Some of them looked great, to be sure. But others just didn’t turn out the way they’d imagined. The patterns they thought they bought from the store turned out to look very different once it arrived. They were thin and prone to permanent creasing and, in our air-conditioned and heated homes, would eventually dry out and form permanent creases or even tear. They also just weren’t that soft. Real cowhides are rough to the touch, especially moving against the grain. Others had perfectly symmetrical, beautifully unique patterns with vibrant splotches of color in just the right places. Could we somehow copy the best patterns from mother nature and produce an exquisite faux cowhide that also could be gentle on the skin and last longer than the real thing?

That was the big question at the time. How can you reproduce a faux version of something so idiosyncratic and straight from nature? Would it ever be close enough to the real thing that people would actually put it in their homes - and would it make their guests think it’s real?

Well, it turned out that not only could we duplicate nature’s best cowhide colors, shapes, and patterns with the kind of soft texture everyone wants, we could actually alter them ever-so-slightly to make the colors blend and pop in ways that mother nature rarely bestows on our four-legged friends. But we didn’t stop there.

I’m Dan, by the way. I'm the founder of NativeSkins, but I'm definitely not the only pair of hands that played a part in creating this brand. Friends, family, fellow lovers of this life have poured something of themselves into each of our creations, and we like to think that diversity of contribution makes a difference in the quality and feel of our products.

One of those contributions was a stubborn insistence that the bottom of our faux cowhides actually resembled a genuine cowhide rug as much as the top did. Not only that, it would have to stay in place on a hard surface, yet another common complaint of actual cowhides. What we came up with is a faux suede that will make you wonder if actual leather was used in the process, but we assure you it’s 100% synthetic, made from some new and some recycled fibers that not only looks and feels like a real hide, but won’t slide all over your hardwood or tile floors.

It's been a long journey for us to get to where we are. Feeling inspired to travel, travel inspired us, then, to create. We didn't set out to be purveyors of quality accent pieces that could bring a room together or make your home a little cozier, but this is our where our path led us, and we’re not at all unhappy to about where we wound up, serving you.

Truthfully, we wouldn't have it any other way. We're grateful that you're here, and the many hands, minds and hearts that contribute to the ideation, design, creation, and shipment of our products thank you for allowing us to do exactly what we love.

Cheers.