Finding the right vegan leather sofa for your living room can be a tricky task. Having bought my fair share of vegan leather products over the years (I’ve been vegan over a decade now!), I know it can be a challenge finding vegan alternatives. My last sofa search ended up being a several month-long saga, until I finally identified one that didn’t contain any sneaky wool or feathers in the cushion. Hence why I put together this post a few years ago – so you don’t have to interrogate brands as to whether their sofas area vegan.
Thankfully more and more brands are offering vegan options, but it’s not always easy to find what you’re looking for so to make things easier I put together this list of vegan sofas.
The best vegan sofas:
The Albany is an easy-to-assemble vegan leather & feather-free sofa, which comes in boxes easy to move up tight stairwells or around corners.
This vegan leather corner sectional sofa is feather-free & easy to assemble.
My top pick of eco-friendly vegan leather sofa, this modular 3-seater is made of sustainable vegan apple leather from food industry waste. Available in brown or black.
Affordable faux leather sofas from Ashley Furniture. Be sure to check the description carefully as they've been reported to classify "bonded leather" (which is made with animal leather) as faux leather. Make sure they don't use bonded leather, and only use vegan faux leather such as polyurethane.
Made of recycled velvet & FSC-certified wood, this is the best non-leather, eco-friendly vegan sofa option. Easy to clean and to repair (replacement parts available to purchase). Ships to the US + Canada.
Best in UK/Europe:
- Chesterfield Sofas: Vegan Leather 3-Seater Sofabed (check with manufacturer about whether the cushions/interior is vegan)
- Sofas by Saxon (check with manufacturer about whether the cushions/interior is vegan)
- Vegan range from Chesterfields of England
If you go in a furniture store near you, it might not be clear which sofa is made of animal leather and which is a faux leather sofa. Once you determine whether the exterior is vegan, the confusion doesn’t stop (trust me, I know from experience!). Employees don’t always know whether the cushions inside the sofa contain wool or feathers, and often may have to enquire with head office.
Thankfully, vegan offerings are expanding, particularly when it comes to vegan leather exteriors. According to this sofa maker, vegan leather is incredibly durable and resistant to scratches, making an artificial leather sofa a good option for people who have dogs or cats.
Vegan leather has even reached the realms of luxury furniture, with renowned designer Philippe Starck designing a sofa made of vegan apple leather for an Italian furniture showroom (unfortunately, it’s no longer available as far as I can tell). However, there is now a range of apple leather sofas available, from Gus Modern.
If you’re looking for a vegan sofa but not specifically a vegan leather style, check out my full guide to vegan sofas here.
Read on for the best vegan leather couch brands. Remember to ask about whether cushions are vegan unless otherwise noted.
Albany Park vegan leather sofa
Note: customer servie informed me the Park and Nova collections both contain feathers, while the ALBANY collection is feather-free.
Albany Park is a furniture company started by former NFL football player Darryl Sharpton and his wife Jessica. Their aim was to simplify buying a couch by creating just a few options and selling a ‘couch-in-a-box’ online that would be easy to assemble at home.
Are they suitable for apartments? Are they easy to put together?
Their sofas come in boxes that are easy to move around tight corners, and they say you can put together the sofa in just 15 minutes, though some reviews say it took them around an hour.
This is the best faux leather sofa option in my opinion and the classic choice – the Albany sofa, a distressed brown faux leather sofa.
Their vegan sofa options are all part of the Albany collection. The Albany collection sofas come in distressed vegan brown leather and the cushions are a medium firm density.
What options does it have?
The Albany tan vegan leather sofa has a sturdy kiln-dried wood frame, and the vegan leather cushions have a mesh backing for breathability.
You can choose between two styles of sofa legs to go with your brown vegan leather couch depending on whether you want metal legs or wood legs. Choose from stainless steel legs in a gold finish or tapered wood legs in a midcentury modern style. They also have matching loveseats, chairs and ottomans here.
Is the sofa comfortable?
The cushions are made of pocket coils, dense foam padding and mattress-quality memory foam for comfort. The comfortable faux leather couch will support up to 900 pounds.
The Albany sofa has over 400 reviews and an average rating of 4.5/5 stars, with most reviews saying it’s comfortable and looks great in their space.
If you have pets, you’ll be happy to hear that many customers say they haven’t found any marks from their animals, but the material isn’t designed to be scratch-proof.
This is my pick of best faux leather couch.
Albany Park vegan leather sectional
For a premium seating experience (and if you love lying down on your sofa while watching TV like I do) you can’t beat a sectional. If you’re looking for a vegan leather sectional sofa, the Albany corner sectional vegan couch comes in fabric options or a distressed vegan leather.
The faux leather sectional is a corner sofa and like all of Albany Park’s furniture, designed to be easy-to-assemble and ships in boxes that move through tight spaces easily.
What options are there to customize the sofa?
