Calculate Needs

Since leather is a natural material and each hide is unique, these dimensions represent average hide sizes and shapes.

By industry standards, one running yard of fabric is equal to 18 square feet (sqft) of leather. While there is actually 13.5 sqft of leather in a 54” wide running yard, the additional 4.5 sqft accounts for the waste factor with leather due to the irregular shape of leather hides. The enclosed chart is a helpful tool for estimate leather requirements by the square foot. The values detailed are estimates, and requirements should always be verified for each application with your upholsterer or installer.

Due to the irregular shape of the hides, there will always be a certain amount of waste; this formula takes waste into account.

When using hides smaller than 50 SFT2 the manufacturer or upholsterer should be consulted to determine whether more leather is required due to decreased yield from smaller hides and/or whether seams will be necessary to upholster the piece.

Please also consult the manufacturer or upholsterer to determine whether more leather is required due to the different quality/aspects of a hide. A corrected hide vrs an natural aniline hide, will likely consume more leather, due to the natural aspects of the hide. Also, what a customer’s expectation is with respects to what natural markings can be cut within a piece, should also be considered.

Generally speaking, a typical cow hide is about six feet long from neck to butt and four feet wide at the middle of the hide. Of course, it’s in the shape of a cow and more importantly every hide is different. This is leather, a natural product that unlike fabric, doesn’t come in a roll and therefore certain things will have to be cut around.