Pigmented leather is finished with an opaque, pigmented coating on the surface, rather than being dyed through like aniline leather. That coating gives an even colour across every panel and makes the leather significantly more resistant to stains, scuffs and fading than aniline or semi-aniline finishes.
The trade off is texture: the coating sits on top of the hide, so pigmented leather feels a little less soft and shows less of the hide's own natural grain. It is a practical choice for a family sofa or a household with pets, since marks wipe away more easily. Corrected-grain hides are almost always finished as pigmented leather, and our guide to sofas for pets and kids covers other durable options alongside faux leather.