Have you ever considered that the material your office chair is made out of can impact your comfort, the support on your body and how long the chair will last? Some materials are stronger, more supportive and easier to clean than others, so picking the ‘right’ material for the job is really important.
Here, we reveal the most common office chair materials, as well as the pros and cons of each one (with a handy summary table you can glance at) to figure out which material is most suitable.
The most popular office chair materials
Mesh office chairs
It’s supportive, breathable and easy to clean, so mesh is a really great fabric for an office chair. It’s more commonly used on the backrest of a chair to allow air to flow through properly and stop the sweaty back situation in the summer. All of our home office chairs at Slouch are designed with a mesh back for this exact reason, available in black or grey depending on your colour preference. The material is flexible, offering both support and comfort, particularly when combined with proper adjustable lumbar support.
Real leather office chairs
Leather is seen as the material of luxury. A leather office chair is usually reserved for directors or company executives, is long-lasting and super easy to clean, but it has its downsides too. It’s not a particularly breathable material, resulting in legs that stick in summer and a slightly sweaty back, and it’s also an expensive material, meaning leather office chairs cost substantially more than those made from other materials.
Faux leather office chairs
Faux leather can be a great alternative to real leather, as it looks the part at a fraction of the cost, and is still really easy to clean. However, faux leather, also known as PU leather, is prone to cracks and rips over time, which means these chairs aren’t as durable and might be ready for replacement after just a couple of years.
Fabric office chairs
Fabric office chairs are probably the most popular type, particularly for large office spaces, meeting rooms and home offices. This is likely down to their price (they’re usually in the mid-budget range, unlike leather ones), their comfort and their durability.
They come in a wider range of colours than other office chairs and they usually have a supportive seat pad made from moulded foam that brings comfort all day long.
While our chairs have a mesh back, our seat pads are made from quality foam and wrapped in quality fabric. We’re believers in rigorous testing, and our foam seat pads won’t flatten or become misshapen over time.
Vinyl office chairs
Vinyl is a really great material if you’re after the look and durability of leather without the added cost. It’s more hardwearing than faux leather, and is really easy to clean, perhaps even easier than leather. For this reason, it’s commonly used in healthcare settings, where cleanliness is important, or in spaces where it will be heavily used (like a school) or soiled (like in a warehouse or manufacturing facility).
You’re usually limited to a few colour choices, mainly black, white or grey.
What are the pros and cons of each type of material?
A summary:
The pros and cons of mesh
Mesh is breathable and supportive, as we’ve already covered, but there are some other pros and cons to consider as well.
Mesh material is lightweight, and so the chair is easier to move around and adjust than some heavier office chairs. It doesn’t retain heat so it will keep you cooler as you work and it holds its shape well, meaning no sagging or dipping as time goes on. This is particularly important for support.
The only real negative of mesh is that the threads can snag or pull if they get caught on anything, such as jewellery or a pet’s claws. For this reason, try to keep your cat away from your new office chair!
The pros and cons of real leather
Leather is a really great material for an office chair, however the price point does put some people off. Leather chairs will last for years, and you’ll find that the material softens over time and develops a beautiful natural patina which adds character. It doesn’t absorb odours the way other materials can and is resistant to bobbling or fraying, unlike some fabric.
However, leather can crack or dry out if it’s not well-maintained (or if it’s kept near a sunny window), and it’s not vegan or animal-friendly, which might be a deciding factor for some people.
The pros and cons of faux leather
Faux leather can be a great option for people who are vegan or animal-conscious, and it has a consistent texture and finish due to it being manmade rather than a natural material. Unlike leather, it doesn’t need conditioning and offers the leather look but at a significantly cheaper cost. In fact, faux leather office chairs are probably some of the cheapest you can buy.
But their low price comes at a cost to you. The finish usually feels significantly less premium than real leather and they aren’t as durable. The colour might even start to peel or wear away in places with high-friction, especially the armrests and the head rest.
The pros and cons of fabric
There are a ton of fabrics available for office chairs, but this means you need to be careful about the type your chair is made of. Some fabrics are cheap and will start to bobble or fray after a short time, while other quality fabrics (like those we use on our Slouch chairs) will stand the test of time.
A fabric chair might be significantly more comfortable than a leather or vinyl one, with a softer feel and added sound absorption in an echoey office. However, it can be a bit harder to clean than leather (although there’s no real maintenance to worry about) and it can trap allergens like dust and pet hair.
When considering a fabric office chair, we recommend you invest in a fabric cleaning solution that will keep your chair fresh and clean, while also expanding its lifespan. When you keep on top of spills and stains, your chair will look as good as new for a long time to come.
The pros and cons of vinyl
Vinyl is particularly useful in settings where the chair is used a lot or where it needs to be kept clean, such as dentists, schools, hospitals and more. It’s completely waterproof and is resistant to punctures and scuffs, unlike faux leather.
Vinyl as a material, however, can feel quite stiff and is the least breathable material in our list. Cheaper vinyl can develop a plasticky sheen or smell, and doesn’t really compare to the look of real or faux leather.
Choose Slouch for office chairs that last
Having designed office chairs for 40+ years, we know what makes a great chair, and what it is that makes one supportive, comfortable and durable.
Our fabrics and mesh are of the highest quality to create a soft seat pad and a breathable mesh back that means you can focus on work instead of the annoyances caused by your chair.
Browse our full range of office chairs today.
