Bi-cast leather is really just a fancy word for a process where leather scraps are recycled into a goo that is then pressed into a flat shape like leather tnd then covered with a clear coat to hide what it really is. Think a solid wood panel vs a piece of plywood. Real leather is like a solid wood panel… this stuff is really like plywood or particle board.
It might fool you if they dress up the outside with a pretty veneer… but it wont hold up.
If you buy this, buy it because you want a vinyl chair, not because you think your getting a leather chair… you ain’t.
As for price, I often see similar chair in the local furniture store on sale for between 35 and 40 so this prices is really not even a good deal.
If you are a dog lover, also understand that often these cheap china bi-cast leather covers aren’t made solely from cow hides. They often dump in dog parts too.
Hey guys. The dimensions on the main page have been updated from the manufacturer’s to our personal hand-measured numbers. The seat box is described as pretty darn square
Bi-Cast is the absolute bottom tier of products calling themselves “leather”. In some countries it can’t even legally be called “leather”, but the United States has no truth-in-labeling laws that apply here.
Bicast is scraps of leather splits that have been reconstituted into a new substrate and then coated with polyurethane. It is to real leather what Pringles are to real potato chips.
Basically what you are getting is a vinyl product that is marketed as leather. If you like the looks of these chairs and think this is a fair price for vinyl upholstery then go for it, just make sure you don’t think you are buying any sort of real leather product.
FritoBandito wrote:
It is to real leather what Pringles are to real potato chips.
Where do Fritos fall on that scale?
Fritos definitely fall OFF that scale, since they are made from corn not potatoes!
In terms of manufacturing process, Fritos are very much like Pringles: grind it up, add some stuff to make a dough, make snack-shaped pieces, and bake them.
Whereas, of course, potato chips are sliced from potatoes and then fried and seasoned. No grinding – the cellular structure of the potato is intact if you were to check under magnification!
Thanks… for one more slice of evidence that everything I learned in school was wrong.
In the 60s–70s these plastic square tables were everywhere, having been mass-produced from an original probably-cool design. They were called parsons tables too, I guess in the same way we refer to end tables or coffee tables, but at the time I asked “what’s a parsons table?” and was told “Parsons tables and chairs are square.” and I’ve carried that non-definition with me for decades without thinking about looking it up.
Guess I’ll find out in person. In for a bunch! I’ve been looking for dining room chairs for a while. If the “leather” ends up not working, I’ll reupholster or slip cover them.
I like pringles. Who cares about retaining the potato cellular structure? Do you think that when eating mashed potatoes too?
We have a similar set of these from Target. I’m not a small girl by any means, and have yet to have one break on me. They are resonably comforable, and wipe up nicely. And I should know thanks to my 3 year old.
We do have to tighten the legs every know and again, but they have two nice size bolts on each legs, so have had no worries about falling.
And now I realize that Parsons chairs and Parsons tables don’t have anything in common except the modernist aesthetic and the Parsons name from the same school of design. That was my mistake: The tables are what I was thinking (wiki): “four, flush, square legs are equal in thickness to the top” but the chairs aren’t based on that at all.
Just thought I’d check in here and report. I ordered 3 sets, my wife ordered 2 so we have 10 chairs around our table. They all came today.
1: They are very nice quality. We got all brown, and they are a very dark brown. Very comfortable sit.
2: The assembly went very easily. There are 9 bolts each, along with washers and lock washers, and an allen wrench to tighten them. So I now own 10 new identical Allen wrenches.
3: Tightening the bolts is VERY time consuming with the hand wrench. I have one of those bendy, snake attachments for my drill, but not a single bit that would fit the bolts. I now have 9 brand new Allen wrenches. Sacrifice the one for the many, Spock! Once I cut one in half to fit the bendy drill thingy, assembly went fast. The first chair took 15 minutes because the bolts are so close to the wood, the wrench needed to be removed from the bolt head each 1/2 turn. But with the drill, chair assembly was 5 minutes.
4: ONE chair is tippy. I’ve messed with it, and I can’t get it right. It’s like the leg fits crooked.
5: I wish I had a cheap video camera, so I could have put together some silliness documenting the whole procedure.
All in all, a great buy! I’m glad I got ten of them.
The wood is very light weight & is beginning to split on at least one of the legs.
These are not heavy duty chairs at all, but they will look nice while they last.
Who cares about retaining the potato cellular structure? Do you think that when eating mashed potatoes too?