Here at Leather Furniture USA, we have dedicated our time and effort to find the best quality leather furniture brands in the USA.
But what does that actually mean to be one of the best manufacturing businesses in the furniture industry?
It’s something that everyone researching their next great home furniture investment has to consider.
And to help you understand why we believe we’re able to source the highest quality leather sofas, we’ve put together this guide on how strict we are when it comes to partnering with top and full grain leather sofa makers.
Focus On The World’s Best Quality Leathers
When it comes to dining, bedroom, or living room furniture, it’s absolutely critical to focus your attention on the best quality leather.
And for us, that means two possible options.
Full Grain Leather
The advantage of full grain leather sofas is that you gain maximum durability along with a completely natural look.
Here’s what that means.
Full grain leather ensures that the upper grain layer remains untouched. While it’s a thin layer, it contains the toughest fibers that make it very difficult to cause any noticeable damage.
But this layer also has some highly sought-after visual effects.
First of all, the grain layer will show signs of natural imperfections that may have happened while the animal was still alive.
These include insect bites as well as other scratches and marks from fence posts and barbed wire.
It might sound like something you want to avoid, but these imperfections add character and a complete level of uniqueness to every single leather sofa.
Top Grain Leather
On the other hand, top grain leather removes that outer grain layer to make it easier to work with the hide and achieve a soft leather feel. You also gain more flexibility with protective layers and finishing touches.
It’s one of those leathers offered to customers who have concerns about spilling food, drink and just causing stains on an expensive furniture investment.
The protective layers that leather makers add to top grain leather offer great water and stain resistance, which means that in most cases, you can simply wipe away spills with a damp cloth.
And when it comes to general leather care, top-grain leather is a lot more forgiving, making it easier to keep it looking its best.
Providing Durable Frames That Last As Long As The Leather
Now that you know why top and full grain leather furniture is most suitable for sofas and chairs, it’s time to also consider what’s underneath.
Solid Wood Frame
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that full grain leather sofas are more expensive than most other options out there.
But if you invest a lot in the leather, then you don’t want a flimsy frame made of low-grade plywood to let you down in just a few years.
Instead, you need to make sure that your chosen manufacturer only produces furniture with a solid wood frame. And to make sure that it doesn’t creek or deform, it should also be kiln-dried hardwood.
Steel Frame
Alternatively, you can find great steel frame leather sofas and chairs. And there are two reasons to use steel, even though it makes your furniture heavier.
First, it’s a great-looking option for modern furniture designs. Modern styles tend to have sleek and smooth finishes without being overly ornate with loads of details. Steel is a great way to achieve that kind of modern look.
Secondly, if you decide to shop for recliners, then you want to make sure the frame is constructed with steel to avoid the regular movement causing friction damage or a break.
8-Way Hand-Tied Construction
The next thing you need to make sure you have covered is the way the frame and springs are tied and held together.
Many companies choose to use machines to tie these important pieces together. The problem is that to securely tie everything together and make sure it lasts as long as possible, you have to use techniques that can’t be achieved with machines.
That’s why we always make sure that the companies we partner with still use manual handcrafted techniques that result in maximum durability and quality.
Giving You The Largest Choice Of Style And Color
When you make a decision to buy either a top or full grain leather sofa, then you want to make sure that the company making it allows for highly customized options.
And that’s where it comes down to the styles and color options.
Popular Leather Sofa Styles
You want to make sure that a furniture manufacturer is able to produce a wide range of style options, and here are the main styles you should look out for.
Traditional Style
This is a very attractive and stylish design style, and it doesn’t have to mean old-fashioned.
The style takes many features from 19th-century French and British furniture designs to make sure that a furniture piece stands out as much as possible.
It’s about making sure that the classic leather sofa takes center stage in a room. Typical design features will be elaborate patterns and stitching, carvings in exposed wood, nail-head trim, and especially tufted sofas.
The more detail, the better it will stand out, but you have to make sure that your room can take such a visual impact.
Modern Style
On the opposite end is the modern sofa with a stylish understatement. That means it doesn’t try to take center stage but rather becomes less noticeable so that the rest of the room draws in the attention.
At the same time, the understated materials and cushions should still be highly inviting to sit down and experience the rest of the room.
Think of it as sleek and stylish lines and subtle geometric shapes. These won’t be bulky pieces of furniture, and it really comes down to less is more.
Contemporary Style
And finally, you’ll find that in many cases, you don’t want a sofa or couch that stands out, but you also don’t want an understatement.
The perfect solution for that is a combination of the two, which you’ll find in contemporary leather furniture.
Many manufacturers and designers take the size dimensions from classic furniture designs and then aim to give it a soft look with fewer details.
It’s a great place to start if you’re not sure what kind of style you should focus on first.
Finishing Color Options
You’ll see in our digital leather samples that there are endless choices when it comes to colors and shading.
