Whats the difference between vegetable tanned leather and bonded leather?

The original manufacturer of Wassily chairs (Gavina, in Italy) selected Vegetable Tanned leather for their straps because this leather type provides decades of worry-free use.  This is the same leather type used in the 1950s continuing through to the current manufacturer of authentic Wassily chairs today.  While the average lifespan of Vegetable Tanned leather straps is 30 to 40 years, many Wassily chairs built 65 years ago are still in service today.

Vegetable tanning develops tough, durable leather for use as belts, straps, sole of shoes and other applications that require considerable tensile strength and longevity of use.  In its original state, vegetable tanned leather appears as the classic tawny tan before color is applied.    It can then be colored any color of the rainbow.

Bonded leather, on the other hand, is actually not real leather.  It is a leather pulp mash made by forming a slurry of leftover leather bits, bonded together with glues and adhesive chemicals. It’s a manufactured product, not a product of nature like a leather hide. It simply doesn’t last. It cracks, peels, or separates from its backing through use.  It lacks durability, often splitting under the weight load of a person sitting on it. It is not genuine leather.

An analogy that applies is the distinction between solid oak and fiberboard.

If you are expecting longevity and want your chair to retain its value, then make sure the straps you purchase are vegetable tanned, and not a synthetic material like Bonded Leather, PU Leather, BiCast Leather, Vegan Leather or some other version of manufactured fake leather.