Florida furniture retailer beset by “bonded leather” claims
17/02/2017
Kane’s, which has 18 stores in different parts of Florida received a series of complaints from customers who found that furniture made using “bonded leather” deteriorated more quickly than they had anticipated. Customers tried to avail themselves of a lifetime warranty arrangement that the retail group offers. A legal dispute followed over what constitutes normal wear and tear for furniture made from “bonded leather”, a material that uses shaved, short leather fibres glued to a synthetic substrate; Kane’s lifetime warranty excludes the wear and tear that products normally suffer over time.
Following a court hearing, Kane’s has now agreed to consider claims on sofas that customer bought between 2010 and 2016. This settlement has still to receive approval from the courts and a further hearing will take place in May.
Newspaper reports in Florida have said the furniture retailer has submitted its own complaint to an outsource manufacturing partner in the state of Mississippi over the quality and durability of the “bonded leather” products, and that the manufacturer has agreed a settlement.
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