The Mystery of Leather

Why design with quality materials?

Recently there has been a positive movement towards minimalism and purchasing quality products which last and do not become obsolete with the seasons. Our team has been a strong believer in this for a long time. When we began in furniture making, we only purchased the highest quality tools and materials, this brought joy when we used them and helped us craft high-quality furniture.

This focus has led us to find the best materials, an example was with our first patented design, after lots of searching we sourced our velvet from a French specialist, and our foam from a renowned camera manufacturer in Japan. This can be a long process but very rewarding once the product is finished. We bring this same belief of only using high-quality materials to Jibbon.

Does it matter where leather comes from?

Just like a Japanese craftsman as he hand chisels his signature into the blade. Certain tannery’s take pride in their process, refining their craft and using more sustainable procedures. So yes, although it has taken us many hours and lots of money ordering samples finding a supplier like this, it does matter and results in a higher quality product. We encourage young designers to keep persisting and use quality materials.

Which type of leather?

Leather types can be very misleading and confusing so to demystify these here is a short description as to what to look for.

Full Grain – This is the rawest and textured type of leather, it is quite thick roughly 2mm. It is perfect for bags and jackets as it wears well and is tough. It is expensive but has all the elements we look for.

Top grain – is the top layer of the leather which has been buffed/sanded to remove the major imperfections, it still has a subtle texture. This type is more protective of scratches and wear. It is used where a quality thin piece of leather is needed like a Hermes watch strap.

Genuine Leather – is the cheapest part of the leather due to it been split and taken from the bottom part of the leather. The problem with this type is it doesn’t hold its shape as well and wears a lot quicker. Unfortunately, a lot of people are misled by the name and purchase a substandard product.

We only use Full Grain or Top Grain leather depending on the application, for the key organiser we chose top grain due to the thickness required and the durability of the surface.

If you would like help in clarifying a leather product, please let us know and we would be more than willing to give you some advice.