Silicone Leather

What is silicone leather made of?

05/09/2024

Table of Contents

What Is Silicone Leather Made Of?

Silicone leather is one of the most discussed “next-generation” synthetic materials in the artificial leather category—especially for buyers who care about cleanability, chemical safety, durability, and long service life.

If you’re sourcing materials for commercial upholstery, healthcare furniture, hospitality seating, automotive interiors, or coated fabrics used in high-traffic environments, the real question isn’t only what it looks like—it’s:

What is it actually made of?
How does it perform vs PU leather and PVC (vinyl)?
Which compliance and resistance claims are realistic?
Where does silicone leather make sense (and where it doesn’t)?

This article explains silicone leather from a B2B material procurement perspective: composition, manufacturing structure, performance tradeoffs, and how to specify it correctly.

What Is Silicone Leather?

Silicone leather is a synthetic leather made using silicone elastomer (siloxane-based polymer) as the primary surface material, bonded onto a textile backing to create a leather-like sheet.

It is commonly positioned under these related material categories (depending on market wording):

Synthetic leather / Artificial leather / Vegan leather
Upholstery leather / Furniture leather
Coated fabrics / Coated textile
Interior fabrics (for contract and transportation projects)

Unlike many traditional PU leather systems, silicone leather is typically promoted for:

Low odor
High stain resistance
Strong weather/UV stability
Non-toxic / low chemical migration (depends on formulation and certification)

What Is Silicone Leather Made Of?

Silicone leather is not “pure silicone.” In commercial production, it is a multi-layer composite. Most silicone leather constructions include:

1) Silicone Surface Layer (Topcoat / Wear Layer)

This is the functional layer responsible for:

stain resistance
chemical resistance
water resistance
anti-yellowing / UV resistance
tactile feel and grain effect

Core chemistry: silicone elastomer systems (siloxane polymers) that can be engineered for softness, resilience, and stability.

2) Tie Layer / Adhesion Layer

This bonding layer ensures strong adhesion between:

silicone coating system
backing textile

Adhesion is one of the most important quality points in any coated fabric, including PU leather, PU & PVC leather, and silicone leather.

3) Textile Backing (Fabric Substrate)

The backing provides:

tensile strength
dimensional stability
tear resistance
sewing behavior

Common backing types include knitted or woven fabrics (polyester-based is common). For contract upholstery, backing selection significantly affects performance.

How Silicone Leather Is Produced (Composition + Process)

While exact production steps vary by supplier, the general process is:

Prepare the backing fabric (stabilization, pre-treatment)
Apply silicone coating layers (base + topcoat), controlling thickness and curing
Emboss grain / texture (optional)
Surface finishing (matte/gloss control, anti-stain, easy-clean, anti-microbial options when required)
Cure and stabilize to ensure consistent performance and low surface migration

Why buyers care about process

Many synthetic materials fail not because the idea is wrong, but because layer bonding and curing are weak. In real projects, weak adhesion shows up later as:

peeling
cracking
delamination around seams
coating damage during cleaning

For B2B procurement, silicone leather should be evaluated as a system (surface + adhesion + backing), not just a label.

Silicone Leather vs PU Leather vs PVC (Vinyl): Practical Differences

Buyers often compare silicone leather to:

PU leather (polyurethane leather)
Water-based PU
Solvent-free PU / EPU leather
PVC leather (vinyl)
Microfiber leather

Here’s how silicone leather typically differs in commercial settings:

1) Chemical & Stain Resistance

Silicone leather is often chosen for environments where cleaning is aggressive:

It tends to resist staining and chemical exposure better than many standard PU leather constructions, especially where alcohol wipes, disinfectants, body oils, or food stains are frequent.

2) Odor & Indoor Comfort

Many projects now have stronger requirements around odor and emissions. Silicone leather is frequently positioned as:

low odor / odorless (must be defined and tested)
lower concern of certain solvents (depends on formulation)

If your project requires “No VOC / No DMF,” that must be confirmed by documentation (not marketing wording).

