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Will Cloth Seats Ever Be Popular Again?
Whether it’s the supple way it seems to contour to your body, the fragrant scent it emits, or perhaps the way it ages gracefully, leather has long been the dominant high-end upholstery choice.
If you need convincing, just look at the sheer number of synthetic leather options currently available; nearly every auto manufacturer offers a leather facsimile as an option. And some, like Toyota and Lexus, make synthetic leather mandatory on many top-selling models like the Toyota RAV4 and Lexus NX.
But leather, if we’re honest with ourselves, is not a great upholstery choice. For one, it is animal-derived, and it takes a tremendous amount of effort to defend the way it is sourced. Then there’s the tanning process, which generally involves toxic chemicals and results in a tremendous amount of water waste. Lastly, leather is hot to the touch in summer and downright frigid in winter. Only on the most perfect of days does leather seem to coddle in the way we want it to.
Objectively, fabric is a far better upholstery. For the same reasons most of us don’t wear leather pants, we routinely choose fabric for our living rooms and desk chairs. It breathes well, can be made in numerous different styles, and is never particularly hot or cold.
Once upon a time, fabric was commonly used in high-end vehicles. It shows occasional signs of a resurgence, though whether it will ever make a complete mainstream comeback remains to be seen.
Leather In the Front, Cloth in the Back
Early chauffeur-driven vehicles had sumptuous, plush, enclosed seats covered in fabric, which also adorned the door and side panels. These vehicles were a vestige of coupé horse carriages, where the driver sat outside and could easily control the equine motivation. The driver’s bench was a simple leather affair—usually black—which resisted its exposure to the elements.
The fabric-upholstered seats inside the vehicle’s cabin were often stuffed with horsehair or cotton and usually had a metal spring construction. In terms of their basic design and construction, they differed little from the kind of furniture Europeans—and, subsequently, Americans—began placing in their homes before the Industrial Revolution. A fine fabric was generally a sign of wealth. Even today, you’ll generally find fabric in elegant settings like Broadway theaters.
Cars meant to be driven by their owners lacked any sort of partition between the driver’s space and that of occupants in the rear. Those with folding or removable tops typically had leather upholstery for durability, while enclosed vehicles of all price points used varying levels of fabric trim roughly up until the postwar era. Just why fabric began to fall out of favor is anyone’s guess. Certainly, high-end brands generally shifted toward leather as the upholstery of choice, regardless of body style—at least for American and European vehicles.
Synthetic leather was virtually unheard of as an upholstery option until after World War II, when Mercedes-Benz made its MB-Tex vinyl a near-household name. The artificial material was, at least initially, intended to be ersatz leather developed for use during wartime restrictions in Germany. A version called Presstoff was used for a variety of military and civilian needs where leather had been more common.
Eighty years on, synthetic leather now generally has a polyurethane coating that gives it a suppleness that closely approximates the real McCoy. The best part? It requires virtually no maintenance to look practically new. If anything, these synthetic leather materials marketed under such monikers as SynTex (Kia), StarTex (Subaru), Nordico (Volvo), and Inteluxe (Cadillac) may very well be accelerating fabric’s demise as a mainstream option—but more on that in a moment.
Japan Bucks the Leather Trend
Ask anyone who’s been to Japan: it is a markedly different place than anywhere else in the world. Despite its inevitable hustle and bustle, Tokyo, the country’s capital and flagship city, has a certain relaxed charm. Toyota taxi cabs don’t thunder down its streets; they seem to glide over special pavement designed to make as little rumble as possible. It’s hard not to feel relaxed in Japan.