This brown faux leather couch is made with mattress-quality memory foam and is a medium-firm density. You can choose between polished gold toned stainless steel legs or tapered wooden legs in a midcentury modern style to go on the faux leather sectional sofa. The fabric cushions on the fabric-based sofas are reversible, while the vegan leather cushions have a mesh backing for breathability.
As mentioned above, the Albany Collection is Albany Park’s selection of vegan couches. The Albany collection (unlike their other collections) is fully feather-free.
Do they have matching chairs?
The full vegan Albany range, including side chairs, a loveseat and ottoman, can be found here.
Most customers had glowing reviews for the Albany vegan leather sectionals, but one complaint was that it took longer than they said to put it together. So be sure to budget around an hour for assembly.
This is my pick for best faux leather sectional.
Gus* Modern apple leather range
Looking for a vegan leather modular sofa that will not only look great, but is really sustainable? Gus* Modern created a full range of sofas and chairs made out of apple leather, a durable, sustainable alternative to leather using waste from the food industry.
What are they made out of?
Apple leather is an eco-friendly option. While polyurethane, the most common vegan leather, is more eco-friendly than animal leather, apple leather takes it a step further and is even more sustainable than polyurethane. Apple leather is a bio-based material and it’s durable and UV resistant.
As a manufacturer, Gus* Modern, has over 2,500 reviews and 4.7 stars/5. Customers praise their sofas for their durability and holding their shape well.
Is apple leather a good fabric? What else is the sofa made from?
The Gus* Modern faux leather sofas come in brown or black vegan apple leather (as well as fabric options). Both are stain- and water-resistant.
It’s filled with fiberfill synthetic down made of recycled plastic bottles diverted from landfill and the ocean, and the legs are FSC-certified hardwood.
Do they have matching pieces?
It’s part of their modular collection, so you can get different pieces and arrange them in multiple different configurations, or change the configuration later if you move or update your room.
Gus* Modern won the Vegan Homeware Award for Innovation from PETA in 2021 for their apple leather range.
This sofa is my top pick for sustainability – I love the innovation of using apple waste leather to make a sofa!
Ashley Furniture faux leather sofa
Major retailer Ashley Furniture has helpful section on their website of faux leather sofas & couches such as the black faux leather couch pictured above, all of which you can find here.
From this classic-style black faux leather sofas to this vegan leather recliner sofas, there’s an Ashley faux leather sofa for any style you’re looking for.
Most of their non leather couches are very affordable, making it a good option if you need a faux leather settee on a tight budget, though some reviewers stated their sofas weren’t the most comfortable. Note: please read listings carefully and double-check sofas are made of polyurethane (PU) vegan leather as I have sometimes seen listings on their site for “bonded leather” (which contains real animal leather) in their faux leather section!
Eco friendly vegan couch options
If you’re looking for a vegan sofa that will stand the test of time, and aren’t set on vegan leather, then there are plenty of vegan sustainable sofa options! These companies use FSC certified wood, recyclable materials for legs, linen or other eco friendly fabrics or are known for their durable, high-quality and long-lasting designs.
While many people choose leather sofas in the hopes of them lasting longer, or being more durable for kid and companion animals, vegan leather sofas do have some disadvantages. Just like animal leather sofas, they can get sticky and sweaty (gross!) in the summer. So, maybe a fabric sofa will suit you better. You can find very durable fabric sofas that will stand up to kids and pets, and a quality one will last you many years to come.
Plus, you have more options for eco friendly sofas when it comes to fabric sofas (I couldn’t find any vegan leather sofa manufacturers who specialise in sustainable sofas). Here are a few.
Sabai vegan sofa
Sabai makes eco friendly home products and their sofas are free from animal products. I love The Essential sofa in recycled velvet.
The legs are made of FSC certified wood and the fabrics are made with recycled/upcycled materials.
Choose from recycled velvet fabric made with 100% recycled plastic bottles or upcycled polyester, made with 100% olefin, an extremely durable, stain- and scratch-resistant fabric. The fill is certified CERTIPUR high-resiliency vegan foam and the pillows are recycled fiber fill.
They don’t use any formaldehydes or toxic flame retardants.
Sabai’s aim is to reduce waste and so their sofas are built to last for years, and they also run their Repair Don’t Replace program (so you can replace or upgrade parts), which is I believe is what all furniture companies should be doing.
You can also resell your used sofa when you’re ready to move on through their Sabai Revive program.
Plus, this sofa is a beauty. Sabai also has a sectional style sofa, loveseat and ottoman.
This is my top pick for an eco-friendly sofa.
They’ve also recently extended shipping to Canada so if you’ve been searching for an eco-friendly couch in Canada and frustrated with most American companies’ lack of shipping, this is the sofa for you!
The Essential sofa has nearly 50 reviews and an average rating of 4.9/5 stars. People love how easy it is to clean and that it’s machine-washable (many reviewers have kids and dogs and say it’s easy to clean).
