sofas, sectionals, and recliners.

Because leather match only uses genuine leather for the high-contact sections, it's often more affordable than a piece of furniture upholstered entirely with genuine leather. You can get the same luxurious look and feel of leather at a more budget-friendly price point – all while still experiencing the perks of genuine leather, like a supple finish that softens over time.

Tip!

For more information on faux leather, read our guide What Is Faux Leather?

Is Leather Match Right for You?

When choosing which type of leather upholstery is best for your home, it's important to think of factors like durability, price, and comfort. Here are a list of pros and cons for leather match upholstery.

Consider the Pros

• Leather match upholstery combines genuine leather and faux leather to create a uniform piece of furniture, which allows you to get the look and feel of leather at a more approachable price.
• This type of upholstery closely matches the two types of leather for a cohesive design.
• The genuine leather seat offers long-lasting comfort and natural durability.
• Using faux leather on less visible sections can make the cost of a pricey piece of furniture (like a recliner) much more affordable.

Think of the Cons

• The two different leathers can wear differently over time. Natural aging patterns and patina can appear in the genuine leather panels but not the faux leather sections.
• If you place a piece of leather match furniture in direct sunlight, the faux leather and genuine leather will fade at different rates.
• Genuine leather generally lasts longer than faux leather, which can affect the total longevity of the piece.

Tip!

Check out our guide Furniture 101: Your Guide to Leather Types for Furniture to find more information on the different types of leather.

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