The great thing with both top and full grain leather is that there are different ways to achieve completely unique appearances.
You could go for aniline leather that uses a dye that penetrates into the lower layers of the hide to bring out all the natural shades and imperfections.
Or, you may want a pigmentation that results in a completely smooth and uniform color.
Maximizing Comfort With High-Density Foam
Similar to a low-quality frame letting you down after just a few years, it’s also possible to end up with the wrong type of foam.
If the foam inside the seat and back cushions collapses after just a few years, then you’ll end up with a very uncomfortable sofa.
And this becomes even more of a problem for a sleeper sofa.
If you’re going to spend the extra money on full grain leather sofas, then make sure the manufacturer uses the best quality foam materials so that you’ll be able to enjoy your investment for decades to come.
Staying Clear Of Low-Grade Materials
If you’ve spent any time researching new furniture for your living space, then you’ve likely come across different types of cheap leathers that seem to look the part.
But let me show you why these are not a good indication that you’ve found a good leather furniture maker.
Bonded Leather
The process of making bonded leather involves chopping up leftover hides into a powder-like form. This is then mixed with a bonding agent and rolled out into upholstery that may look and feel like leather.
But the problem comes when you consider the durability and quality of bonded leather.
Even with normal and careful use of your new living room furniture, this type of leather will fade, crack and peel within just a few years, and there’s no way to properly fix it.
Faux Leather
This is a fancy marketing name for fake leather, and it’s a completely synthetic material.
You’ll sometimes see this recommended for vegans, but even if you don’t like the idea of using animal products for furniture, there would be better options.
Similar to bonded leather, this type will quickly fade, and peeling is a major problem as well.
The end result is that within a couple of years, you’ll have a very ugly sofa that you would not want to take up space in a nicely-designed room.
Genuine Leather
There’s a lot of confusion around genuine leather, and many people believe that it indicates that it’s good quality leather. However, the way to look at genuine leather is that while it is made from animal hide, it’s generally the lower and softer layers that are used.
And the problem with that is that genuine leather simply isn’t durable enough, and even most fabric upholstery would give you a longer-lasting experience.
Yes, technically, you would be buying a real leather sofa, but don’t expect it to last anywhere near as long as full or top-grain leather.
Our Choice Of Leather Furniture Manufacturers
Over the many years that we have been shipping amazing quality handcrafted leather furniture, we have managed to partner with three of the best manufacturers that satisfy all of the above requirements.
They all happen to be based in North Carolina, and here are some more details about them.
Classic Leather of Hickory, NC
This is one of the oldest furniture factories in the USA, and what we love about this manufacturer is that it’s still entirely family and employee-owned and operated.
By bringing all the manufacturing processes in-house, you gain the confidence that you’re buying an excellent frame, great leather, and extremely comfortable cushion foam.
With over 100 skilled employees, the company has supported the American economy and local jobs market since the 1960s, and that has resulted in some of the best living, dining, and bedroom furniture choices.
While the company has evolved its production processes with new technology, one process has stayed the same.
And that’s the 8-way hand-tied seating construction that secures the frame and springs in a way that ensures maximum comfort.
As you’ll see when you browse through our collection, Classic Leather makes it easy to customize the furniture in so many ways to ensure that you get the exact piece to suit your home.
Leathercraft of Hickory, NC
Another manufacturer of top and full grain leather sofas that we have worked with closely for many years is Leathercraft.
What we like about this company is that they have specialized in providing a very wide range of different design styles so that you can find something suitable no matter whether you’re kitting out a country cottage, a villa with sea views, or an urban apartment.
The workmanship is exceptional, and Leathercraft has established many supply lines to some of the best leather makers around the world, including North America, South America, and Europe, while avoiding the low-quality Chinese imports.
Comfort Design of Asheboro, NC
Comfort Design is a company that has made it possible to choose from a product line with great potential for customization and matching up with your existing color schemes.
By combining high-quality hardwood frames with high-density foam, and excellent full grain leather, Comfort Design has created a proven track record that has resulted in many satisfied customers.
It’s a company that prides itself in hiring only the most qualified artisans in the furniture industry, making sure that every single custom product brings maximum value for money.
Browse Our Favorite Manufacturers’ Products
When you’re investing a considerable amount of money in upgrading your dining or family room, it’s not enough to be satisfied with good quality.
To ensure that your investment lasts for decades, you want to make sure you get the highest quality.
And that doesn’t just mean avoiding low-grade genuine leather.
With our favored manufacturing partners, you take advantage of the years of experience and collaboration we have established to bring you high-end furniture at affordable prices.
If you have any specific questions about the companies we have partnered with or the products they offer, then use the contact number on the product pages to speak with our customer service team.
We look forward to hearing from you and helping you find the best American-made leather sofas.