Our Leather
Aniline Leather
Aniline leather is the most natural leather available. It is made from only the best quality hides which is dyed through the entire thickness. The surface of the leather is usually untouched showing all of its natural characteristics, with grain variation, scars and natural markings clearly visible.
Aniline leather has only a light protective coating of transparent pigment and is the least durable of all the leather types. Due to the minimal processing of each hide, no two hides are exactly the same and the texture dye and finish penetrations will be different. Every effort is made to achieve exactly the same finished hide, however some variation in color may occur. However this does mean it’s the most softest and natural type of leather available for our furniture.
Because of the natural porosity of the hide, aniline leather is more susceptible to light and liquid absorption and less protected from soiling compared to semi-aniline or pigmented leathers. Aniline leather should be treated with care in domestic environments.
Semi Aniline Leather
Similar to Aniline leather, this type of leather is made on the best quality hides and is dyed through the entire thickness of the skin. Unlike aniline leather, semi-aniline hides have a light surface coating applied to the leather after the dyeing process to make it more durable and more suitable for domestic environments.
Just like aniline leather, each hide is unique and the texture dye and finish penetrations will differ. Every effort is made to achieve exactly the same finished hide, however some variation in color may naturally occur. The natural grain surface of the leather will usually show much less natural characteristics, though they will still be visible. This mean it will be less susceptible to soiling and easier to care for than aniline leather.
Corrected Grain / Pigmented Leather
Corrected grain or pigmented leather is most commonly known for it’s durability and versatility within the upholstery industry. This type of leather has all the same qualities and strength of aniline and semi aniline leather, but has had a portion of its top layer removed in order to remove any natural blemishes, markings and scars.
Hides are usually corrected by removing the outer surface of the leather grain to remove most of its natural characteristics before being given a special coating and embossed finish. These types of hides usually have a near perfect surface and are free of natural defects, meaning they are very hard wearing and perfect for heavy duty domestic environments where furniture is frequently used.
Leather Characteristics
Leather is a natural product and just like a human, each individual hide has it’s own set of characteristics which can make each hide unique. Leather will always bear the marks of its natural origin and these characteristics can show as healed scars, growth marks, areas of differing fibre density, hair pores and fly bites. These natural occurring characteristics should in no way detract from the wearing qualities of the leather and should not be seen as defect. They are signs discerning owners cherish when buying leather. With time and use, it develops a patina that enhances the beauty of the furniture and overall look.
Growth Marks and Veins
These are an indication of the age of the animal and in that respect, are similar to the graining on a piece of wood. They range from quite pronounced marks in the neck area to subtle bands across the hide. Heavy growth marks are usually placed on the outside back of our furniture, where they are less noticeable.
Scars
As a living animal just like us humans, scars on the surface of the skin can occur for many reasons, often brushing up against thorns, branches or barbed wire fencing. As the skin heals, the new scar tissue actually becomes much more dense and stronger than the surrounding skin. This means you don’t have to worry about imperfections in the natural hide being weak points in the leather – if anything these scar actually make the leather stronger. It is impossible to avoid scars when manufacturing a Chesterfield Sofa due to the surface area needed. Wherever possible, large visible scars are avoided on the tops of arms and cushion panels, though this is not always achievable.
Grain Variation
The fibre texture varies greatly from being loose in the belly and flank areas to being relatively tight across the backbone. The looser areas consequently have more stretch. The variation in pore structure is particularly noticeable in untextured leathers where clusters of open pores can sometimes be seen.
Shade Variation
Most of our furniture requires more than one hide, and due to no two hides being alike and the varying grain structure mentioned above, the dyes and finishes penetrate to differing degrees in different parts of the hide to give an attractive variation. Whilst every attempt is made to achieve uniformity, this is not always possible.
Antique Leather
Discover Antique Leather
Antique leather is classic soft and supple leather hide, commonly associated with the iconic Chesterfield style. This leather features a dark thin top layer, which is removed by hand to give the traditional two-tone antique look. This is then sealed with lacquer to protect the leather and lighter undertone. This semi-aniline leather is subject to colour change with use and will only age with perfection.
Shelly Leather
Discover Shelly Leather
Shelly leather is made on corrected grain hides finished with a pigmented topcoat, this is embossed with an artificial grain pattern to give a perfect finish. It offers better light fastness, stain-resistance and better maintainability than other leather ranges. Shelly offers excellent durability and will stand up to more robust use. It’s ideal for high traffic areas and everyday use, available in a wide range of bold and subtle colours.
Hide Leather
Discover HIDE Leather
A vegan friendly and artificial alternative to leather with the same characteristics, feel and look. A range suitable for those who are vegan friendly or those looking for eco and sustainable alternative to leather. Produced from compressed recycled polyester velvet, this range is ultimately very durable and maintainable. It features a subtle textured surface to give a slight vintage and distressed matte leather look. Available in 8 earthy and neutral tones, ranging from a bold tan to a pale oryx, you won’t ever know the difference from a real leather.
Old English Leather
Discover OLD ENGLISH Leather
Old English leather is a premium, aniline-finished, lightly buffed pull-up leather designed to offer a warm, aged appearance through a traditional tanning process using a special blend of oils and waxes. This creates a distinctive crackled, distressed finish with a slightly soft, waxy feel. The leather is intentionally crafted to highlight natural characteristics such as tonal variations, scarring, and surface texture, which may appear as cracking or shading—these are not defects but essential elements of its artisan-crafted, time-worn aesthetic. The finish allows the natural markings of the hide to show through, and its colour and sheen are designed to shift when pulled or stretched, enhancing its heritage appeal and allowing the leather to age gracefully over time.
Vintage Leather
Discover VINTAGE Leather
Vintage Leather is a semi-aniline leather with a distressed look and a resilient top coating. It is lightly buffed which gives it a soft touch while retaining most of the natural patina.
Urban Leather
Discover URBAN Leather
Urban is a beautifully soft semi-aniline leather which brings character, class and raw sophistication with its distinctive hand buffed surface. A transparent finish has been applied to the surface to ensure the leather performs well in use without detracting from the natural characteristics of the hide.
Urban leather is available in a range of contemporary shades and the hand-finished distressing process results in an almost silk-like feel, unique to each and every hide.
Cracked Wax Leather
Discover CRACKED WAX Leather
Cracked Wax is a natural half grain semi aniline leather with a matt finish and cracked characteristic. The leather when stretched will lighten slightly giving a pleasing contrast of shades between the top-coat and the hide colour underneath. The leather has a wax coating preventing soiling and scratching and then the surface ‘moves’ cracking and repairing itself. So a fantastic heritage leather getting better with age. Ideal for domestic upholstery and contract/hospitality environments making it a firm favourite. .
Cherokee Leather
Discover CHEROKEE Leather
Cherokee is a beautiful distinctive leather with a waxy feel and crackled appearance. A resilient coating has been applied to help prevent soiling and scratching making it ideal for domestic upholstery and contract environments. The distinctive qualities of this leather along with the distressed matt finish are its smooth silky hand feel and natural characteristics across the surface of the hide.
Duno Leather
Discover DUNO Leather
Duno leather has a wonderful and pleasing look and performance. The leather has a seal coat preventing soiling and scratching but still plenty of character is present. Ideal for domestic upholstery and contract/hospitality environments a good range of both traditional and contemporary colours available.
