Most car owners are concerned about keeping the interior of their car clean and decreasing the amount of dust and dirt getting inside their vehicle. Seat covers are among the affordable accessories that are easy to replace and help you protect the upholstery of the seats of your car from quick wear and tear and prevent dirt from accumulating on them. This article briefly compares Leather Vs. Cloth Seat Covers and explains their advantages and disadvantages making it easier to choose the ones which suit your needs most.

Besides the average OEM seats installed in your car by default, there are other types you can choose from, depending on your comfort requirements, on how much time you spend on the road, the style you prefer for your car etc. The existing kinds of automotive seats include classic car seats, racing seats which are lightweight, have scarce cushioning and are designed to keep the driver in place during a race, sport seats which combine the sleek design of racing seats with more protection and comfort needed for driving through the streets, suspension seats originally invented for off-road cars but now used for regular cars as well, and baby car seats for young children. No matter if your car has only bucket seats for front and back row or a more typical wide bench seat in the back, their cleanness and look still need to be taken care of.

Kinds of Car Seats Damages

The most common damages occurring to your automotive parts are due to them getting polluted, accumulating dirt and grime from the road and wearing from the frequent use. Coffee, water, food and sweat leave stains on the surfaces. Dust and particles from the street pollution get inside the car through the open windows and remain there. Thus the design of your car elements should allow easy cleaning. Seats tend to get dirty quicker if you take active children with you, who are normally not as tidy as adults are, or drive around with your pets who leave their hair and dirt from the street in the car, and may also scratch the seat covers.

 

Each car owner also faces the mechanical damage of their car parts – thus it is wise to protect the original seats from scrapes and scratches and the general runout. You should remember as well that the sun influences the inside of your car. Its UV rays affect the durability and the colour of the top of your seats, making the fabric look faded.

Protective Means for Car Seat Upholstery

To prevent the deterioration of the seats of your vehicle, it is advisable to use seat covers for your car or truck. If you have decided to get them, first of all you should pay attention to their ability to protect your seats – they should be dirt- and water-resistant, to stop the spoiling substances from leaking through them. Second, the material they are made from should be reliable and durable. Third, their design should enable easy installation and replacement when you need to clean them. The last but not the least, people often pick aftermarket accessories for the sake of customization – in order to make their car more comfortable and beautify it.

Most Common Materials for Protecting Seats

Modern seat covers are produced from a variety of materials, so there is plenty to choose from. They can be made of natural or synthetic cloth, leather, suede, or even polyester with specific properties. The reason why people select synthetic materials may be not only their often lower price, but also their hypoallergenicity, which is crucial for people suffering from allergies. However, there are quality high-tech synthetic materials such as neoprene, which is comfortable, lasting, and much easier to clean than real leather or canvas. It is also important to remember that you should choose seat covers depending on the model and general style of your vehicle. If you are choosing a universal fit or a custom-fit cover – be sure that its dimensions and overall style fit into your specific vehicle.

 

Leather and suede can also be genuine or simulated. Leather is an expensive material used to create rich luxury looks of a car interior; its benefits include increased durability (it can last for up to 15 years), better breathability and more natural feel, as well as being less allergenic compared to sheepskin or cloth. However, it quickly fades and loses its colour if exposed to sunlight, and it is more difficult to clean and maintain in proper condition. The same situation is with suede and sheepskin. However, sheepskin seat cover is a cheaper option, which is also warm and comfortable.

 

People wanting to spend less money on their seat covers may choose from a variety of cloth options – be it velour, plush, neoprene, tweed, cordura, polyester, polycotton, cotton, or canvas. These materials are cheaper, known for their comfort and softness, washable and such covers can be easily replaced if you get tired of some particular colour or design.

Pros & Cons of Cloth VS Leather Seat Covers

The most important thing concerning pros & cons of cloth seat covers is the fact that they are the most budget-friendly of all, so it is wise to consider them if your budget is quite limited. They also offer a variety of textures and designs to suit different tastes. Their disadvantage is that they tend to accumulate dirt and should be vacuum-cleaned often and have a simpler look and are less durable than leather ones. However, you may prefer cloth to leather if you drive during the hot summer season.

 

When comparing leather and cloth seat covers the first thing to pay attention to is that leather covers and 3 to 10 times more expensive, but they add luxurious look and feel to your car. They may not seem fit in a cheaper of sporty vehicle, but if you own a more expensive or retro style car, this is the best option you are likely to choose.

Synthetic VS Natural Covers – Which Are More Eco-Friendly

One more thing to remember is that natural materials such as leather and cloth, unlike the synthetic ones, are eco-friendly. Unlike leatherette or polyester, they are biodegradable and do not harm the environment.

Anyway, some people choose simulated leather not only for the sake of economy, but for the moral reasons, because they don’t want animals to be killed to provide covers for their car seats. For them, leatherette may be the perfect choice – it is less expensive, its production does not harm animals, it comes in a variety of colours and is easier to clean. On the other hand, this material is less durable and not that pleasant to touch. Actually, the only material which doesn’t harm the nature is cloth or canvass.

Some Popular Manufacturers and Brands of Seat Covers

Some of the seat cover brands popular in 2018 include FH Group (they produce durable cloth covers), Leader Accessories (inexpensive universal fit cloth covers), Sousin PU (premium-quality leather car seat covers, a bit expensive, but stylish) and Car Pass (offering a universal leather seat cover set which is a little less costly, but still fulfills its duty).