Difference between Alcantara and Leather

Difference between Alcantara and Leather

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Have you heard about Alcantara! Here is the blog to know the difference between Alcantara and Leather and the uses of each. Moreover, we will also cover how they can be used differently.

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 Basic Difference between Alcantara and Leather

 

Alcantara is a synthetic fiber, and it is used instead of leather in many places. Synthetic fiber are fibers made by humans through chemical synthesis, as opposed to natural fibers that are directly derived from living organisms. They are the result of extensive research by scientists to improve upon naturally occurring animal and plant fibers.

Leather comes from the tanning of animals' skin. Many leather industries buy animals' skin and use chemicals to make it flexible and look good. The leather is sold hand to hand and is used in many industries, including the shoe industry. Leather can be made of any animals' skin. In the US and most countries, leather is made up of cattle's skin. But it can also be made up of wild animals' skin. https://fonefusion.com/collections/phone-cases

Alcantara was discovered in japan and chemically prepared in Italy. It was made from microfibers called polyesters which are chemically synthesized. Alcantara is made up of fine fiber, and most people think that it is genuine leather. Alcantara is also known as ultra-suede.

 

Weight and Heat Resistance

 

Leather is quite heavy, whereas Alcantara is half the weight of leather. Alcantara Fabric is breathable, lightweight, and resistant to light. It is also ideal for outdoor use. Alcantara can be washed in the washing machine at normal temperature and ironed.

 

Layers

 

Alcantara can be piled in layers, and you can cut and add layers to each other. It has a unique and uniform structure that means that it will be less wasted than leather. Like leather, Alcantara can be used in furniture, clothing and car seats, but leather is quite expensive. 

 

Pilling

 

No piling occurs in genuine leather. But just like clothes, small balls can appear on Alcantara. These usually appear on large contact areas with extended use. If the pilling is not too strong, it can be cautiously removed with special sanding pad in circular movements to remove the knots. This does not happen in products with small contact surface and less abrasion.

 

Fading

 

Both Leather and Alcantara fade with normal usage, however, it takes longer for Alcantara to fade compared to leather. Leather fades as it becomes dry. This normally happens due to UV rays from direct sunlight, over time, causing the leather to dry out, become stiff and brittle and deteriorate the pigmented finish. Leather is the original skin color; only the skin is tanned for a more prominent look. At the same time, Alcantara is a synthetic fibre that is dyed. With time, the dye fades, and results in discolouration of Alcantara. Some variants used in cars are UV protected and do not fade in the sun.

 

Textures and Colors

 

Providing more grip than leather, not getting hot like leather, either, or soggy like cloth after several hours of driving, made Alcantara become the upholstery of choice for the interiors of racing cars. It is much more hard-wearing than Suede and easy to clean. Alcantara feels nice to the touch.

 

Durability

 

As compared to leather, Alcantara is more durable. You can easily clean it, rub it and wash it. Extra care is needed in cleaning both leather and Alcantara, however, Alcantara is more resistant that leather.

Moreover, you have to take a lot of care of leather if you live in warm counties. This is because leather cannot cope with sun rays, and it will easily crack after some time.

 

Scratch and Fire-resistant Material

 

Along with anti-fouling properties and durable character, some Alcantara grades are also fire-resistant. This is the reason it is a top choice for luxury brands. Top car brands such as Porsche and Mercedes Benz use it in their car interiors to wrap them and offer premium suede-like finish and quality. It is also used in a variety of industries like clothing, fashion & accessories, interior & contract, aviation, marine, and consumer electronics.

Pricing

 

The price of leather depends on the quality and if it is genuine leather. Also, genuine leather being made from animal skin, some grades are more expensive than others. The prices of both leather and Alcantara also range on industries. When it comes to furniture and shoes, leather is expensive. But when it comes to car seats and steering, then the price of Alcantara is relatively high.

 

Feel

 

While being lighter and more durable than leather, Alcantara is still among the most delicate fabrics one can find in a car interior. The sophisticated, scratch-proof, easy-to-clean, versatile, and 100% Carbon neutral material gives it a soft touch and a color that does not easily fade away. Alcantara is used for luxury garments, hand bags, and for furnishing home interiors as well.

Alcantara is a favored choice of designers, both brand and automotive, and architectural firms inclusive. Apart from these applications, it is also used extensively for consumer electronics like making mobile phone covers to get a texture and color that differentiates it from the rest in the market.

 

What Should You Choose If You Know The Difference between Alcantara and Leather?

 

Everything comes with advantages and disadvantages. Similarly, Alcantara is better in some ways than leather, and leather is perfect in other ways than Alcantara.

When it comes to furniture, Alcantara is better because you can have many layers and can be fixed easily and washed. Similarly, when it comes to maintenance, you can easily maintain Alcantara if it is indoors. But it is hard to maintain leather as it can easily crack.

Similarly, Alcantara is preferred for car interiors and phone covers because of its grip and it keeps the temperature normal. So, choose the one that suits you.