A leather sofa and the craft behind it, from hide to patina

A sofa is the piece of furniture we spend the most time with and know the least about. You see the shape, feel the leather, sink in. What lies beneath stays hidden: the frame, the padding, the seams that hold it all together. And the many hands a leather sofa passes through before it ever stands in a room.

Natuzzi has worked with leather in Apulia, in southern Italy, since 1959. Much has changed in that time. The order of the work, though, has stayed essentially the same, as it has for any piece of leather upholstery: hides are selected, cut, stitched and drawn over a frame. Each step calls for judgement that cannot be left entirely to a machine.

It begins with the hide. Leather is a natural material, and no two hides are alike. Scars, fine creases and small variations in the grain are part of its nature. At the cutting table, someone decides which part goes where: the most even sections go where eye and hand fall most often, on the seat and backrest, and the livelier ones to the sides and back.

Aniline, semi-aniline or pigmented: what is the difference?

Anyone looking for a leather sofa soon comes across three terms. Aniline leather is dyed right through and has no surface coating. It feels warm and open-pored, and it changes most visibly over the years. Semi-aniline leather is given a light pigmented finish that makes it more resilient without taking away its character. Pigmented leather has an opaque coat of colour, which gives it an even look and makes it unfussy in everyday life, with children or pets for example. None of them is better than the others. It comes down to how you live.

Then the stitching. It tells you a great deal: even stitches, lines that follow the contours without wandering, seams placed where the leather is under tension, taking the strain off it. Double topstitching is not mere decoration. It reinforces the join at points that are put under stress every day.

What you cannot see decides how a sofa wears over the years. A sturdy frame does not creak when you sit down, nor does it twist when you lift the sofa by one corner. The filling determines how you sit: foam in varying densities for shape and support, down or fibre for softness on the surface. A good sofa gives without giving way.

What to look for when buying a leather sofa

Choosing a sofa deserves time. Not a quick test sit, but ten or fifteen minutes: lean back, put your feet up, sit the way you would in the evening. The seat depth should suit your height, and the arms the way you like to lean. It is also worth touching the leather, not just looking at it. That is what the Niyu Residenz is for: a place to experience a piece in a lived-in room rather than a showroom, without hurry and by appointment.

Caring for a leather sofa: all it needs

Leather asks for little, but not nothing. Direct sunlight and a nearby radiator dry it out, aniline leather especially. Dust it with a soft, dry cloth. Blot spills straight away rather than rubbing them. Once or twice a year, treat it to a conditioner the manufacturer recommends. That is all it needs.

Then something begins that no cut or seam can anticipate. The leather takes on the warmth of hands, grows softer on the arms and a shade darker on the seat. It is called patina. You could also say the sofa begins to tell the story of the home it lives in. By then, the hands that made it can no longer be seen. But you feel them, every evening.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between aniline and semi-aniline leather?

Aniline leather is dyed right through and has no surface coating, so it feels warm and open-pored and changes most visibly over the years. Semi-aniline leather has a light pigmented finish that makes it more resilient without taking away its character.

Which leather suits a home with children or pets?

Pigmented leather has an opaque coat of colour that keeps it even in appearance and unfussy in everyday life with children or pets. None of the three types is better than the others: the right one depends on how you live.

How can you tell a well-made leather sofa?

Look at the stitching: even stitches, lines that follow the contours, and seams placed where the leather is under tension. A sturdy frame does not creak when you sit down or twist when you lift the sofa by one corner.

How long should you try a sofa before buying it?

Ten to fifteen minutes rather than a quick test sit. Lean back, put your feet up and sit as you would in the evening, and check that the seat depth suits your height.

How do you care for a leather sofa?

Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from radiators, dust it with a soft, dry cloth and blot spills straight away instead of rubbing. Once or twice a year, use a conditioner the manufacturer recommends.