Leather Cube Footstool selection

Cubes upholstered using the finest European leather really do say something about the discerning footstools buyer. A craftsman built leather cube conveys a genuine measure of quality. Leather footstool cubes are simply the best. And why do we place such value in this ancient upholstery material? Because fine leather is a tried and tested product that if cared for correctly will last for years. Some leather even gets better with age but beware there are cheap imitations out there that should be be avoided.

Leather manufacture is a centuries old craft that can be traced back to pre historic times. Stone Age Man and the Egyptians refined the art of tanning leather. According to the Bible "Simon the Tanner" was plying his trade in the first century AD. With time leather processes improved so that today we can buy the very finest aniline leather for furniture through to low value, plastic coated bi-cast leather for the most basic of uses.

Leather is a by-product of the meat industry. Without meat there would be no skins and therefore no trade in leather. At the behest of the market prices move up and down as governed by the law of scarce resources . At the time of writing (August 2010) leather prices have risen by 40% since the Spring due to a scarcity of hides caused by increasing demand for meat from China and South America. Increasing prosperity in those regions has left the world relatively short of leather with the inevitable consequence of sharply increased prices!

Through a combination of the latest scientific techniques and rigorous quality control mechanisms each hide of leather is individually selected prior to tanning. The skin is removed from the animal at the abattoir and generally left on a marble floor to cool. This procedure is vitally important as the rapid cooling of marble reduces the threat of bacterial attack. The hides are then salted to preserve them prior to shipping to a tannery where further processing takes place. Any blemishes are removed from the hide at this stage.

The skins are re inspected after tanning to ensure only the best hides are used for the manufacture of cube footstools. A protective coating is applied to the leather after colouration to protect it from wear and tear and ensure a long life span. Finally the leather is softened and ironed to remove any creases prior to shipment. At this point the finished leather is ready for upholstery.

This is the point when you choose the leather quality and shade for your cube. On offer are generally four types of leather; - aged, grained,semi-grain or bi-cast. Mustang is an aged leather fashioned from full aniline hand finished Italian leather. Capri, a semi-grain leather is soft and exudes distinction. Its sumptuous look is enhanced by a subtle shaded effect. A third leather is Style made from soft yet very durable European hides is a fully grained, durable leather and is ideal for contact applications. Bi-cast leather, which is fashioned from lower grade hides and coated with plasticers to improve appearance and performance is generally a choice to be avoided unless you are looking for a budget footstool cube. When purchasing a leather cube the discerning customer has to select a reputable manufacturer and then chose from these styles and leather qualities.


The author has over 20 years experience running companies involved in furnishing fabrics and furniture manufacturing in the UK and writes extensively about ottomans, footstool cubes and contemporary furniture.