Why YSK: The term “Genuine Leather” is a marketing term to sell the lowest quality leather possible.
When purchasing a leather product, look for full grain leather or top grain leather instead. These will provide a much higher quality cut of leather that will look and feel much better and last for much longer.
Can somebody explain why leather is better? It’s it the smell? The feel? Tradition? I see it in car reviews where they complain about cloth.
It’s breathable but works in both warm and cold weather. This makes it ideal for spring and autumn. It’s easy to clean although it’s also hard to maintain (you have to oil it and protect it against rain). It lasts for very long if you care for it unlike fabric or fake leather, so a leather jacket can be worn for decades and still look and feel great.
Surely leather is skin and skin is very definitely non porous? Secrete oils from tiny glands? Yes. Let water through? Very much nope.
There’s various types of leather, some of which are actually porous. I’m no expert but you can Google it.
The point about rain protection isn’t related to the water getting through but because rain can contain chemicals and salt which can stain the leather and also make the leather brittle and vulnerable to mechanical damage, like getting cracks on it because it loses some of it’s natural elasticity.
This is usually prevented by oiling it and putting various rain protection products on it.
It is something people think they want because it is more expensive and in higher trim levels in cars. But when your car is parked in the hot sun the leather feels like it burns and in the winter is freezing to the touch. Leather also doesn’t breath so you end up sweating more and if your are not wearing long pants your leg will stick to the seat. Cloth is so much better functionally. Cloth also lasts longer than the fake leather they put in cars. Cloth won’t peel like the fake leather.
@BigTrout75 many people are sensitive to dust. A car with a leather interior is easier to clean. The dust cannot stick in the seats.
Let’s be honest here. The amount of people this applies to is miniscule.