Leather Desk Pads: Genuine Leather vs Faux Leather
Search for a leather desk pad and the results mix two materials under one name: genuine leather and faux leather. The same is true of a leather desk mat, a name many shops use for the same kind of pad. This guide shows how to tell which material a listing means, how the two differ in general, and where each one is in our range. In short: most of our desk pads are faux leather, and Genesis, the genuine leather model in Build Your Desk Set, has the genuine leather pad.
What a leather desk pad listing can mean
The word "leather" in a listing can stand for genuine leather, which is tanned hide, or for faux leather, which is man-made with a leather-look surface. Desk pad, desk mat and desk blotter do not settle it either: shops use the three words loosely, and our guide to desk pad vs desk mat vs desk blotter explains how they differ. How to read a material line word by word is covered in our guide to genuine leather vs faux leather desk sets; the same reading applies to a pad.
Five questions to ask about any leather desk pad
A desk pad is one flat piece, so a listing has fewer places to be vague than a listing for a whole set. These questions cover them.
- What is the top surface made of? That is the part you see and write on. The answer should be a material, not a look word such as pebbled or smooth.
- Does the material line cover the whole pad? The underside and the core of a pad are often different from the top. A listing that names one material may be describing one layer.
- Which measurement comes first? Sellers list depth and width in either order. On our pads the first number is the depth, front to back, and the second is the width.
- Is the photo the color you are ordering? Finishes can differ from one color to another within the same model.
- What care does the seller give? Care advice written for the product tells you more than a general statement about the material.
Genuine leather and faux leather: the general differences
These are general points about the two materials, not test results for any product.
| Point | Genuine leather, in general | Faux leather, in general |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Natural: tanned hide | Man-made |
| Surface | Grain and tone usually vary from piece to piece | Usually more uniform across a batch |
| Colors | Often a narrower choice | Usually a wider choice |
Which one is right is a matter of preference. A faux leather pad is not a lesser version of a genuine leather one; it is a different material that happens to share a look.
Our desk pads by material
Each model in Build Your Desk Set has one Desk Pad piece, and it can be ordered on its own.
| Model | Material of the model | Desk pad size |
|---|---|---|
| Luna, Vega, Cloud, Galaxy, Venus | Faux leather | 13.4 × 18.9 in (34 × 48 cm) |
| Star, Elegance, Pulsar, Chester | Faux leather | 15.0 × 22.8 in (38 × 58 cm) |
| Genesis | Genuine leather; Genesis is the only model that is | 15.0 × 22.8 in (38 × 58 cm) |
| Prestige | Wood veneer with faux leather components | 15.0 × 22.8 in (38 × 58 cm) |
| Vesta | Wood and faux leather | 13.4 × 18.9 in (34 × 48 cm) |
For Prestige and Vesta, the material line describes the model as a whole. Ask us before ordering if the writing surface of one of these two pads matters to you. The finish differs between families, and sometimes between colors of one model. The page on desk pads and desk blotters covers ordering in detail.
If you want a genuine leather desk pad
Choose Genesis. You can open the tool on Genesis, add only the Desk Pad and then choose a color. Among ready-made sets, only the following are genuine leather, not faux leather, and each includes a pad:
- The 17-Piece Executive Desk Set is genuine leather, with the larger pad, a two-tier document tray and a personalized nameplate among its pieces.
- The 5-Piece Genuine Leather Desk Set is a compact set with the smaller pad, a pen cup, a two-pen stand with two pens, a memo holder and a letter opener.
If you want a faux leather desk pad
You have more models and both sizes to choose from. Most faux leather models can be built in the full color range, from black, brown and tan to pink, turquoise and red; Cloud and Pulsar have a shorter list. One color applies to every piece you order together, so a pad and a pen cup from the same model will match. Start from Build Your Desk Set: choose the model, add the Desk Pad, then choose the color. One pad on its own is a complete order.
Which size
The material does not decide the size; the model does. The smaller pad, 13.4 × 18.9 in (34 × 48 cm), suits laptop work, handwriting and desks under 39 in wide. The larger, 15.0 × 22.8 in (38 × 58 cm), suits a keyboard with a mouse on a desk 55 in or wider. In between, either works. The desk pad size guide shows both on common desk sizes. Genesis, the genuine leather model, has the larger pad.
Care
Our care advice is the same for faux leather and for the genuine leather sets: a soft, dry cloth for dust, a soft, slightly damp cloth for a light mark, then dry the surface. It names no cleaning product, so conditioners and polishes that general leather advice mentions are not part of it. The routine, with what to do about spills and ink, is in how to clean a faux leather desk pad.
Leather desk pad questions
Do you have a black leather desk pad?
Yes, in both materials: black is offered on the faux leather models, and Genesis, the genuine leather model, can be built in black too.
Is a leather desk pad good for writing?
Writing is what a desk pad is for: it is the working surface of the desk. Paper is not included.
Can I use a mouse on it?
It depends on the mouse. Many optical mice track on a smooth surface; if yours does not, the Venus model has a matching Mouse Pad piece.
Is a desk blotter the same thing?
In most listings, yes: a leather desk blotter is usually what we call a desk pad. It holds no blotting paper.
