YSK: The term "Genuine Leather", it is not to reassure you that their product is made of leather, rather its the name of the lowest grade of leather a company can use.
Why YSK: The term "Genuine Leather" is a marketing term to sell the lowest quality leather possible.
When purchasing a leather product, look for full grain leather or top grain leather instead. These will provide a much higher quality cut of leather that will look and feel much better and last for much longer.
It's breathable but works in both warm and cold weather. This makes it ideal for spring and autumn. It's easy to clean although it's also hard to maintain (you have to oil it and protect it against rain). It lasts for very long if you care for it unlike fabric or fake leather, so a leather jacket can be worn for decades and still look and feel great.
There's various types of leather, some of which are actually porous. I'm no expert but you can Google it.
The point about rain protection isn't related to the water getting through but because rain can contain chemicals and salt which can stain the leather and also make the leather brittle and vulnerable to mechanical damage, like getting cracks on it because it loses some of it's natural elasticity.
This is usually prevented by oiling it and putting various rain protection products on it.
It is something people think they want because it is more expensive and in higher trim levels in cars. But when your car is parked in the hot sun the leather feels like it burns and in the winter is freezing to the touch. Leather also doesn't breath so you end up sweating more and if your are not wearing long pants your leg will stick to the seat. Cloth is so much better functionally. Cloth also lasts longer than the fake leather they put in cars. Cloth won't peel like the fake leather.
My best guess (not in the community or anything) is that leather does better at being durable—especially if you treat it well and condition it regularly?—than cloth and plastic-leather alternatives, which break down. I know leather is meant to be very durable and have good “properties,” but I can’t be specific.
Mostly people like it because it's expensive and it makes them feel rich. It is more durable than cloth but that hardly matters for most of the things it's used for.
It is very useful for furniture and car seats and things like that. Waterproof and easy to maintain without absorbing too much scents or liquids from your body.
Hardly matters? Try having kids and a dog for 5 years with a cloth couch. The permanent stains and smell will be impossible to get out.
Real leather? Will hold up to everything and go for 10 more years.
Garbage leather? Will crack and tear the first time your dog gets on it.
Leather has issues (Ethical issues with how we treat cows. Elitists issues putting leather on every surface of their car whether it needs it or not, etc). But quality leather matters, and does make a difference in durability.
I like how leather feels like and the unique look when it's aged or beaten up. Works great with wallets, belts, shoes... but not so much your couch, especially when it's hot and humid.
Isn't house dust mainly skin and leather also skin? Admittedly leather is dead skin that's not being replaced any more, so perhaps without a process of replacement it also somehow lacks the shedding?