Seating. Leather or soft furnishing ?

[Mrs T]

Always aiming for a warm bum, leather seating although a bit upmarket has always felt and appeared cold. Looking at an older M/H recently with leather throughout it looked a bit jaded in appearance whereas soft upholstery does not show the worn creased look so well.

 

Leather is certainly easier for sliding across and of course can always be covered but for the additional cost I'm not convinced its the better option. Any thoughts?

[crinklystarfish]

Ask a cow.

[Mrs T]

Presumably the above writer has seen neither material and still uses wooden seating.

 

 

 

[Guest JudgeMental]

crinklystarfish - 2013-09-24 10:37 AM

 

Ask a cow.

 

Indeedy.....a common assumption that in subcontinent cows roam around free out of some religious conviction....truth is, it is nothing more than love and respect...

 

back in the day when war was a constant, Men died and the women threw themselves onto pyre.....consequence of this, many orphaned children and they needed feeding..so cows - mothers milk? probably raised generations...So to this day, Cow = mother = absolute love and respect.

[crinklystarfish]

Mrs T - 2013-09-24 11:11 AM

 

Presumably the above writer has seen neither material and still uses wooden seating.

 

 

Quite incorrect, it's simply that the writer doesn't believe that it's morally acceptable to contribute to a completely unnecessary exploitation of animals, particularly in cases where all that is at stake is the whimsical folly of what some selfish human would prefer to rest its buttocks upon.

 

Instead of sarcasm, try some kindness and compassion. Cows everywhere would appreciate it.

[neilmac]

Mrs T - 2013-09-24 10:18 AM

 

Always aiming for a warm bum, leather seating although a bit upmarket has always felt and appeared cold. Looking at an older M/H recently with leather throughout it looked a bit jaded in appearance whereas soft upholstery does not show the worn creased look so well.

 

Leather is certainly easier for sliding across and of course can always be covered but for the additional cost I'm not convinced its the better option. Any thoughts?

 

A difficult decision and expensive if the wrong choice is made.

 

Our Bel-Air is now 11 years old and whilst very tidy inside we are considering a retrim and wonder about leather. I too think 'all' leather might be a bit cold so am thinking of a mix of leather and suede panels on the seating although I'm not sure how cleanable the suede bits would be.

[Guest pelmetman]

neilmac - 2013-09-24 2:34 PM

 

 

Our Bel-Air is now 11 years old and whilst very tidy inside we are considering a retrim and wonder about leather. I too think 'all' leather might be a bit cold so am thinking of a mix of leather and suede panels on the seating although I'm not sure how cleanable the suede bits would be.

 

Real suede totally useless for upholstery........BUT.......The suede effect fabric's now days are as tough as old boots ;-)................as for leather I wouldn't use it as its not hard wearing enough..........OK for a gin palace :-|

[Guest JudgeMental]

forgive them Mum......just more clueless insensitive humans

[Mrs T]

Not sarcasm Mr Fish, just a simple observation. Leather v Soft Furnishing was the question.

 

As has been said man made materials are equally as good and often better so that will be our chosen material on the new seating arrangement.

[Tracker]

Have you considered Alcantara as it works well on car seats and seems to be both hard wearing and warm to the touch?

 

Plus it would satisfy the save a cow mob if not the anti chemical composite campaigners!

[crinklystarfish]

It's not about satisfying the 'save a cow mob', the human sentiment isn't important.

 

It's about the animals needlessly exploited and slaughtered, and the associated manifold environmental impacts of animal husbandry.

 

Hope that helps, but do come back if you need anything else that's really obvious explaining.

[Muswell]

I can't imagine it would save any cows. I think a leather is just a by-product of steak and burgers.

[crinklystarfish]

And it's a sad reflection on humanity that this is such a commonly held yet utterly fallacious view. No disrespect intended as I realise it's a view that those who make vast wealth out of animal exploitation would have the general public believe.

 

Luckily for the shareholders, the general public will mostly believe any old tosh, especially if it makes them feel comfortable.

