Purchasing Leather and Leather Products can be "Tricky"!

There are very few days that go by that I do not receive an email from consumers that are dissatisfied with recent leather purchases. The tones of the emails vary from despair and anger to absolute disappointment. They ask for help and some even ask me to intervene in their disputes.

In my past articles I focused on strategies for selling leather and leather products online but have decided that the time has come for me to write an article specifically written to address purchasing leather – be it online or at a “bricks and mortar” business. You see, as simple as it may seem to walk into a furniture outlet to purchase a suite or into a leather boutique to purchase leather garments; consumers are being taken advantage of.

Case in point – Carmen emailed me and mentioned that she purchased a luxurious leather furniture suite that consisted of sofa, love seat and recliner. She indicated that she spent in excess of $5600. She was desperate and very disappointed. You see all the pieces were slowly deteriorating in front of her eyes less than three years from the date of purchase. The olive colored suite started fading and significant cracks started appearing on the leather. She tried applying leather conditioner to the suite but did not get any results. (On the contrary, now the leather was flaking). Carmen said that she spent the extra money because the sales person told her that the suite was “Made in Italy”. I told her that just because it said “Made in Italy” didn’t mean that it was Italian leather. I went on to explain to Carmen that “Made in Italy” could have been a play on words. You see, the question is what was made in Italy? I have come across similar situations where the actual frame of the suite was “Made in Italy” but the actual covering of the suite was of a different origin. In other words the suite was covered and finished outside of Italy. Do you understand what I am saying? I advised Carmen that in the future she should look for labels or indicators that say something like this – “100% Italian Genuine Leather”.

Now just a little reminder, this does not just happen in the leather furniture industry, this happens in all aspects of the leather industry (including other industries). Now I am going to be quite blunt folks, there are manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers in this industry that have an impeccable reputation to quality and service. These leather industry professionals gain that respect through years of experience. In many cases, this respect and reputation spans many generations. To those of you, (you know who you are), I encourage you to continue this tradition of exceptional quality.

Now on the flip side, there are manufactures, wholesalers and retailers in this industry providing products to the consumer that can be described as simply CRAP! Did I say crap? How about GARBAGE? Am I being to harsh? Absolutely not! Now if you fall into this category of supplier and wish to share your thoughts, I’d be happy to share your thoughts with our 90,000+ subscribers. Actually now that I think about it, keep your thoughts to yourself; you have already taken enough of our valuable time. Am I slamming the leather industry? Some may say I am, but I can tell you that the reputable companies out there are jumping for joy right now! So enough of this negative energy and let us talk about how to prevent or minimize similar problems like Carmen’s from popping up again.

Now for all the consumers out there, I am going to pick on you a little. Ask yourselves why these types of behavior and business practices are occurring. The answer is quite simple; most consumers do not possess the adequate know-how to make an informed decision when purchasing leather products and these less than reputable companies know that. So the answer is simple, as a consumer you should make ever attempt to educate yourself in as many aspects of leather, the industry and business practices. If you don’t, I would be more than happy to take the money you are about to burn.

So how does one start this education process? There are many web sites, resources, publications, trade magazines and books available to consumers that can assist with the education process. I provide a very comprehensive list of resources at the end of this article but encourage you to access them once you have finished reading this article.

The strategies I use to educate myself (be it for leather or other products) is quite simple. They consist of the following:

a) I take it upon myself to learn a little about the product I am sourcing. I tend to spend a fair amount of time online looking at sites that are relevant to what I am looking for. I look for commonalities between information the sites are providing. If available I also look for specific reviews (or testimonials) other consumers may have made about the product. I even go about sending an email or two to some of these reviewers to get additional information. Doing this will allow me to communicate with the supplier using terms that are common to both the supplier and myself and almost instantly deflect any possibility of the supplier taking advantage of me.

b) This next strategy is critical. Great manufacturers and suppliers will educate you about their products and the products you are specifically sourcing. These suppliers know that they need to earn your trust, that you need to make an informed decision about your purchase and most importantly know that you have the potential of being a long term asset to their organization. They know that if the consumer has a pleasant purchasing experience and have purchased a great product, they are more likely to purchase from them time and time again.

c) Be leery of online sites that purely offer internet based sales. Reputable organizations are built on a combination of “brick and mortar” and digital store fronts. Look out for online stores that sell products without descriptions, SKUs or relevant product information. A product picture and price on an online store front would make me question reputation, authenticity and quality. Was this product picked up at a clearance or liquidation sale? Is this a one time offering or will I be able to get more if I need more?

