pu leather is a man-made upholstery material made from a polyurethane coating on a fabric backing, so it contains no hide. In everyday use it is valued because it wipes clean easily and gives a smooth, uniform finish, but it does not age like aniline or other genuine leathers. The right way to look after it is simple: wipe spills promptly, use a soft cloth, avoid abrasive or solvent cleaners, and keep the chair away from heat and long periods of direct sun.
On this page
- What is pu leather?
- How do you choose between PU, genuine leather and mesh?
- What wears first on PU seating?
- How should you clean and look after it?
- Which options in the shop use PU, leather or mesh?
- What does it cost and how does delivery work?
- What mistakes do buyers make with this material?
- Frequently asked questions
If you are deciding between faux leather, genuine leather and mesh, the key point is to match the material to the way the chair will be used. At this shop, PU upholstery appears on selected dining and office models, while every lounge chair and ottoman version is upholstered in 100% aniline leather on every part, and mesh chairs are mesh rather than leather.
What is pu leather?
PU leather is a synthetic upholstery made from a polyurethane surface layer applied to a textile backing, which is why it is often called faux leather or artificial leather.
That definition matters because it tells you how the material behaves. It has the look of leather, but it is not a hide and it does not develop the same kind of patina, softness changes or natural grain variation you see in aniline leather. For neutral background reading on the material itself, see Artificial leather.
In this shop, PU is used openly where the product is sold as PU. Two clear examples are the Set of Two Eames DSW Chairs Replica PU Leather Black at €90, 47 x 53 x 83 cm (W x L x H), and the Set of Four Eames DSW Chairs Replica PU Leather Black at €150, 47 x 53 x 83 cm (W x L x H).
The Decomica D266 low-back plywood swivel chair is also PU leather, priced at €199, weighs 12 kg, is rated to 150 kg, has adjustable seat height and seat depth, and its overall size is not published.
That is different from the lounge collection, where all versions are 100% aniline leather on every part.
Examples include the Classic Charles Eames Lounge Chair And Ottoman Replica Black Leather – Ebony Ash Wood Black at €809, 87 x 85 x 84 cm (W x L x H), the Classic Charles Eames Lounge Chair And Ottoman Replica Tan Brown Leather – Walnut Wood Normal Base at €859, 87 x 85 x 84 cm (W x L x H), and the Tall Version Eames Lounge Chair And Ottoman Replica – White – Rose Wood at €949, 84 x 85 x 89 cm (W x L x H).
How do you choose between PU, genuine leather and mesh?
Choose by use first: PU suits wipe-clean dining and occasional office seating, aniline leather suits buyers who want real hide and natural ageing, and mesh suits breathable task seating.
For dining chairs, a wipe-clean surface is often the deciding factor. The PU-padded shell chairs in the Dining Chairs collection are straightforward to live with, especially where food, drinks and frequent wipe-downs are normal. If you want more context on this type, the guide Faux Leather Dining Chairs: What PU Seats Mean explains the material choice in more detail.
For a lounge chair, the material question changes. The Eames Lounge Chairs category has 39 models priced from €275 to €1199, with example size 84x85x89 cm, and every lounge chair and ottoman version uses 100% aniline leather on every part rather than PU or bonded leather. If that is the sort of chair you are choosing between, see Aniline Leather: What It Is and How to Care for It and What is Eames lounge chair leather?.
For office seating, the material split is also clear. The Eames Office Chairs collection has 38 models priced from €179 to €409, example size 59x61x90 cm. The leather office chairs have genuine leather on the seat and the front of the backrest, with matching leather on the underside and outer back; the D-series task chairs are mesh; the D266 is PU leather, not genuine leather. If you are deciding between office-chair types rather than materials alone, Eames Executive Chair Dupe: What to Look For and What to Avoid (2026) is the related office guide.
What wears first on PU seating?
The parts that usually show wear first are the places touched and flexed most often: the front edge of the seat, the sitting area, and corners or seams that see repeated friction.
That does not mean every PU chair wears quickly; it means wear tends to be visible in high-contact zones before it appears elsewhere. In a dining chair, repeated sliding in and out, belt rivets, rough clothing and frequent rubbing on the front edge matter more than the backrest. In a swivel chair, the seat and the points where the user turns and shifts tend to be the key areas to watch.
Heat, direct sun and harsh cleaning shorten the good-looking period of faux leather faster than ordinary dust does. So does leaving spills to sit. PU is practical because it wipes clean, but buyers should expect a different ageing pattern from real leather. It stays more even-looking while in good condition, rather than developing the visible grain and patina associated with aniline leather.
If your comparison is specifically with genuine lounge-chair leather, the useful background pages are Bonded Leather vs Genuine Leather: Key Differences and Eames Lounge Chair Durability: What Lasts, What Wears, and What to Expect from a Replica. Those explain the material differences without treating PU as a substitute for aniline leather.
How should you clean and look after it?
For routine care, wipe PU surfaces with a soft dry or slightly damp cloth, deal with spills quickly, and never use abrasive pads, strong solvents or harsh cleaners.
The practical aim is simple: remove dirt before it grinds into the surface, and avoid products that can strip or dull the finish. A barely damp cloth is usually enough for day-to-day marks. Dry the surface after wiping rather than leaving water sitting on it.
