Your new cowhide: folds, first days and flat edges

Congratulations on your new cowhide. It travelled to you folded, so it may show a few fold lines when you first lay it out. That is completely normal, and it goes away by itself.

The folds relax in about two weeks

Lay the hide flat, hair side up, in the place where it will live. Under its own weight the fold lines soften day by day and are usually gone within about two weeks.

To speed it up

• Lay it hair side down for a day, so the leather can settle the other way.
• Put a few heavy books along a stubborn fold overnight, on the leather side.
• Ask us for our short video: it shows how we get the folds out faster.

We don’t recommend ironing, steaming or a hair dryer: heat and moisture can make the leather stiff.

Edges that lift

Hides are natural, so an edge can lift a little, especially on a smooth floor. A thin rug pad underneath keeps the hide in place and helps the edges lie flat. On a heated floor, moving the hide now and then keeps the leather supple.

A faint smell of leather

A new cowhide can smell a little of leather at first. A few days of fresh air and it fades.

Any questions about your hide? Just get in touch: send us a photo and we are happy to help. For everyday care, see how to care for a cowhide rug.