Hi Everyone,
This is a question we get a lot, so I thought I would chime in. The comments so far are all correct from my experience. First I should say that I don't think there is a clear winner when you compare natural leather and synthetic leather. It depends on what is more important to you. Here is a quick and dirty comparison in my view:
Leather:
- More durable in general
- People like the smell
Synthetic leather:
- Lighter weight
- A little softer
More details:
Synthetic leather is sometimes confused with vinyl. It does have some similarities. Both are made up of three layers, a face material, a foam layer (for body), and a reinforcement cloth backing. The main difference is the face material. The face material on vinyl is made out of PVC with plasticizers (chemical additives) that make the plastic flexible like cloth. The face material on synthetic leathers are made out of polyurethane (the same thing most flexible foams are made out of). My understanding is that it is inherently soft, and does not really need any extra additives. The vinyl will loose plasticizers overtime (out gassing), and become hard and crack. Synthetic leather should not.
Synthetic leather is very durable in terms of abrasion rating (In the industry this is tested by rubbing a piece of cotton on the material to see how long it takes to produce noticeable wear). It is not quit as durable when sharp or rough objects are rubbed against it. It is also not as resistant to punctures. Leather holds up better in these situations. This is offset by the advantage in weight though. You can expect a weight difference of anywhere from 2-3 lbs on a pair of seats (depending on seat style).
Leather is essentially a continuous layer of fibers. You might think of it like a piece of felt. It is about twice the thickness (on average) of synthetic leather. The leather fibers need lubrication to slide over one another. This is what makes soft leather drape easily over something. If this lubrication is depleted, the leather fibers will be stressed and break resulting in a crack. Leather conditioner every 3-6 months (depending on use and exposure to heat and sun) will keep the fibers lubricated and the leather soft.
I usually tell customers that if weight is your number one priority, synthetic leather is your best bet. If you can sacrifice some weight for some additional durability, leather would probably suit you better. Like I said, no clear winner. Hope this helps. If you made it this far, you must really like reading boring stuff about leather