d) Look out for multiple pricings or wholesale/membership fees from suppliers. I could never understand this approach. Why on earth would I want to pay a supplier for a wholesale/club membership fee? They are going to take my money anyways aren’t they? You bet! So if they can sell it for lower, why don’t they sell it for lower every day? Folks, the leather industry are like any other industry, it is competitive and if you look hard enough and in the right places you will find the same product at almost identical wholesale/retail pricing from other suppliers. Special pricing should be associated with volume pricing at the time of purchase. What this means is that if you buy quantity today, you get special (wholesale) pricing. If you don’t buy quantity tomorrow you won’t get the break. Like the old cliché goes, this type of practice provides for a “Win-Win” scenario – it is great for the consumer and it is great for the supplier. Trust me on this! Look at reputable organizations that outline pricing in their price list like so: buy 1 for X amount, buy between 2-50 for Y and buy 50+ for Z. (again this is an example of quantity pricing, this varies from supplier to supplier) Again digging into the cliché vault remember that saying “Cheaper by the dozen.”

e) Look for endorsements and industry/association memberships. Suppliers that belong to industry associations show a desire to keep informed and become part of the greater industry community. It allows them to learn from other reputable organization and most importantly allows them to change their business and business practices as consumer demands change. Industry associations fund studies, hold seminars and write publications and journals that are directed at these suppliers and manufacturers. The smart ones heed to many of the recommendations made by the associations and integrate industry best practices as presented by these associations. On the endorsement side, look for independent sources like LeatherPages.com endorsements or awards. LeatherPages.com prides itself on sharing and promoting the leather industry. It would be detrimental for LeatherPages.com (or other reputable sources) to misrepresent or inaccurately report. To find out about getting a LeatherPages.com Top Leather Industry award click here.


Now that I’ve given you some of the more important tips, let us look at additional tips that complement the above and will provide you with additional know how.

a) Sign up for industry newsletters or subscribe to email lists from independent sources (like leatherpages.com), industry associations and leather guilds. In many cases, many of these organizations provide free subscription to their monthly newsletters or email list. This is a great place to acquire information and insight regarding the industry. Most importantly many suppliers and manufacturers subscribe to these sources to keep up to date on trends, patterns and general industry information. Many of these subscriptions also provide space for suppliers to advertise and promote. In the end this could be a valuable resource for you for both education and sourcing. Give it a try and remember you can always unsubscribe.

b) Join online forums that allow you and other leather enthusiasts to share experiences. Again there are many forums out there, (we even have one at leatherpages.com). You’ll find all kinds of topics ranging from How To’s to Self Help Sections to actually supplier and product sourcing. Be careful as to which ones you get involved as some do have a minimal membership fee while others are freely open. I have seen participants in forums share patterns, product info and even place pictures of their work for feedback. Forums are an environment that can nurture and foster personal growth and education. One of the more popular forums out there is located a LeatherForums.com – Mark, Carolyn and Stevie have done a great job running the site and moderating the discussions. They also have a very active user base.

c) Take the time to educate yourself by reading books, trade magazine and industry journals/publications. This can be very overwhelming so what I can say is check out the books, journals, publications and magazines listed on Leatherpages.com Book Page (Click here to access this page) and purchase the applicable resources.

On a separate note, Jake Berlin, author of Secrets of Modern Leather has recently release his much anticipated book that targets educating the consumer and leather crafter on many aspects of leather, leather care and relative topics. I recently had the pleasure of reading his book and was thoroughly amazed at the amount of information he managed to pack into over 70 plus pages. After reading his book, I called Jake to congratulate him on his book. During our conversation he mentioned that he was having trouble pricing the book and thought that it was a little on the cheap side. Anticipating the release of this article I asked him if he could some how keep his current price to give readers of this article a small break. After some deliberation he agreed that he would leave his book at $29.97 BUT indicated he could not guarantee how long the pricing would remain in effect. You can get a PDF copy of the table of contents by clicking here. If your anxious to learn about leather , you can purchase his book by Clicking Here– this is an ebook that once you purchase it you can be reading in less than 5 mins. For purpose of this article I have put small review about his book which is available.

Book Review: Secrets of Modern Leather – Author Jake Berlin

A very comprehensive and complete book (ebook), that introduces the readers to the many aspects of the leather industry. Whether you are an experienced or novice leather enthusiast, this book is a must read!