Placement matters too. Keep PU seating away from radiators, very hot rooms and prolonged direct sunlight. Those conditions can make synthetic surfaces age less evenly. On dining chairs, lifting the chair rather than dragging it by the back can also reduce strain on joints and fixings over time.
Assembly is minor on the PU dining-chair sets: four screws per chair, Allen key supplied, with instructions in the box. That makes them simple to put together, but it is still worth checking the screws after initial use and tightening them if needed.
Which options in the shop use PU, leather or mesh?
The quickest way to choose is to read the product type literally: PU dining chairs and the D266 are sold as PU, lounge chairs are all aniline leather, leather office chairs are part-genuine by contact area, and D-series task chairs are mesh.
| Category | Models | Price range | Example size | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Designer Lighting | 4 | €190–€479 | 50x50x20 cm | Designer Lighting |
| Le Corbusier | 8 | €639–€849 | 56x160x69 cm | Le Corbusier |
| Dining Chairs | 17 | €90–€249 | 47x53x83 cm | Dining Chairs |
| Eames Lounge Chairs | 39 | €275–€1199 | 84x85x89 cm | Eames Lounge Chairs |
| Eames Office Chairs | 38 | €179–€409 | 59x61x90 cm | Eames Office Chairs |
| Rocking Chairs | 3 | €149–€149 | 63x81x76 cm | Rocking Chairs |
| Accessories | 6 | €139–€479 | 50x50x20 cm | Accessories |
| Special Offers | 13 | €90–€849 | 72x70x91 cm | Special Offers |
Within those categories, the clearest PU examples are the two black dining-chair sets and the D266 swivel chair. If you want a genuine-leather lounge example for contrast, compare the PU sets with the Classic Charles Eames Lounge Chair And Ottoman Replica Brown Leather Walnut Wood at €868, 87 x 85 x 84 cm (W x L x H), or the Premium Eames Lounge Chair And Ottoman Replica Waxy Chocolate Polished Leather Walnut Wood at €999, 87 x 85 x 84 cm (W x L x H).
What does it cost and how does delivery work?
PU options in the current range start at €90 for a set of two dining chairs, while delivery is free to the 25 countries available at checkout and the price shown is the price paid.
For PU seating specifically, the current published examples are €90 for the set of two black dining chairs, €150 for the set of four black dining chairs, and €199 for the D266 low-back plywood swivel chair. Across the wider shop, Dining Chairs run from €90 to €249, and Eames Office Chairs run from €179 to €409.
Orders are dispatched within 1–2 working days of confirmation and delivered by DPD, fully tracked. Delivery typically arrives within 6–9 working days door to door, and tracking details are emailed as soon as the order is dispatched. The same delivery window applies shop-wide, and weekend delivery is not part of the standard service.
Delivery is free, with no minimum order value, to Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Bulgaria, Greece, Malta and Cyprus are not offered at checkout; customers there need to email support@decomica.com before ordering.
Most single-product orders ship in one package; larger items may arrive in several boxes, and multi-item orders may be split across deliveries but are dispatched together. Each piece is inspected before boxing. Keep the original packaging during the 14-day return window because returns must be repacked in it.
What mistakes do buyers make with this material?
The most common mistakes are assuming PU behaves like aniline leather, using strong cleaners, leaving spills too long, and placing the chair in prolonged direct sun or close to heat.
Another mistake is buying by name rather than by upholstery specification. If a product says PU leather, treat it as a practical synthetic wipe-clean surface. If it says aniline leather, expect a real hide with a different look, feel and care routine. If it says mesh, it is not leather at all.
One more practical point: do not overlook dimensions. The PU dining-chair sets are 47 x 53 x 83 cm (W x L x H) with a seat height of 44 cm, which is useful when checking table fit and room spacing. If you are choosing a chair by room size rather than material alone, the related guides How to Choose the Right Leather Armchair and How to Choose the Right Swivel Leather Armchair cover size and format questions without repeating this care advice.
Frequently asked questions
Is PU the same as bonded leather?
No. PU leather is a polyurethane coating on a fabric backing and contains no hide, while bonded leather is made from shredded leather fibres bound together on a backing and coated. This shop sells PU leather, genuine leather and mesh upholstery, but no bonded leather.
Does this shop use PU on its lounge chairs?
No. Every lounge chair and ottoman version in the range, including standard, premium waxy, tall or XL, chair-only and ottoman-only versions, is upholstered in 100% aniline leather on every part. For example, the Classic Charles Eames Lounge Chair And Ottoman Replica Dark Brown Leather – Walnut Normal Base is €868, 87 x 85 x 84 cm (W x L x H).
Can I return a PU chair if I change my mind?
Yes. You have 14 days from delivery to request a return, the item must be unused and in its original packaging, and nothing may be sent back without return authorisation from support@decomica.com. For a change of mind, the refund is made minus a €40 return fee for the DPD collection. If the item is faulty, damaged in transit or wrong, collection is free and the shop offers a replacement or a full refund.
What support and warranty do I get?
Every piece has a 2-year warranty against manufacturing defects. To claim, email support@decomica.com with your order number, a short description and photos; the shop arranges a repair, replacement or refund as appropriate. Support is by email and live chat on every page; there is no telephone support and no showroom.
Decomica sells reproductions inspired by mid-century designs, identified as such on every product page; they are not made, licensed or endorsed by the original manufacturers or licence holders. The D-series office chairs are Decomica’s own designs.
Last checked: 24 October 2026
Author: Decomica Editorial
