Quantitative analysis of leather closet surface material based on visual and tactile evaluation

As people pay more attention to environmental issues, incorporating leather elements in solid wood furniture has become a new trend. This change reflects consumers’ concern for sustainable materials and their quest for personalized home design. Due to the similarity between styling of leather custom closets in the market, its surface texture and color are the key factors influencing consumers’ purchasing decisions. This study explored the visual-tactile perception of different leather materials by Chinese leather custom furniture consumers and establish an evaluation model. Based on Kansei engineering and market trend research, 12 representative leather samples and 7 perceptual phrases were selected through expert evaluation and KJ methods. Questionnaires were used to collect consumers’ visual-tactile perception evaluations of leather samples. Analysis using SPSS software showed that surface roughness, softness, and comfort of the material were the key factors affecting the tactile perception, while the visual perception was closely related to the color characteristics and aesthetic of the material. Cluster analysis categorized these materials as suitable for 4 different styles of home environments. This paper provides a theoretical basis for selecting materials for leather customized furniture and guides future design.