The author takes a strong focus on educating the consumer. I particularly enjoyed how he walks the reader through the cycle of what leather is, the origins, and the making of leather. He also covers the many variables that define leather quality – including some great pointers on identifying it. He also has significant coverage on leather care, restoration and repair, while also addressing other relevant topics including buying leather, sizing, weights and the best places to purchase leather. I was a little disappointed with the quality of some of the images in the book, but have to say that the content within the book makes up for it.

Author Jake Berlin, packs over 100 different topics and concepts into this gem of a book. He has managed to assemble a significant number of money saving tips that will amaze even the Leather Pro’s. Again, it is an ebook, so you can be reading this in as little as 5 mins after your purchase.

Click here to view the complete table of contents.
Click here for more information about this book.

Well folks, hope this have been an informative article. What follows is the comprehensive links I talked about earlier. Enjoy and best of luck!


Leather Guilds and Leather Associations:

There are handfuls of leather guilds and leather associations websites that can help you find the information you need. Typically, reputable companies are listed in their memberships. Here are a few association sites to help you start your research:

ALCA. American Leather Chemists Association - http://www.leatherchemists.org/
USA. Trade organization for professionals in the tanning and leather chemicals industries. Comprehensive directory of resources for the leather industry. Open discussion forum.

LIA. Leather Industries of America - http://www.leatherusa.com/
USA. Trade organization for US leather tanners, distributors and suppliers, chemical and engineering companies, and machinery and products suppliers and manufacturers. Searchable members directory. List of trade events. FAQ. Links to related information.

SLTC. Society of Leather Technologists and Chemists - http://www.sltc.org/
UK. International trade organization for leather processors and traders, and leather machinery, chemicals, dyes and finishing industries.

APIC. Portuguese Leather Association - http://www.apic.pt/
Trade organization for tanners, processors, goods manufacturers, and traders in the Portuguese leather industry. Company directory and products list. English and Portuguese.

VDL. German Leather Federation - http://www.vdl-web.de/
Trade organization for the German leather tanning, processing and trading industry. Company directory, categorised by application and leather type. Links to trade shows and resources. English and French.

FNL. Dutch Federation of Tanners - http://www.lederfabrikanten.nl/
The Netherlands. Trade organization for the leather processing industry. Job bank. Business information. Links to member companies, and related sites. English and Dutch.

Leather France - http://www.leatherfrance.com/
Confederation of French trade organizations for the leather industry. List of global exhibitions. Links to companies and organizarions.

ICT. International Council of Tanners - http://www.tannerscouncilict.org/index.htm
UK. Trade organization for the global leather tanning industry. List of measurement institutes and arbitration centers. Glossary of leather terms.

International Council Of Hides Skins And Leather Traders Associations - http://www.ichslta.org/
Non-profit, global roof organization for national associations of leather traders. Members directory. Lists of arbitration and measurement institutes,

Spanish Council of Tanners - http://www.leather-spain.com/
Roof organization for Spanish leather tanners and traders associations. Company directory, categorised by type of leather. English and Spanish.

AQEIC. Spanish Leather Chemists Association - http://www.valles.com/aqeic/
Non-profit organization for technicians, chemists and executives in the Spanish leather processing and trading industries. Links to related research, education and manufacturers sites. English and Spanish.

Cotance. European Leather Association - http://www.cotance.com/
Belgium. Non-profit trade organization, dedicated to the promotion of the European leather tanning industry. Links to leather museums. Description of leather production process. Industry statistics and business directory.

The Union of Russian Tanners - http://www.souzkogevnikov.ru/
Non-profit organization of research and educational institutes, and manufacturers and suppliers of leathers and chemicals in Russia, Belorussia and Kazakhstan.

AIMPES. Italian Leather Manufacturers' Association - http://www.aimpes.com/
Non-profit trade organization for local leather tanners, wholesalers, suppliers, artisans and goods manufacturers. Company directory. English and Italian.

Leather Internet Resources:

IULTCS. International Union of Leather Technologists and Chemists Societies - http://www.iultcs.org/
UK. World wide membership based organization of leather technologists and chemists societies, dedicated to scientific study and development of international methods for sampling and testing of leather, and materials associated with leather manufacture.

