Bonded leather is not a cut of hide at all. It is made by shredding and pulping leftover leather scraps and fibres, then bonding that material onto a fabric or paper backing and finishing the surface with a printed grain pattern and a polyurethane coating. This makes it a budget alternative that looks like leather at a glance.
The polyurethane surface tends to crack and peel with use, often within a few years, since it is not a true hide and cannot flex the same way. It is far less durable than pigmented leather or even a good faux leather, and it is worth checking a product's material label carefully before buying, since bonded leather is sometimes listed simply as leather. Our leather sofa guide explains what to look for.
