Training with answers, about most frequent questions asked by clients:

Question:

1. Isn't leather hot in the summer and cold in the winter?

Answer:
Leather conforms to its environment.
It adapts to the temperature of a room, or your body on it and will maintain a consistent
temperature that will feel good on your skin.

2. Will leather crack and peel over time?

No, leather will not crack or peel over time in normal using conditions. What can happen is for the
color finish that was applied to crack or peel. This can usually be repaired, think of it like paint on a
wall.

Bear in mind that the finish cannot be easily repaired in all cases, and that the finishing process may
leave scars.

3. Should I be concerned if my new leather furniture has small lines or

blemishes on the surface?

Markings such as scars, insect bites, wrinkles and veining are natural characteristics of genuine
leather. If you purchase leather from the Natuzzi Protecta family, one that has been protected and
finished to create a consistent, uniform look and feel- then you will see fewer marks. However,
leather from our Natural family will show more natural markings, such as insect bites, scars and
stretch marks, as well as color variations. These color variations can occur within the same hide
because there is no finish applied to give the look of consistent color like in our Protecta family. This
is an indication of the authenticity of the leather and should not be considered a defect. Actually, it
should be treated as a “mark” of true, high quality leather.

4. Is it true that animals are not bred specifically for the upholstery industry?

Yes. Leather is actually a by-product from the beef industry.

The largest consumer of leather is the shoe industry.
Only about ten percent of the world's hide production is used for furniture.

5. I have pets and I don't want my dog or cat to damage the leather with its
claws, what should I do?
If you are worried about your pets damaging leather, you should look at the most appropriate leather
for a home with pets. You should probably go with our Protecta family, since it is more easily
repaired. Repairs are also likely to be less noticeable because of the color finishing that is applied to
this family of leather.

6. Why is one leather grade more expensive than another?

The main factor determining the grade of leather is the origin of the raw hide. Hides come from all
over the world and are sorted by the number of natural characteristics that are present on them.
Since hides with fewer characteristics are rarer, they usually are more expensive, and require less
processing to be turned into leather suitable for upholstery. Hides from the Southern Hemisphere are
more abundant and tend to show more of the natural characteristics of leather. They are less supple
than hides from the Northern Hemisphere. Hides from the Southern Hemisphere usually represent
the majority of the Protecta family of leathers. Generally speaking, the higher grades of leather come
from hides raised in the Northern Hemisphere. However, we do use some hides from the Southern
Hemisphere in our Natural collection. Natural hides, by their nature, have some natural
characteristics and will show some variation in color. This is not a defec

7. Why can the price of leather furniture vary so much?

A very important part of the final product's price is based on the leather's characteristics. As grades
of leather increase, the cost of the final product also increases. However, there are many other
factors that affect pricing including: dimension, style, leg type and stitching details. Natuzzi spends a
great deal of effort to make sure your sofa is aesthetically pleasing from every angle. So, if you
decide to place your sofa or sectional in the middle of your room, you will notice the design detail
given to the entire sofa.

8. What is the difference between natural and protected leather?

Natural Leather = Unfinished Leathers = More natural characteristics / shading differences

Protecta Leather = Finished Leathers = Less natural characteristics / More uniform look

9. How many different types of leather can I choose from?

We offer several different articles of leather and each is available in a variety of colors. Some are
thicker, some are thinner, some have a second color added for effect, some are embossed, and
some are smooth. The total color assortment changes constantly and exceeds 150 different leather
colors. The choice is yours, based on your preferences and your lifestyle.

10. What do the leather terms mean?

Split: all leather hides have to be split because a hide is too thick to upholster or use in any type of
manufacturing. The hide goes into a machine where a blade slices the hide into two hides. The
bottom hide is known as split leather. This hide can be sanded down (corrected) and embossed with
a consistent graining pattern to be used on the outside back and sides of sofa for a slight cost saving
to achieve certain price points. A split leather is still 100% leather and has all the same finishing
treatments as the top grain portion.

Top Grain: in the above process the top portion of the hide is the top grain portion. It is generally
used in the areas that receive more wear since the fiber of top grain is more compact than that of
split grain. Full Grain is top grain leather that uses the natural grain of the hide. No correction is
made to the grain.

Corrected Grain: top grain leather that has been sanded down to reduce some of the visual natural
characteristics. Of the various types of corrections, the most common is to sand down, and
completely remove the natural grain and then emboss a consistent graining pattern. Another type of
correction is to lightly buff the hide to remove the peaks and valleys of the grain.

Embossed Grain: a consistent grain pattern is “pressed” into the leather using rollers. It can be as
subtle as a small natural looking grain pattern, or as different as a crocodile pattern.

Grades of Leather: the main determining factor of a grade of leather is origin of the raw hide. The
grade of the leather determines its price

Pull-up: aniline – dyed leather that has been waxed or oiled. When the leather is pulled, the oil/wax
separates, causing the color to lighten.

11. What kind of filling and suspensions are used?

Ecoflex Foam: the high resiliency foam used in all Natuzzi cushions. It is manufactured by our IMPE
division and is free of Freon CFC pollutants.

Foams of varying density: we use more than ten different densities of foam. This allows for ideal
customized comfort, design, and support.

Wadding: a multiple layer of thermo-bonded fiber, wrapped around seat cushion cores to add shape
and comfort.

Webbing: the patented industrial strength elastic webbing which is used in the deck and back for
suspension. This is a 100% resilient material, which is used in the automotive and airline industries
and takes the place of more traditional metal springs. There are some distinct advantages in the use
of webbing. It provides consistent support across the entire length of the frame; it does not make any
noise, it does not rust, and there is no risk of coil springs protruding through the cushions.

12. What is the frame construction?

Frame construction varies from model to model. We use an engineered frame, which is a
combination of solid woods such as fir/spruce or beech with plywood, oriented strand board (OSB),
particle board, and a Masonite wrap. Some frames include metal or exposed carved pieces of the
frame. The suspension uses an elastic webbing system that is completely durable and 100%
resilient. This means that over time the suspension system of our engineered frame will outlast any
spring type of construction. The types of designs that we produce benefit from this style of
construction because it is easily adaptable to all styles of furniture from classic frames with nail
heads to modern open base models.

13. How can I care for my leather upholstery?

A cleaning kit is available for purchase in our stores. Alternatively, we recommend that you clean
your leather upholstery using a neutral soap diluted with water and a dry, soft, white cloth. We do
not recommend any type of conditioner or chemical to be placed on the sofa. Simply dusting the
sofa, and cleaning up spots when they occur, should help keep your sofa looking good for its
expected life. Remember that leather is a natural material that can change appearance as it
ages.
More info:
- LEATHER COVERING
- PROTECTA LEATHER COLLECTION
- NATURAL LEATHER COLLECTION

14. Will sunlight affect the color of my sofa?

All leathers will fade by some degree over time. Leather directly exposed to sunlight will fade
faster. Protecta leathers will resist fading longer than Natural leathers.

15. Why is my leather stretching after only a couple of years?

Leather is elastic and its shape reflects the amount of use an area gets. Just as new shoes need
some breaking in, so does your leather sofa. This stretching is not a defect but an inherent
natural quality of the leather.