BLC Leather Technology Centre - http://www.blcleathertech.com/
UK. Membership based organization for the global leather industry. Technical support, collaborative research and environmental services. Education and training programs. Consulting services and employee recruitment.

The Leathernet - http://www.leathernet.com/
Informational web site for the global leather processing industry. Searchable business directory. Marketplace and message boards.

Euroleather - http://www.euroleather.com/
Information resource for the European leather industry. Europe wide projects, and industry research and development programs. Events calendar. Business statistics. Company database, searchable by country, industry sector and type of leather.

LRI. Leather Research Institute - http://www.orgs.ttu.edu/leatherresearchinstitute/
USA. Research, education and services to the US leather tanning and finished products industries. Information on types of leather, methods of tanning and leather history. Glossary of industry terms. Links to related sites.

CTC - http://www.ctc.fr/
France. Cooperative research organization and technical support center for the leather tanning, footwear, garment and accessories, and leathergoods industries. English and French.

Hide Market - http://www.hidemarket.com/
On-line resource for the US cattle hide market. Prices, and supply and export statistics. Global business news. Company directories. Links to government, industry and informational sites.

LeatherBiz - http://www.leatherbiz.com/
Portal for the international leather trade. Categorized company directory for raw materials, products and services. Technical articles and scientific papers. Industry news and facts. Event calendar. Access upon free registration.

LGR. Leather Institute/Tanners' School Reutlingen - http://www.lgr-reutlingen.de/
Germany. Training, materials testing and research institute for the leather processing and trading industries. English and German.

Tannery.Com - http://www.tannery.com/
Portal to the global genuine and artificial leather industry. Marketplace. Industry news. Company directory for tanneries, chemicals, machinery, leather dealers and traders, and manufacturers of finished goods. From Raw Leather Srl.

Turkish Leather - http://www.turkishleather.com/
Portal to the Turkish leather garments, accessories, footwear, chemicals and machinery industries. Business. Categorised directories. Links to publications and trade fairs. English, Turkish and Russian.

CTIC. Portuguese Leather Research Institute - http://www.ctic.pt
Technical infrastructure, aiming to promote the technological innovation and competitiveness of the Portuguese leather industry. Detailed list of available services. Some trade statistics. Links to related sites. English and Portuguese.

Biz Leather - http://www.bizleather.com/
Searchable directory for the global leather industry. Marketplace for leather and used machinery. Events calendar, data search and business news.

Tannet - http://www.cotance.com/cotance/spgeric.html
European Community sponsored project, dedicated to research and development of innovative and environmentally responsible processing procedures and methods in the leather tanning and manufacturing industries.

Leather Industry Directories

Indian Leather Exporters and Importers Directory - http://www.indianleatherportal.com/
Portal to the Indian leather industry. Company directory. Marketplace. Business news and industrial statistics. Links to research institutes, organizations, fairs and resources. Comprehensive glossary of terms.

International Leather Directory - http://www.international-leather-directory.com/
Searchable company directory of manufacturers and traders in raw materials, chemicals, machinery, hides and skins, and finished products in the global leather industry.

Leather Pages - http://www.leatherpages.com/
Portal to the global leather goods and apparel, and footwear industries. Categorized business directory. Business news and list of trade fairs. Marketplace and forums. Web site hosting services. Job offers and posting facilities.

Leather Directory - http://www.leatherdirectory.com/
Business directory for the global leather industry. Database searchable by country and product category. Also, on-line ordering. Free company listing. From LeatherNet.com.

Russian Leathernet - http://www.leathernet.ru/
Business directory for manufacturers and traders of hides, skins and finished leathers, footwear, small goods and fashion, chemicals, materials and machinery. Information on the Russian leather market, and legislation and customs. Also, web design, hosting and maintenance. English and Russian.

Infoleather - http://www.infoleather.com/
Categorised directory of manufacturers, processors and service providers in the global leather industry.

Italian Leather Directory - http://www.leathernet.it/index.html
Directory of tanneries, leather goods and products manufacturers and service providers for processors of hides, skins and leather articles.

Leather in Italy - http://www.leather-in-italy.com/
Business directory for the Italian leather industry. Tanneries. Garment, footwear and accessories manufacturers. Traders, stylists, and machinery manufacturers and suppliers. Also, list of transporting companies. English, Italian, Russian and Chinese.

Leatherweb India - http://leather.webindia.com/
Business portal to the Indian leather industry. News, features and statistics. Catgorised company directories for manufacturers, retailers and service providers.

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