 

An oldie but goodie on this whole subject is Danny Penman's work:

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Price-Of-Meat-Danny-Penman/dp/0575063440

 

At the end of the day people will make their own choices, but those choices should be made in the full knowledge of the barbarism involved.

 

Most people are just too lazy to even think about it. As long as their leisure vehicle seats look nice, why care?

[Brock]

In a car, I found leather seats were easy to keep clean and didn't absorb smells or liquids. Leather in a vehicle smells great. Seems more hard wearing although I did nourish the leather from time to time. However, the leather seats were a real pain when they get hot. Bum burn was a risk and it's easy to slip around when you get hot. The leather seats were not cold, even in the winter.

 

Leather will not win you any friends with vegetarians or similar animal protection groups as bus groups are finding out when they instal leather seats in their premium vehicles. There is also a debate as to whether leather is more environmentally friendly than man-made fabrics.

 

Given modern soft furnishings, I'm not sure whether leather seats are now anything other than a style or status statement.

 

Based on my experience, I would consider leather if I had an above average priced vehicle but could probably find better ways to spend my money.

[colin]

The facts are that the primary value to humans of cows are for meat, leather is still a byproduct, as such I have no problem with using it, BUT, I don't like leather for seats.

[Arthur Brown]

its a long time since we killed cows just for their skin. leather is now a bi-product of the inevitable meat requirement. If you really care for the cows then stop eating meat.

Art

ps:- leather looks great but there are many man made materials which look just as good and wear much better.

[Tracker]

crinklystarfish - 2013-09-24 6:51 PM

It's not about satisfying the 'save a cow mob', the human sentiment isn't important.

Hope that helps, but do come back if you need anything else that's really obvious explaining.

 

If the human sentiment isn't important you have a peculiar way of expressing it, so how exactly do you consider that comments designed to offend help your case?

 

If you feel so strongly you could always consider a career in politics and try to change things. At least that way you might be able to earn a little respect for having the courage of your views instead of contempt for your ungracious attitude towards anyone who does not conform to your way of thinking.

 

Oh sorry - I forgot - it's so much easier for you to take the moral high ground and simply insult others from the anonymity of a computer.

 

For the record I too am not in favour of any form of animal cruelty but, not having the political will to take any action myself, I don't see the need to insult others with my own point of view.

[crinklystarfish]

 

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/aug/27/ethicalfashion.leather

 

Or any number of similar articles freely available on the web.

 

As I say, people make choices and that's up to them.

 

Sadly many make those choices without a full understanding of the unnecessary exploitation, cruelty, or the wider environmental issues. Badgers, for example, would not currently be being needlessly culled were it not for shortcomings in animal husbandry.

 

Danny Penman's book is an easily accessible read and I commend it to the thinking.

[colin]

crinklystarfish - 2013-09-24 9:07 PM

 

 

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/aug/27/ethicalfashion.leather

 

Or any number of similar articles freely available on the web.

 

As I say, people make choices and that's up to them.

 

Sadly many make those choices without a full understanding of the unnecessary exploitation, cruelty, or the wider environmental issues. Badgers, for example, would not currently be being needlessly culled were it not for shortcomings in animal husbandry.

 

Danny Penman's book is an easily accessible read and I commend it to the thinking.

 

Got about 25% throu that when it became obvious the writer knows very little about the subject.

[Guest pelmetman]

JudgeMental - 2013-09-24 4:01 PM

 

forgive them Mum......just more clueless insensitive humans

 

Your mum looks tasty Eddie ;-).................especially with a bit of Stilton :D

[crinklystarfish]

Muswell - 2013-09-24 6:54 PM

 

I can't imagine it would save any cows. I think a leather is just a by-product of steak and burgers.

 

 

Would that be the burgers that are made of dead horses?

 

colin - 2013-09-24 9:30 PM

 

Got about 25% throu that when it became obvious the writer knows very little about the subject.

 

 

I assume you mean the article, not Danny Penman's book.