They also rave about how great it looks and how comfortable it is. One downside is that it is made-to-order and a few people mentioned it can take awhile to reach you, and also that it takes awhile to put together.
FAQ
What are faux leather couches?
A non leather sofa is simply a sofa made without animal-based leather, which could be made of fabric or a vegan leather.
Are vegan leather couches durable?
Vegan leather is most frequently made of polyurethane or microsuede, both of which can be hard-wearing and long-lasting.
There are also lots of newer vegan leathers made of sustainable materials like cactus leather, apple leather or pineapple leather (made with leftover waste from the food industry) but until recently I hadn’t heard of them being used to make a sofa. However, I’ve just come across the first vegan apple leather sofa I’ve ever seen, which is a great sustainable option.
Are vegan leather sofas durable?
The best faux leather couches are very durable!
In fact, the best faux leather sofas may be as or more durable than the “real thing.” According to some sofa makers, synthetic leathers are a better choice for homes with pets because of durability and also don’t require special leather cleaner for care. Plus, high quality vegan PU leather look as good.
How to find the best faux leather furniture?
The best fake leather couches are ones that are durable (and vegan leather can be durable – see previous answer) and have a style that will last for years, meaning you can hang on to the sofa even if you change the decor of a room or move.
(Faux) leather sofas are a classic style and therefore a good look to stay in style for a long time.
Whether you’re looking for a vegan leather couch sectional, a classic three-seater or a corner sectional, be sure to make sure it fits the measurements of your room and that it will fit through the door and any stairs in your building (you don’t want to be shouting “pivot” all afternoon).
Some companies now ship in smaller boxes or multiple boxes to make it easier to get your sofa into your home.
What are vegan furniture brands?
At present, there aren’t any 100% vegan furniture brands to my knowledge (please get in touch and let me know if you know one!) but more furniture brands are making vegan furniture as the vegan movement grows. Vegan leather upholstery is offered by brands like Albany Park (but only in their Albany collection). That’s why I put together this article.
What types of faux leather are there?
Decades ago, the only faux leather was polyvinyl chloride, also known as PVC leather or “pleather”. It was sticky, plasticky and uncomfortable (think bum stuck to the sofa kind of sticky), made feet stinky inside shoes and on top of all of that, was terrible for the environment.
Thankfully, things have moved on since and there are plenty of excellent alternatives to real leather. THe most common vegan leather alternative is poyurethane, or PU leather. It’s come a long way in the intervening years, and is durable, soft and can even offer a luxurious feel. This sofa maker even recommends it over animal leather for people with pets. It’s a great choice for houses with dogs and cats as it’s harder-wearing than animal leather.
There are also newer generations of vegan leather made using leftover waste from the food industry, such as pineapple leather and apple leather, though few manufacturers make furniture out of them (in fact, I’ve only seen one, the Gus Modern apple leather sofa). Hopefully this will change in years to come, as while they have a synthetic coating, using leftover food waste is far more eco-friendly than any alternative (and in general, vegan leather is far more sustainable than animal-based leather).
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Searching for more vegan furniture? Check out my guide to vegan furniture here, and vegan leather chairs. Find my guide to vegan mattresses.
Make your living room inviting and cosy with a vegan candle.
Want to veganise the rest of your house? Start with your closet with my vegan clothing guide, my vegan handbag guide and vegan shoe guide.
See all my vegan lifestyle guides.
3 thoughts on “The Best Vegan Leather Sofa to Clinch Your Living Room Look”
FYI, Albany Park’s vegan leather sofa uses vegan leather but is not a vegan sofa. Their cushions use feathers.
Hi Amber, thanks for the heads up! They used to say they used cruelty-free synthetic feathers but it looks like the description on their website changed and I’m not sure if they changed the materials or not so I’ve contacted them to ask if they use real feathers now. I will post their response as soon as I hear back. At least on this guide, it looks like the Park model uses synthetic feathers (but unclear on the Albany model), so I will update the post accordingly for now: https://www.albanypark.com/pages/sofa-guide
Just a quick update – the Park collection & Kova collection contain feathers, but the Albany collection is in fact feather-free. I’ll be updating the text of the post to reflect this, and direct people towards the Albany collection sofas! Thanks again for flagging, Amber!
“Hi Caitlin,
Thanks for the response!
Correct- This collection does not contain any feathers.
Should you have any other concerns or questions, please feel free to reach out. We’ll be glad to help!
Best,
Charm wrote:
Customer Care Team
Edloe Finch | Albany Park
On Mon, 31 Jan at 6:34 AM
, Caitlin
Hi Charmaine,
Thanks very much. Just to confirm, are the Albany collections’ cushions feather-free?
All the best,
Caitlin”
In prior emails to this exchange they stated “To reiterate, our Park and Kova Collections’ cushions indeed contain feathers.”