Dream tobacco vs. Berkshire tobacco

[pstef]

Our chair and hassock are blemish free. As far as softness goes, Duane would be the better one to ask. I have nothing to compare it to. It's not stiff or uncomfortable but I'm sure it isnt glove soft either.

[drcollie]

I don't consider Berkshire to be a 'soft' leather, but it sure is tough. That's why I picked if for my wife's office chair at her computer in the kitchen. Everyone uses that chair all the time. It holds up.

There is no blemish-free leather. If that's something you really want, buy vinyl.

[Cind11]

Ah thanks!-well then that answers that question. I am going to take another look at Aspen saddle. The sample I saw and felt didn't seem very soft and yet I have seen several comments on here from people saying how soft it is. Maybe it is just the particular swatch the store has. The color would actually go well with the rest of my furniture and oriental rug etc! So Aspen is a finished leather I think?

[drcollie]

Yes, Aspen is a finished hide. I think it's decent, and is softer than Berkshire. Remember that swatches are made from scraps and can frequently be rougher than the actual leather than used in production.

[hglaber]

The sample I saw and felt didn't seem very soft and yet I have seen several comments on here from people saying how soft it is. Maybe it is just the particular swatch the store has.

I know you're referring to a dealer swatch so maybe it isn't the same, but the smaller customers swatches I got changed (some rather remarkably) when I took the stiff paper labels off then mashed/wadded/fondled them for a while. Maybe the dealer piece hadn't been handled enough to loosen up. Unfortunately, they probably wouldn't be receptive to your walking in and saying "I need to fondle your Aspen for an extended period of time." If Aspen looks like what in every way except hand, and you're not in a huge hurry, maybe you could do a CFA and mash that chunk around all you want to make sure it's as soft as you need?

[Cind11]

Yes, Aspen is a finished hide. I think it's decent, and is softer than Berkshire. Remember that swatches are made from scraps and can frequently be rougher than the actual leather than used in production.

Maybe if I like this leather in my room, I should get a cutting. I know it will slow things down but I would rather not get any surprises.

[Cind11]

I know you're referring to a dealer swatch so maybe it isn't the same, but the smaller customers swatches I got changed (some rather remarkably) when I took the stiff paper labels off then mashed/wadded/fondled them for a while. Maybe the dealer piece hadn't been handled enough to loosen up. Unfortunately, they probably wouldn't be receptive to your walking in and saying "I need to fondle your Aspen for an extended period of time." If Aspen looks like what in every way except hand, and you're not in a huge hurry, maybe you could do a CFA and mash that chunk around all you want to make sure it's as soft as you need?

Hahaha fondling the Aspen-funny! Maybe a CFA would be a good idea. This sofa won't be cheap and I plan to have it for a long time, so I want to love it!!

[drcollie]

CFA's are always a good idea (and done at no charge) if you can tolerate the extra 3 to 4 weeks added to the build time.

There is some confusion on how the process works (this is with all suppliers, not just H&M):

Cuttings For Approval (CFA's) get generated only after you place an order with the dealer of your choice. They will not do a CFA on 'approval' prior to an order - that's what samples are for. The CFA is an actual cutting up into the "good part" of the leather so they don't do that unless they have an order in hand. Here's the sequence of events:

* You place an order with a dealer. Dealer faxes it in.

* The maker keys the order into data entry and generates an Acknowledgment to the dealer with a CFA exclusion. A tag is generated for the leather department.

* The leather department then looks at your total order and calculates the number of hides needed to build your entire order. They pull the hides, cut a sample from that batch and give it to customer service who in turn mails it to the dealer (CFA's never go direct to the retail customer). The frames and other pieces for your order have not been reserved or started. Your order exists only on paper with reserved leathers at this point.

* The dealer gets it in the mail, matches to your order, then removes the paperwork that came with it and forwards the CFA to you for approval. The hides are held for 10 days from the time they are mailed from the maker.

* You get the CFA and its a 'GO' or 'NO GO' on your part. You have three options. 1) Authorize production 2) Cancel your order 3) Select another leather.. There is not a second dye lot of the leather you chose to choose from.

* If you approved the CFA, you notify your dealer and your order is then released for production and the build time starts from that point on. Usually 5 to 6 weeks. Note that up until this time 3 to 4 weeks has already elapsed.

As hglaber pointed out, the hides are stiff and new and have not been handled much. Your CFA is going to be very firm and if its a pull-up hide there will be no color bursts in it because its fresh from cutting. As hides go through the process of being transformed into a piece of furniture, they DO get handled a lot and that softens them up and can add multiple color changes on aniline hides from that handling. Some pressed wax sheen leathers will also loose some gloss from the handling, which is a plus, not a minus!

Trouble with CFA's happens when the retail customer doesn't reply quickly to the sample cutting and holds it for a period of time, either because they haven't made up their mind or are on vacation or otherwise occupied. They do not hold these reserves very long at the maker, and on more than one occasion - especially if they have another customer waiting for the same leather and its out of stock - they will be released after the 10 day period expires and you're back to square one. They do not always notify the dealer they have returned the hides to inventory, it just happens because the 10 day hold time since they mailed them has expired. So its important not to begin altering or re-thinking your order when the CFA arrives because you run the risk of losing your reserve while the clock ticks down. You should respond to a CFA in 24 to 48 hours max. once you get it unless you are willing to risk losing the reserve.

My most recent CFA loss was for a sectional a customer ordered and they moved during the order process to a new place. I sent the CFA to the old address which they had forwarded by the US Postal Service. By the time they got it, the CFA had expired and the hides returned to stock and used on another order. They then had to wait another 8 weeks before a new batch of leather arrived. If you're in the middle of a move, use a non-changing OFFICE or WORK address for all correspondence to avoid this issue.

[Cind11]

Thank you fo the lengthy and clear explanation. I appreciate it!