 

Given that this is your view:

 

colin - 2013-09-24 8:19 PM

 

The facts are that the primary value to humans of cows are for meat, leather is still a byproduct…

 

 

which is as good an example as I’ve ever seen of someone not knowing what they are talking about, I’m not that surprised that you seek to find an easy way to dismiss the reality.

 

Curious to know - given that you are demonstrably ignorant of the subject - how you managed to so incisively leap to your conclusion as to how it is: "obvious the writer knows very little about the subject".

 

The truths behind the exploitation and cruelty in the animal products’ industry can be quite uncomfortable.

 

As I urged, for anyone who does have a niggling doubt, don’t take my word for it, do a bit of reading.

 

Worth remembering that many of you will have been duped into eating horses. The animal products’ industry is not what glossy advertisements would have you believe.

 

When you can't decide whether you would prefer to sit on a dead animal's skin in your leisure vehicle or not, you owe it to the animal and yourself to at least make the decision in the full knowledge of the unspeakable brutality.

 

You are not sitting on some 'by-product' of a benign and "inevitable" animal products' industry.

 

You are helping to perpetuate it.

[colin]

Having worked in farming at some level on and off most of my life, I've a fair idea what goes on. I could tell when I got 25% throu that article that the journo didn't have a clue. Yes you are correct there is cruelty within the meat production industry of which leather is a byproduct, one can only try to avoid promoting it, thats why we don't buy down filled products which are renowned for cruel practices, and where possible source meat from local farms which are renowned for their animal welfare, (we no longer have animals) at the moment I'm sat 1/2 a mile from one such farm and shortly I'll be driving to the workshops which are almost surrounded by another such farm, so I see the animals I eat on a regular basis, and also of cause I see the animals I will be eating throu a rifle scope, because don't forget the production of vegetarian crops see the destruction of vastly more animals than meat production(yes realy).

 

[crinklystarfish]

Colin, for someone closer to the industry than most, you are incredibly naive.

 

There seems little point in entering into a 'yes-it-is, no-it-isn't' kind of exchange but your assertions are typical of the kind of brainwashing the NFU is famous for promoting.

 

They have an agenda, and it isn't the well-being of animals or the health of the wider environment past barely sustaining pastoral / agricultural land.

 

I respect that you go further than most in sourcing produce and you are probably in a better position than most to pull your head from the sand and to realise you have been duped into perpetuating disingenuous myths.

 

I'm done with the ping-pong now, but how about giving it a go?

[Guest JudgeMental]

animals are rarely slaughtered on farms. but taken to abattoirs and slaughtered on mass...maybe we should organise a visit....

 

if an advanced species from the far side of universe decided to go looking for intelligent life..they would have a look down on us and put there foot down to get away as soon as possible...

 

cutting down rainforests to grow crops, to feed animals, to then slaughter the animals for burgers...I mean come on, we could easily "feed the world" remember that airy fairy stuff I bet you think. if you feed people, they grow, can then work and prosper, earn money, buy the products that we produce.... but then we get to the big question an "economy" based on confidence and accelerating consumerism..in a time when resources visibly running out within our children's lifetime....is absolutely bonkers

 

and you wonder why prices rising. seems we all hate price rises until it comes to our own property..what a bunch of hypocrites (me included)

 

leather in a camper has always looked so wrong to me, the few times I have seen it. what's wrong with cloth seating...my van has the cloth and fake suede panels..look OK and comfortable enough...

[david lloyd]

At the risk of sounding too serious about the original post, we have only ever had one van with full leather and was initially a little concerned about how practical/warm/comfortable it would be. I need not have worried though. We found it very practical with two gigs travelling with us, very warm once the initial surface coldness was gone and really comfortable.

 

The van in question was second hand (one careful owner) and so we didn't really notice the price differential too much. Had several new vans since at it is only the cost of full leather that has prevented us from having it again. New van has half leather as standard but would certainly have full leather again but do be careful, there are differing grades (quality) and the cheaper varieties may not be as soft/comfortable or hard wearing as others.

 

David