Upholstered Bench: Boucle or Vegan Leather

Upholstered Bench: Boucle or Vegan Leather, and How It Lasts

By Alexandra PetterssonReviewed by Alexander TjernströmUpdated 1 November 2026

Short answer

Vegan leather: 300,000 Martindale
Boucle: 50,000 Martindale
Foam: 55 kg/m3

Vegan leather (300,000 Martindale, wipe clean) for halls and drop zones. Boucle (50,000 Martindale, tested for pets) for bedrooms and living rooms. Both over 55 kg/m3 cold-cure foam. Wilma and Anton sit on welded steel; Alva on oak.

An upholstered bench is softer than wood and more forgiving of a long sit, but the fabric decides where it can live. A hall bench meets wet coats and boots; a bedroom bench meets clothes and a cat. This guide is how boucle and vegan leather compare on wear, pets and cleaning, and what sits under the fabric.

Boucle or vegan leather?

50,000 Martindale is well above what a home bench needs. 300,000 is contract-grade: restaurants use it.

Boucle or vegan leather?
	Vegan leather	Boucle
Wear (Martindale)	300,000	50,000
Cleaning	Wipe with a damp cloth	Vacuum, spot clean
Pets	Wipes clean of hair	Tested to BS 8479, grade 4-5
Feel	Smooth, cool	Soft, textured, warm
Best room	Hall, kitchen, children	Bedroom, living room

What is under the fabric?

Cold-cure foam at 55 kg/m3 on a beech plywood core, on a fully welded steel frame. Dense foam keeps its shape where you sit every day instead of sinking in the middle. The upholstery is done in our workshop in Sweden.

Colors

Vegan leather: Jade Black or Latte on the Wilma bestsellers. Boucle: Ivory, Greige or Black. Design Your Own adds velvet and four frame colors.

Ivory boucle is the brightest and shows dirt first. Greige hides the most.

Which bench?

Wilma for length: 25.5, 39.5 or 51 in, 18.1 in high, 15.4 in deep, custom up to 63 in.

The Anton bench for a square seat, 55 by 21.7 in, beside the Anton coffee tables, at a dressing table or in a corner.

Alva also comes with a boucle seat, on solid oak instead of steel.

Care

Vegan leather: damp cloth, mild soap if needed, dry. The finish is PERMABLOK3 easy-clean.

Boucle: vacuum with a soft brush, blot spills at once, never rub. If a loop catches, do not pull or cut it; ease it back into the weave.

Leather for traffic, boucle for comfort

Hall: vegan leather
Bedroom: boucle
Pets: both work

Vegan leather at 300,000 Martindale wipes clean in halls. Boucle at 50,000 is soft and tested for pets. 55 kg/m3 foam on welded steel. Wilma, the square Anton bench, or Alva with a boucle seat. Made in Sweden, 10-year warranty.

Frequently asked questions

Is boucle good for a bench?

Yes, in a bedroom or living room. Ours is rated 50,000 Martindale and tested for pets.

Is vegan leather durable?

Ours is rated 300,000 Martindale, contract grade.

Which is better with pets?

Both. Vegan leather wipes clean of hair; our boucle is tested to BS 8479, grade 4-5.

How do I clean a boucle bench?

Vacuum with a soft brush, blot spills, never rub.

What foam is in the bench?

Cold-cure foam at 55 kg/m3 on a beech plywood core.

Do you make velvet benches?

Yes, through Design Your Own.