TYPES OF LEATHER MATERIAL & THEIR DESCRIPTION

 Bonded Leather 

Cost               Medium
Durability      Good
Fragility         Good

To create bonded leather, leather scraps and fibers are mixed together, and then formed into a roll using adhesives or other bonding materials. In fact, the manufacturing process is very similar to making paper. After the roll is formed, it goes under drying equipment to reduce the moisture content. Since it usually contains only 10 to 17 percent leather fibers, some industry experts do not consider it real leather and express concerns with it being marketed as such.

However, before you scoff at it, bonded leather does have its advantage as a furniture material. Firstly, it is highly durable. Secondly, it contains low levels of environmentally unsafe formaldehyde as it doesn't undergo chemical tanning and is therefore suitable for people with leather allergies. Lastly, bonded leather furniture is significantly cheaper than real leather.

       Top Grain 
Cost            very high
Durability   Excellent
Fragility      Good

The leather, otherwise known as corrected grain or full grain pigmented, is taken from the outer layers of the hide and is the toughest leather type. Unlike full grain, top grain is usually buffed to remove any imperfections. Top grain leather furniture will typically be more expensive, but will have an incredibly soft feel and will be long lasting.

  

Split Grain  
Cost            very high
Durability   Good
Fragility      Medium

After the removal of the top grain, you get split leather from the remaining part of the hide. This leather is harder and cheaper than full grain leather. Split leather is comparatively more fragile and gets easily damaged if not handled properly.

    

     Nubuck 

Cost            very high
Durability   Good
Fragility      Bad

This is top grain cattle rawhide leather that has been sanded or buffed on the grain side, giving it the appearance similar to velvet and suede. It has a more uniform appearance because the exterior is sprayed with a finishing agent. It is cheaper as compared to full grain leather. However, nubuck furniture is fragile in nature and requires careful maintenance. A waterproofing treatment is mandatory to keep the material looking good.

     Bi-cast 
Cost             Medium
Durability    Bad
Fragility       Medium

It is made by gluing a sheet of polyurethane colour to a split grain. It has the appearance of top grain leather, at a fraction of the cost. Bi-cast does not age well. In fact, it cracks and peels when exposed to too much friction. So, make sure that you purchase bi-cast furniture knowingly and not because you were led to believe it is real leather.

      Faux Leather

     Cost             Medium

Durability    Excellent
Fragility       Excellent

As the name suggests, this is not real leather. It is man-made leather made from synthetic materials such as plastic and rubber-coated fabric. Faux leather has come a long way as the technology has resulted in great improvements in the material composition, thus increasing the comfort level of such sofas. It is durable, looks like original leather and is the cheapest type of leather for furniture.

       Padded Leatherette 
Cost             Medium
Durability    Excellent
Fragility       Excellent

Leatherette is a form of artificial leather, usually made by covering a fabric base with plastic. The fabric can be made of a natural or a synthetic fibre which is then covered with a soft PVC layer.

Leatherette bound books and 20th century cameras are good examples of leatherette. Leatherette clothing of various kinds (including lingerie) also exist.

A disadvantage of plastic "leatherette" is that it is not porous and does not allow air to pass through it; thus, sweat can accumulate if it is used for clothing, car seat coverings, etc. One of its primary advantages, especially in cars, is that it requires little maintenance in comparison to leather, and does not crack or fade easily.

Reference: http://www.hotsectionals.com/types-of-leather-3/