3) Weather & UV Stability

Silicone polymers can be highly stable under UV and weathering, which is why silicone leather is often used in:

marine seating
outdoor furniture
automotive interiors exposed to sunlight

4) Feel & Aesthetic Control

High-end PU leather can imitate natural leather extremely well. Silicone leather can also achieve premium feel, but the tactile style differs by formulation.

5) Cost & Project Fit

Silicone leather is typically a premium synthetic option relative to standard PU and PVC. It is often justified when the project’s biggest risks are:

stain and chemical damage
customer complaints about odor
early material breakdown in high-use environments

Key Properties of Silicone Leather (What Matters for B2B)

Below are the properties that procurement teams actually evaluate in commercial projects:

Durability and Abrasion Resistance

For contract seating, abrasion matters more than “nice grain.”

Ask for Martindale or Wyzenbeek results
Confirm the report matches the final production construction (backing + coating version)

Hydrolysis Resistance

Hydrolysis resistance is the ability to resist breakdown in heat/humidity environments. Many buyers require:

Hydrolysis resistance up to 10 years (especially hospitality/coastal/humid regions)

Silicone leather can perform strongly here, but the requirement still needs clear test targets.

Water Resistance & Sweat Proof

Important for:

fitness seating
public transport
hospitality
marine environments

Anti-Stain and Easy-Clean

For high-traffic applications, you should specify:

stain type expectations (coffee, wine, oil, denim dye transfer, cosmetics)
cleaning agents used (disinfectant, alcohol wipes, detergent)

Anti-Yellowing / UV Resistance

Critical for:

light-colored materials
windowside seating
automotive interiors
outdoor applications

Cold Resistance & High-Temperature Tolerance

Needed for transportation or special environments where temperature swings can crack weaker coatings.

Compliance and “Eco” Claims: How to Specify Correctly

In synthetic materials, “eco-friendly” is not a material category—it’s a specification. If your project requires safety and compliance claims, define them clearly:

Common compliance/health targets include:

REACH & RoHS compliant
No DMF (especially relevant when comparing certain PU leather systems)
Formaldehyde-Free
Non-toxic / Food-grade (when applicable)
No VOC / low VOC (must be tied to test method and threshold)

Fire Resistance (Commercial Projects)

For contract furniture and public spaces, fire specs can be mandatory. Depending on your market, you may need:

CA117 fire resistance
UK BS5852 (0&1)
Crib 5

Fire performance must be tested on the complete construction (coating + backing), not a generic statement.

Where Silicone Leather Is Used: High-Value Applications

Silicone leather is especially relevant in industries where maintenance and performance are non-negotiable.

1) Healthcare Furniture

Typical use cases:

examination tables
waiting area seating
medical chairs

Key reasons:

resistant to medical alcohol wipes
easy to sanitize
stable appearance under frequent cleaning

2) Hospitality and Commercial Upholstery

Used for:

hotel lobbies
restaurant booths
lounge seating
high-traffic public areas

Reasons:

anti-stain performance
long service life
reduced complaint risk

3) Automotive Interiors

Applications:

seat surfaces
door panels
trim areas

Reasons:

UV stability
resistance to heat aging
cleanability and durability

4) Outdoor, Marine, and Public Seating

For environments that destroy many standard PU leather products:

sunlight exposure
salt air
temperature swings
frequent wipe-down

Silicone leather is often selected for stability and weather resistance.

When Silicone Leather May NOT Be the Best Choice

A professional procurement decision also includes “where not to use it.”

Silicone leather may be less ideal if:

Your project is extremely cost-sensitive and performance targets are moderate (standard PU leather or semi-PU may fit better)
You need a very specific hand-feel or embossing style that your supplier achieves better with polyurethane systems
You need a lightweight construction for certain packaging or manufacturing limitations

In many cases, water-based PU or solvent-free PU (EPU leather) can be a better balance of compliance and cost—if durability requirements are clearly defined.