For many years, the country’s cars imparted a similarly hushed aura. In a 1990 Car and Driver comparison against a Bentley Turbo R, a V-12-powered BMW 750iL, and a Mercedes-Benz 560SEL, the inaugural Lexus LS 400 was noted for its silky engine, its quiet driveline, and its placid demeanor. Japan’s first export-market-focused luxury car was more refined than luxury cars costing three times as much. It also came standard with cloth seats, something essentially unheard of in luxury rivals. Sure, Cadillac and Lincoln came standard with cloth, but that upholstery option undoubtedly existed so that dealers could advertise a low price point in the newspaper classifieds section. The only way to get cloth seats in a high-end BMW or Mercedes-Benz in 1990 was to get one outside the U.S. We were that entrenched in the idea that leather, or at least something approximating it, equated to upscale.
In Japan, it was the opposite story. The generally accepted rationale for Japan’s aversion to leather in the 1980s and 1990s had nothing to do with ethical procurement or how it felt on hot or cold days. Instead, it was the idea that leather seats squeaked and squealed as occupants slid across them. (Presumably, this noise was much worse when wearing the aforementioned leather pants, though the author has no plans to test this theory.)
As a result, high-end Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) cars like the Toyota Celsior (our Lexus LS) and the Toyota Century (a retro-style, ultra-plush car favored by CEOs) were generally fitted with fabric seats for the Japanese market. Even the latest version of the Century, which went out of production just a few years ago, came draped in a mouse fur-like fabric upholstery.
Could Cloth Make a Comeback?
By the early 2000s, cloth largely vanished as an option on luxury vehicles. Sure, there were some notable exceptions like the festive, bus-like pattern in the 1998 Mercedes-Benz ML320, but synthetic and real leather soon became the default. The trend even made its way to non-luxury brands; today, many trim levels of Kia and Toyota models, in particular, offer cloth only in their cheapest configurations. You’ll get synthetic or real leather if you start stepping up the trim ladder.
There are some notable exceptions, though it’s not clear if fabric will ever take over again. Volvo is arguably the most notable. It periodically offers textile trim made out of either recycled plastic or, in its costliest models, a wool blend. Land Rover has also dabbled with wool, which seems appropriate given just how common sheep are in England.
Some other automakers use retro-style cloth for special models. Porsche’s modern version of its classic Pepita houndstooth print makes an occasional comeback, and the automaker has dabbled in neo-plaid upholstery as well. While certainly limited in scope, the aftermarket industry has also responded to demand for cloth upholstery. Companies like Dallas-based P1 Designs offer bespoke, often heritage-inspired cloth inserts for certain modern Porsche models.
It may not be a true luxury model, but the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser’s retro-esque 1958 trim level (which marks the model’s first year in the U.S.) has cloth seats somewhat inspired by early-1990s Land Cruisers. To be fair, that upholstery is part of a downward push by Toyota to give more breathing room to the (cloth-free) Lexus LX. Most recently, Mercedes-Benz dug into its archives for a modern version of the plaid it long offered in its Austria-built G-Wagens. Its new-for-2025 “Stronger than the 1980s” (yes, that’s its real name…) G-Wagen comes with bold plaid inserts.
As for domestic brands, cloth has been absent from Cadillac and Lincoln models for decades, and even in the 1990s, it was basically treated as a special-order item on models like the Lincoln Town Car and Cadillac SLS.
The common denominator with all of these more modern cloth offerings is that they’re a quirky option and not a mainstream choice. Even the Toyota Century does so because the model is steeped in tradition, which in the Toyota lineup makes the latest version something of a novelty.
VW’s GTI plaid cloth deserves a mention as well.
Amen! Lowest trim level, best seats, 2 doors and manual. Proper GTI
That’s the first car that came to mind for me as well. When my son bought one a few years ago he would have preferred to have some of the features of the higher trims like a better sound system but when all was said and done, plaid ruled.
If I spill my coffee on my pleather seats, I imagine some amount of it will make it through the stitching, but very little. And once wiped down, I have a dry seat, so nope
Simple answer there, don’t drink coffee in your car!
Not really a realistic option for many in today’s busy, time-short world, though.
I spilled a chocolate shake in my 1975 Olds once at an ice cream stand, on the vinyl seats. I certainly would not have wanted to see that on cloth!
There is no eating or drinking in the car. Period!
