February 29 - everyday carry artisans

Looking for a design that looks, feels and smells like genuine leather but at a half or quarter of its price?
Look no further, a half leather design is what you are looking for. =)

Half leather designs are usually complimented by other materials such as faux leather, canvas for those that find everything covered in leather a tad too boring and plain.

Is half leather really 50% leather and 50% not?

That is a very good question and one that even we have no idea why industrialists use this term when half leather products are varying in leather content.

One thing is for sure, the percentage of leather should be equal or more than the complimenting material to be considered so.

What other products come in half leather designs?

Nowadays, designers are coming out very many trendy and wacky designs that come in half leather.

Car seats & sofa sets – Manufacturers are designing cushion seats to be leather and the rest to be of faux leather to produce low cost alternatives for the budget constrained.

Shoes – Designers have always been matching leather with exotic materials such as silk to achieve the visual symphony.

Pros

1. Lower cost than genuine leather
2. High resemblance to genuine leather
3. Mixture of materials to compliment designs
4. Less maintenance required

Cons

1. Should not be treated like genuine leather in terms of ageing and durability.

Bycast Leather

Gaining popularity in recent years, Bycast Leather is desired for its unique shine and easy care. It is a combination of natural leather hides processed and bonded to a man-made surface covering and then coated with a thick layer of polyurethane.  In addition to the highly desirable “shiny” look, the coating helps prevent scratching, gives it a higher resistance to sunlight fading and is an excellent dir-repelling surface.

Bycast can be a top grain or split hide but in either case it is ironed very smooth to remove most of the natural graining. To clean, simply use a damp towel.  Heat from a hairdryer can be used to remove light scratches.

Characteristics of Bycast Leather :

* Uses the bottom split layer of the hide. 
* Is produced by first melting glue into the top surface and rolling on a very thick layer of polyurethane 
* Dyed through. 
* Dark colours are the best alternative.

Advantages of Bycast Leather :

* Very tough & thick depending on manufacturer specification. 
* Require minimal maintenance. 
* Virtually impenetrable to water.

* Low cost alternative to genuine leather.

Cons of Bycast Leather :

* May look unnatural
* Prone to peeling, de-lamination or cracking if not well maintained.
* Suits modern decorating trends. 
* Will not age well like genuine leather