How to Specify Silicone Leather for a B2B Project (Buyer Checklist)

To avoid misunderstandings, define the project with measurable requirements:

Application: seating / wall panels / transport / outdoor
Traffic intensity: low / medium / high
Cleaning method: alcohol wipes? disinfectant? detergent? frequency?
Climate: hot/humid? strong UV? coastal?
Compliance: REACH/RoHS, No DMF, VOC limits, fire standards (CA117/BS5852/Crib 5)
Performance targets:
- abrasion test requirement
- hydrolysis resistance target (e.g., 7–10 years)
- anti-stain expectations
- UV/anti-yellowing target
Color and texture: color matching, embossing, gloss level
Backing requirements: thickness, strength, sewing behavior, dimensional stability

This is how you turn “silicone leather” from a label into a controlled, repeatable material outcome.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1) Is silicone leather the same as PU leather?

No. PU leather uses polyurethane chemistry as the main coating polymer, while silicone leather uses silicone elastomer systems as the primary surface material.
In practice, silicone leather is often selected for stronger stain/chemical resistance and stability, while PU leather offers a broad range of feel and cost options (including water-based PU, solvent-free PU, and EPU leather).

2) Is silicone leather more eco-friendly than PU or PVC (vinyl)?

It can be—depending on formulation and compliance. Silicone leather is often positioned as:

low odor
lower concern for certain solvents
strong durability (long life reduces replacement frequency)

However, “eco-friendly” should be verified via:

REACH & RoHS compliance
No DMF requirement (if relevant to your market)
VOC limits tied to actual test methods
material safety documents (TDS/MSDS)

For commercial buyers, the most practical sustainability measure is lifecycle durability + verified compliance, not marketing terms.

3) Is silicone leather safe for healthcare and child-friendly environments?

Silicone leather is commonly used in healthcare and sensitive environments because it can be engineered for:

non-toxic formulations
low odor
chemical wipe resistance

That said, “safe” must be confirmed by the standards your market requires. If you need formal confirmation, request:

compliance test reports (REACH/RoHS)
restricted substances declarations
wipe/chemical resistance testing under your cleaning protocol

4) Does silicone leather resist alcohol wipes and disinfectants?

Many silicone leather constructions perform very well against:

medical alcohol wipes
disinfectants
frequent cleaning chemicals

But resistance is dependent on the topcoat system and curing quality. Procurement tip: ask for chemical resistance tests that match your real cleaning agents (including concentration and frequency), not a generic “easy clean” claim.

5) Is silicone leather waterproof?

Silicone leather surfaces are typically highly water-resistant, which helps prevent liquid absorption and staining.
However, “waterproof” for upholstered products also depends on:

seam construction
stitching method
foam and backing design

If the application requires true waterproof performance (marine/outdoor), define the full construction, not only the surface sheet.

6) How durable is silicone leather in high-traffic commercial seating?

Silicone leather is often used specifically for high-traffic seating because it can deliver:

strong abrasion resistance
stable appearance
good stain control

For B2B sourcing, durability should be confirmed through:

Martindale/Wyzenbeek abrasion results
peeling strength/adhesion tests
aging tests (heat/humidity exposure)
hydrolysis resistance targets (e.g., 7–10 years for hospitality)

7) Will silicone leather crack or peel over time?

Cracking/peeling usually comes from:

weak adhesion between layers
poor curing
mismatch between material and cleaning chemicals
unsuitable climate performance (heat/humidity)

High-quality silicone leather can be very stable, but you should protect outcomes by specifying:

hydrolysis resistance requirement
cleaning chemical resistance
adhesion/peeling strength testing

In contract projects, the biggest mistake is approving by appearance alone without confirming the performance structure.

8) Can silicone leather meet fire resistance standards like CA117, BS5852, or Crib 5?

Yes—silicone leather can be produced to meet standards such as:

CA117
BS5852 (0&1)
Crib 5

Important: fire compliance must be tested on the final construction (silicone coating + backing fabric). Reports should match the exact production version, not a different backing or prototype.