That’s the rule for my car, too! Always has been.
It’s a lot easier to clean leather or pleather than it is cloth. That to me is a huge factor.
I still have my first “new” car that I bought when 26, a 1984 Mustang 20th Anniversary model. It has red cloth fabric seats; I put so much Scotch Guard on them back in the day, if anything is spilled on them it beads up like mercury from a thermometer. My son who is in his 30’s now, when I brought him to grade school one day he puked on them, and I just wiped it.
Hey Carl and RobM, no eating or drinking – how about puking? 😁
O Man TMI!
Drinking in the car, or not, and the appropriate upholstery, comes down to why you have the car. Leather seats was a must for my minivan with two slobs (i.e., children) in the back, spilling their sippy cups and assorted other messy things. Nobody wants to smell stale milk that soaked into the seat for the next 10 years. Cloth is fine for my classic car, which only I drive.
A main advantage of leather seating, beyond imparting a great scent to a car’s interior and being very comfy to sit on, is that it’s easy to clean. Truly easy to clean cloth seat material has yet to be invented.
As for leather being hot in summer, cold in winter…that’s why God made heated and cooled seats!
As for all those poor cows giving their lives for our selfish human posterior comfort and olfactory pleasure, well, thank you, cattle. And thank you for that tasty ribeye I had the other night, too.
Don’t be a pig in the car, then no cleanup Heated/cooled seats are just one more overpriced ‘option’ to break.
I’ve had plenty of cars with heated seats and they’ve never stopped working. I wouldn’t buy a new car without them.
Amen!
And they very, very rarely break, from what I have seen and heard since the late-1990’s. And such options as power steering and A/C could also be said to be “one more failure point”, as my engineer brother-in-law would say.
Witness the lady in the Endurance commercial…
“ I hayad a seat sensor……..
Apparently, ignorance is bliss.
@David, I was thinking similarly. If we’re gonna eat the cow, why should we throw away the skins? Are we growing cows anywhere primarily for the hides and not the meat and other parts?
I really don’t have a problem with cloth seats except that stains can be permanent and when I keep my cars over 20 or more years, I really don’t want to live with stains for a long time. Of my current six cars, only two have cloth – my work van and my 88 Fiero.
Perhaps not easy to clean “cloth seats”, but micro fiber seat covering is comfortable in cold and warm climates and is readily cleaned. I have a C7 Corvette with micro fiber seat inserts with the balance finished in leather. I believe this is an option for the C8nCorvettes as well.
Had a 1975 Chevy Beauville (full-size van) with Scotchgarded cloth seats. Never a stain or discoloration, despite three children.
I prefer to park my but on a nice cloth seat. I don’t care for leather interiors.
My feeling as well- cloth is more breathable- less sweat inducing and frankly more comfortable- downside- as stated- harder to keep clean. In my experience cloth is also more durable than leather (surprise) and will not scratch- pleather is ok- but the plastic feel is “unnatural” at best. Best pleather is Benz Tex-
I’m with you. At the point where cloth was still available, it was always my first choice. Upscale theatre seats are not leather, most furniture is not leather and I have never seen a leather-fitted bed. The seemingly universal appeal for leather or a faux leather in automobiles is, in my opinion, not based on comfort. Not to suggest, of course, that it might have had its origin in snob appeal.
Cloth just does not hold up well materialistically, or often style wise.,
Mt heated and cooled seats are great
Tell that to Honda owners of the 80s and 90s, and 3rd Gen Preludes in particular. Not only were the bucket seats the most comfortable in the history of butt luxury, the fabric materials held up incredibly well. I’ve had preludes with 200k miles that still had perfect cloth upholstery, both front and back. And unless you’re drinking wine or grape jelly, most stains can be cleaned up with the right cleaner and technique if done so in a timely manner. Having said all that, I’m not trading in my heated leather seats for any cloth substitute.
