Convenience and quality car interiors are important components of driver comfort. What material is better for upholstery? Fabric or leather?

In some vehicles with a lower price, you automatically get the fabric, since the choice of leather is not available by default. Drivers of certain luxury class cars in the salons do not even offer fabric interior. Their only options are leather.

But in most vehicles, you have a certain choice between fabric and leather. On many models of cars and trucks, fabric interior is provided as a standard, while leather is available as an additional option.

Many car buyers believe that leather seats are nothing more than an expensive privilege. But you should understand more deeply what is behind this “privilege”.

Factors Affecting the Choice

1. Price

The skin will always cost you more. But it depends mainly on the quality of the leather, which can be artificial - leather of low, medium quality and, in some expensive cars, luxuriously soft, high-quality Nappa leather.

2. Status of leather interior

You can always decide that the leather interior will create a “monetary” value for your car. This will emphasize your consistency and status. High-quality leather upholstery makes you feel great in your surroundings, increasing the feeling of comfort and beauty. On the other hand, the fabric upholstery is like a Hanes sweatshirt, simple, comfortable and not expensive.

3. Hot weather

Aside from the price, the biggest argument against the skin is how hot and uncomfortable it becomes in July and August. You can sweat until you reach your destination. The skin in the cabin heats up and in hot weather makes us languish from the inconvenience. Unlike fabrics, leather - especially black leather - absorbs heat.

When it comes to hot weather, the skin is not just the least preferred - it becomes dangerous as can cause instant burns which are even more unpleasant than sun damage. Fabric, in this case, is a better option.

4. Cold weather

On cold days, everyone wants their seats to be warm and cozy. By itself, the leather interior in the car gets very cold in extreme cold. But the auto industry gives a great option - heated seats. Pleasure is not cheap, but you will be comfortable in such a seat.

The fabric is less cool in winter and heats up faster from the presence of people in the cabin, heated seats are less likely to be installed in these cars.

5. Smell

The leather has a pleasant aroma, one of the advantages is its own, natural smell of high-quality leather. Most people love to inhale it, just like they enjoy the scent of a “new car”.

What about fabric seats - the only odors they emit are unwanted odors. Fabric seats absorb more odor than leather. Any spoiled product or another unpleasant thing can leave its mark for a long time in your textile salon because even dry cleaning does not always cope with complex tasks.

6. Comfort

The comfort of the leather interior strongly depends on its quality. Cheap leather is hard and uncomfortable, while more expensive leather can be surprisingly soft. With cloth, you never take that risk. Most often, the fabric creates a feeling of “soft cotton T-shirt” on your body.

7. Allergies

Cars can be a bad place for allergy sufferers for several reasons. Heat during the warm months, open windows that bring street dust inside, dirty parking lots. If you or a member of your family are experiencing difficulties due to allergies, you might consider leather as the main interior option. You can completely vacuum the seats or wipe them easily from possible allergens.

Even cars with leather seats will absorb a certain amount of allergens. Thus, leather upholstery can only reduce their concentration in the car, but not withdraw completely.