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There is a disturbing trend in the leather furniture industry Article supplied by David and Jayne Harris of HARRIS FURNISHINGS
To cut costs and present to the consumer a "leather" product at a low price, many in the leather furniture industry have turned to an inexpensive material known as bi-cast. Over the last few years there has been an explosion of "bi-cast leather" (sometimes known as bycast or bonded or PU leather) often made in China and sold worldwide in furniture stores. Many of these stores have no idea that they are actually selling an inferior product to an unwary public. If ever there was a time to use the phrase BUYER BEWARE, this is it.
The facts speak for themselves. Bi-cast products are made by bonding a thick polyurethane coating to a split-hide leather or composite leather substrate. Split-hide leather and composite leather are both significantly inferior to top grain leather. Bi-cast is fundamentally a man-made synthetic upholstery product, and as such some countries (e.g. the UK and New Zealand) have legislation that it cannot be marketed as leather. Spain has no such legislation, so an unsuspecting public is being led to believe they are purchasing natural leather, when in fact they are getting essentially faux leather. Here's the crux. Bi-cast is to natural leather what particle board is to hardwood, or a chicken nugget is to a chicken breast. The public is being duped. With natural leather the strength and durability comes from the epidermis (outer layer) of the hide. Because bi-cast is a polyurethane-coated split (inner layer), it does not have the strength, durability or life expectancy of natural leather. Its structural integrity can be shockingly short-lived. As an expert leather furniture
repair and restoration firm, we have seen countless occasions where the polyurethane coating peels, or the substrate material splits and tears, often in as little as 3 to 6 months. When, not if unfortunately, the bi-cast covering fails, it is time to replace the furniture as repair or restoration are not viable options with this material. So, if you are considering buying a leather suite be extremely wary of ridiculously cheap prices, natural leather is not cheap but it's most definitely worth paying a few hundred Euros more for a top grain leather suite, as you can be safe in the knowledge your purchase is going to give you the longevity you would expect from leather. The old adage "you get what you pay for" is certainly true of leather! Harris Furnishings DO NOT SELL BICAST! If you want peace of mind knowing you are buying genuine top grain leather we have a fabulous range of leather furniture at sensible prices!
For good old fashioned customer service and top-quality genuine leather furniture, find HARRIS FURNISHINGS & SOFA MEDICO on the Poligono Ind. Les Galgues, in Pedreguer, just 5 minutes from the Portal de la Marina shopping centre, Ondara. Open from 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, 10am to 1pm Saturday. Ample Parking. Free delivery between Altea and Oliva. See our advert on page 3.
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