Real or Faux Cowhide: How to Tell a Genuine Hide

The term “cowhide rug” covers real hides as well as printed rugs, vinyl and pieced-together designs. Before you buy, four points help you tell them apart.

1. The back

Turn the piece over. A real cowhide has a supple leather back with no weave. An imitation usually sits on a woven textile backing or a synthetic base, recognisable by its regular weave.

2. The hair

The hair of a natural hide is short, dense and directional: it lies one way and feels softer when you follow it. On an imitation, the fibres are uniform, or the pattern is printed on a short pile with no variation.

3. The outline

A hide keeps its natural shape: an irregular outline where you can see the legs and neck. An imitation is often cut symmetrically, identical from one rug to the next.

4. The markings

On a real hide, the layout of patches, markings and shades never repeats. If several rugs show exactly the same pattern, it is a print.

And patchwork?

Patchwork rugs join real pieces of leather sewn together. It is a different kind of product: the material is real, but it is not a whole hide.

Words to look for in a description

“Natural cowhide” or “genuine cowhide” means a whole hide. “Cow effect”, “cow print” or “vinyl” mean an imitation.

What we offer

Atelier BOVË sells only genuine natural cowhides, each one of a kind. The shades match the model photographed; the markings, patches and outline vary slightly from piece to piece, and every design comes in four sizes, from 122 × 153 to 183 × 214 cm.

See our natural cowhide rugs or read how to care for a cowhide.