Completely agree. The article ignores the main reason for cloth falling out of favor. They get dirty and look terrible after a few years. They stain and literally wear out. Leather if taken care of gets BETTER with age and are infinitely easier to keep tidy. For this article to ignore this obvious fact makes this piece idiotic. Come on folks !
My experience with cloth/fabric upholstery has been superb in a 70 LTD Brougham with nylon and a 78 LTD Landau with very plush velour as well as a 79 Continental Mark V lincoln with the same. All 3 wore well, were not difficult to clean; especially the 70 with some beverage spills and were more comfortable in winter and summer with no need for added cost heating and cooling equipment. Top end Tallisman trim Cadillacs, Diamond Jubilee Mark V Lincolns/Town Cars, had fabric that had a luxury look and feel that was superior to leather of that era that cracked and faded with age. I would welcome the return of these fabrics at all price levels.
My 2015 Nissan Frontier SV has heated cloth seats and I’ve parked my backside on them quite a bit over the 10+ years that I’ve owned it and the seats are still in good shape. As for the fake leather seats, my wife’s Tesla Model Y has them and they’re OK. As far as my 1969 Firebird goes, well it has the original vinyl seats…, well, not original, but has reproduction original upholstery and it’s OK. I don’t have anything against leather, but I prefer cloth seats.
Cloth does not preclude heated seats as in my 2018 F150 XLT, the trim level I opted for primarily because it didn’t have leather.
For me the end all and be all to combine comfort support and style are the Recaro Idealsitz / Classic C and variants of that came out mid/late 70s . The perfect combination of synthetic leather, (a.k.a .pleather) with a fabric insert. The best of both worlds then and now. Just the right amount of patterns and color to spice up what would be an otherwise dull interior. The ‘ Pepita Houndstooth ‘ as shown for example. That kind of combination remained for quite a long time and was also used in many more affordable performance models.
Easy to clean is the main reason cloth isn’t coming back when faced with a synthetic leather option. I have had cloth and I keep my cars clean but cloth just needs one mistake to stain, possibly near permanent.
Most “leather” trim on new cars is not anything close to real leather. Everyone just calls it that bec it’s easier than using the particular manufacturer’s names for fake leather like NuLuxe, Sensafin, SynTex, SofTex, etc. The fact is that you’re butt is probably sitting on fancy vinyl in that new $50k car.
That $50K new car you mention is just $1K above the average new car sales price today. An average car should have pleather seats.
I’d option cloth seats if buying a new vehicle. We have about 20 or so JDMs all with various pattern cloth seats.
Very comfortable, nice to look at, and not hard to clean.
I’ve never had a car with leather or imitation leather interior. My older cars have vinyl and my newer ones cloth. I prefer cloth to any other interior.
“Just why fabric began to fall out of favor is anyone’s guess.”
Then, one paragraph later, speaking on synthetic leather:
“It requires virtually no maintenance to look practically new.”
Leather has always had the advantage of easier cleaning and durability. The synthetic options remove the animal objections for those for whom that matters. Heated and cooled seats provide better comfort regardless of the material. Cloth will remain a niche seating material. There are undoubtedly good aesthetic implementations of cloth seating, but in practical day-to-day use, they are more troublesome.
If you take a street car out for a track day a cloth seat performs much better. The standard lap belt will keep you in place fine. With leather and pleather you need to add a racing seat belt set to keep yourself from sliding around.
If you have dogs, cloth is a no go.
Never burnt my ass on leather however, vinyl is a completely different story. Also little kids and fabric make for one sticky, smelly car so use it at your peril!
“it is animal-derived, and it takes a tremendous amount of effort to defend the way it is sourced” Yup, I optioned leather on my Lexus NX purchase a few months ago. There was no effort at all: like David above, I assume my car’s hides came from the various steaks, roasts and hamburgers I ate the previous weeks.
The seats can be heated and cooled. And the strawberry milkshake (now banned) our grandson spilled on the back seat was easily cleaned, despite his grandmother’s hysterics.
I always figured leather was a byproduct of the beef industry, However nobody eats noggies so the poor animals have to die just for their hides.