While many trends in home furnishings come and go, leather as a home textile is a timeless trend that always remains in fashion with minor alterations. The exports of leather products from India have grown to US $ 4.86 billion during the fiscal year 2011-2012 from just US $ 1.96 billion a decade ago. According to estimations, around 24% of total exports in leather are for home décor.
Apparel Online takes a look at the upcoming trends in leather home fashion…
With trends in furniture design leaning towards styles that allow personal expression, with an emphasis on quality materials, fabrics and construction, leather is becoming an increasingly popular choice for homes around the world. Though fabric never goes out of fashion, leather has found a fresh popularity among the masses, as today it comes in different shapes, colours and feel. The material in the present day has a new face and plenty of never seen before designs and choices. The latest trends in leather incorporate both contemporary and traditional styles with emphasis on details and colour choices that have shifted from the usual browns to bright camels, gold, yellow and oranges. Also picking up are specialty leathers that include embossed and multi-coloured leathers.
Working with leather since 2000, Abhik Roy, Director, Andre Garcia, which is a luxury leather goods manufacturer with an office in US, agrees that leather is a luxury material and represents the class of the consumers. “Leather products generally depict the good taste of people,” claims Abhik. Starting out with the manufacturing of cigar cases initially as a passion, the company today deals with an array of products made from leather and is a popular name in the US.
Based in Kanpur the capital of leather, HK Leather Exports, is a manufacturer and exporter of Leather Accessories, Cow Hide & Leather Carpets, wall hangings and cushions. Talking about their niche and market demands Kishore Dharmani, Marketing Head, HK Leather Exports said, “Cow leather hides are a huge demand overseas, especially in Europe, Germany and USA. The demand for the material has picked up in the last five years and has a seen a growth of 15-17% year-on-year since 2008.” Upholstery leather is really picking up according to Kishore and the demand for pure leather in the market has always been more than its fake counterparts. Even as some companies use goat leather for their products, the company prefers to use the cow hides as goat leather is extremely thin and doesn’t lasts for long.
Confirming the growth of the segment, Sanjay Solanki, Director, Syna Associate said “Leather has become a huge market in the last 2-3 years and there is a good demand for pure leather in both the domestic and international markets.” While pure leather is in demand for panels in beds and walls, floors and furniture, blends are in demand for leather recliners, claims Sanjay. Established in 2005, Delhi based Syna Associates is a manufacturer and supplier of leather home furnishings, leather furniture, leather accessories and finished leather goods. The company is known amongst its clients for its innovative designs, durability and fungus proof finish. “In pure leather we are working with cow and bull hides and soft fox leather as per the demands of our clients in Europe,” shares Sanjay.
Differential Leather
Many types of leather are used in the market at present. The main hides and skins in demand are however those of the cow, calf, buffalo, sheep, goat and reptile, and to a lesser extent, the pig, horse, donkey, camel, deer and elk. Leather types are primarily determined by the way they are tanned and processed. All types of finish are now technically possible for most types of leather, including nubuck (buffed on the grain side), suede, metallized, embossed and printed. Top-grain leather is the most common type used in high-end leather products and home furnishings. It is thinner and more pliable than full-grain leather and its surface is sanded and a finish coat is added to the surface which results in a colder, plastic feel with less breathability, and it will not develop a natural patina. It is typically less expensive and has greater resistance to stains than full-grain leather, as long as the finish remains unbroken, traditionally making it more functional option for homes.
Today’s furniture choices include several different kinds of leather and leather-like products to choose from, for the masses. Bonded leather is one of the newest in the market. Bonded leather is created when leather scraps and fibres are mixed together, and then formed into a roll using adhesives or other bonding materials. After the roll is formed, it goes under drying equipment to reduce the moisture content. Bonded leather is highly durable and comes in many colours and finishes. It also is less expensive than leather; in 2009, bonded leather sofas were sold for around US $ 699 and real leather retailed around US $ 1,199 for a similar piece. But, unlike genuine leather, when bonded leathers gets scratched or worn, it wears off the embossed polyurethane surface, resulting in a different colour base as the fabric underneath can be of any colour. With genuine leather, a distressed look appears when it gets worn or scratched.
But amongst various pure and blended options available in the market, the most durable base one can choose is a good quality, top grain cow hide. Not synthetic “leather-like” products, the real thing. It is a natural material and can be processed and finished in many different ways.
Upcoming Trends in Leather
Sun-baked matt leather and suede is a big trend for the upcoming season. Crackled and creased finishes have an antique feel while floral embosses, which can be achieved in the blends in leathers. Colour is making a refreshing comeback. The new colours are clearer and fresher. Bold and intense colours reflecting energy and dynamism stand side-by-side with light colours, inspired by the world of health and beauty. Natural colours are the neutralizing element between intense and delicate shades.
Clean, modern and simple shapes in home furnishing pieces in leather address the minimalist trend. Modern architecture, fashion and furnishings are pared down to make a very bold statement. Sophisticated quality classics with super smooth finishes and luxury grains such as croc and ostrich contrast with tech optical prints and micro grids.
