Leather’s Double Duty: In-Flight Luxury (And Utility)

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    Image: Aerofoam Industries

    APEX Insight: On the one side, leather is luxurious. On the other, it’s utilitarian. Many airlines see cowhide as the natural choice of material in first-class and premium seating. But despite being synonymous with high-living, leather is also an economical and practical upholstery choice.

    Passengers walking through the first- and business-class cabins of the world’s airlines will see that space, privacy and soft, buttery leather are the biggest distinctions between premium and economy seats.

    “The older, more established nations still equate leather with luxury and it’s the natural choice in first-class and premium seating,” says Matthew Nicholls, director of Sales for Aerofoam Industries, a California-based manufacturer of aircraft foams, seat covers and thermoplastics, which has worked with carriers from Delta Air Lines to Lion Air.

    Premium and Economy

    But cowhide has another side. It’s a practical and economical choice that repels dirt, grime, coffee spills and sweat, making it more suitable for high-traffic surfaces. Woven seat covers need to be removed every three to four months for dry cleaning and last about two years – leather has a life span of 10. Although textile is less expensive to buy than leather, in the long run, Nicholls says, the cost of ownership is significantly higher.

    Where the argument for leather once wore thin was in its heaviness. But engineering has patched that problem with composite cowhide and other lightweight leathers designed for aircraft, which offer the properties of genuine leather minus the bulk.

    However, other challenges with leather remain. “Manufacturers have struggled to innovate beyond color choices,” Nicholls says, “so the product largely remains the same.”

    Creative Cowhides

    Nicholls says laminated seat covers are becoming more popular and advanced techniques are creating more opportunities for differentiation.

    Working with UK-based Yarwood Leather, Aerofoam has been able to achieve higher quality laminated leather that replicates the interior of a luxury SUV in a first-class seat. Without the right material, Nicholls warns that wrinkling can occur when the plastic film is applied, but his company uses specially treated lamination-friendly leather.

    Historically, seating materials such as leather and woven textiles were chosen by original equipment manufacturers, but Nicholls says airlines wanted customization. “Airlines want to stamp their own unique branding in the cabin as it’s the first and last thing you see and probably remember about your flight.”

    “Leather’s Double Duty” was originally published in the 7.2 April/May issue of APEX Experience magazine.