Office chairs

What Do PU, Bonded and Genuine Leather Mean on a Chair Listing, and What Is a Double-Rub Count?

Published · By Ergocrew · Specs and guidance as of that date, from the pages under Sources

Summary

Genuine leather refers to hide, while bonded material contains leather fibers mixed with other substances. PU identifies polyurethane, but the label alone is not a complete description of the backing or every layer. Ask for the composition of the chair's seat and back separately. Abrasion figures answer another question: double rubs and Martindale cycles are laboratory test results, not predicted years of use, and the two counts are not interchangeable.

Genuine, bonded and PU leather

These terms describe composition rather than a reliable ladder of chair quality. Genuine leather refers to animal hide; bonded material combines leather fibers with non-leather substances. A PU label identifies polyurethane, so ask whether the covering is a synthetic coated fabric and what forms its backing. Do not infer the composition of every layer, or the expected lifespan, from the title alone.

Read the seat and back specifications separately: the two coverings need not be the same, and a title may describe only part of the chair.

How the FTC describes composition

The FTC Guides for Select Leather and Imitation Leather Products are in 16 CFR Part 24. In substance, they say it is unfair or deceptive to misrepresent, directly or by implication, the composition of any industry product or part thereof.

The guides define "industry products" by the list in section 24.0(a): leather or simulated-leather articles such as trunks, suitcases, handbags, footwear and belts. Office chairs are not among the examples named, so that list alone does not settle whether the guides govern a chair listing.

For bonded material, the guides include an example disclosure: "60% leather fibers and 40% non-leather substances." If a chair listing gives a percentage in that form, it states the leather share of the covering.

Double rubs and Martindale: what abrasion counts mean

A double-rub count is reported from the Wyzenbeek abrasion test, and a Martindale count from the Martindale abrasion test. Both are lab tests on fabric samples, and they report in different units: double rubs for one, cycles for the other. A count from one cannot stand in for a count from the other.

The Association for Contract Textiles publishes abrasion guidelines by application. Its official low- and high-traffic pages, checked 2026-11-01, give the woven/knit thresholds below; the non-woven Wyzenbeek figure is also recorded in Architex's reproduction, checked 2026-10-23.

Fabric type and traffic levelWyzenbeek double rubsMartindale cycles
Woven and knit, low traffic15,00020,000
Woven and knit, high traffic30,00040,000
Non-woven50,000Confirm test requirements with ACT

ACT cautions that higher abrasion counts do not necessarily extend service life. Cleaning, maintenance and the way a textile is used also matter, so a large number cannot substitute for the maker's care instructions.

When comparing two listings, look for the test name next to the number. A count quoted without its test name cannot be compared with this table.

What two Sihoo listings say

Sihoo's product page for the B100 Ergonomic Office Chair lists its upholstery as "Mesh seat or cushioned seat (plush foam cushion)." Sihoo's US store listed these B100 options on 2026-10-13:

B100 colorSeat and versionPrice at Sihoo's US store, checked 2026-10-13
BlackCushioned Seat, Standard Version$199.99
WhiteCushioned Seat, Standard Version$199.99
BlackMesh Seat, Standard Version$219.99

The black mesh-seat version was $20 more than the black cushioned version: $219.99 - $199.99 = $20. The page's "cushioned seat" wording describes a foam cushion. Ask Sihoo to confirm the seat covering; foam describes the filling, not the outer surface.

The Sihoo L3 Mid-Century Luxury Leather Chair was $199.99 at Sihoo's US store, checked 2026-10-13. Its official page still uses leather wording, checked 2026-11-01; ask Sihoo for the composition of each upholstered part and the care instructions. If you prefer a mesh seat, compare the B100 Black / Mesh Seat / Standard Version at $219.99 at Sihoo's US store, checked 2026-10-13. Confirm the seat covering and selected option with Sihoo rather than assuming a title establishes the material.

Care and what to check on a listing

Cleaning methods for hide, bonded material and coated fabrics differ, and a product that works on one can damage another. Follow the care instructions from the maker of the specific chair rather than general advice for "leather."

Before you buy, look for these details on the listing:

If a page leaves any of these out, ask the seller in writing before you buy.

Browsing for one? Browse chairs in the feed →

Related guides

Sources

  1. ACT, Abrasion Low Traffic Woven Fabrics
  2. ACT, Abrasion Low Traffic Knit Fabrics
  3. ACT, Abrasion High Traffic Woven Fabrics
  4. ACT, Abrasion High Traffic Knit Fabrics
  5. ACT, Abrasion Disclaimer
  6. eCFR, 16 CFR Part 24, Guides for Select Leather and Imitation Leather Products
  7. Architex, ACT Performance Guidelines
  8. Sihoo, B100 Ergonomic Office Chair
  9. Sihoo, L3 Mid-Century Luxury Leather Chair

We have not tested these products. Specs and guidance are as published on these pages on the date above and can change; the manufacturer's page for your model has the current details.

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