Frequent Questions

Q: After I place an order, will you send me pics of rugs to choose from before shipping out?

A: The actual rug you see in the picture here since it is noted as the actual rug will ship out exactly as you see. That is one of the benefits of shopping with us! =)

Q: Can you tell me how to care for a cowhide? Vacuum it? Sweep? Other? thanks in advance

A: We recommend using your standard vacuum without the beater bar option. We also sell a cleaner product that works great. A thing to remember is that cowhides are very stain resistant so they are great for high traffic or active homes/offices. Do not wash in a washing machine or dry clean.

Q: Will it lay flat? It appears to have wrinkles in the picture.

A: The rugs many times when we photograph them are coming straight out of the box. As you can see from the photos they will lay flat almost immediately. After a few days, these rugs will continue to flatten out and lay flat for years to come. Our cowhides come with instructions to remove if you were to have any stubborn wrinkles with ease, they are not permanent.

Q: Is this real cowhide or synthetic? And what is the backing?

A: Our cowhides are 100% real cowhide with a natural suede backing. We do not sell faux cowhides. 

Q: I've ordered a cowhide from another site that had a terrible smell, do your rugs have the same?

A: Our rugs are chromium tanned by the highest quality standards the same we have been doing in our family for over 25 years. The Hudson Hides brand we carry is considered a premium line in the industry and will not have these harsh smells that are common among much less expensive, inferior cowhides. Your cowhide will smell like finished leather.  The finished leather smell does dissipate over time. 

Q: Why are some of the rugs so much more expensive for the same size?

A: Cowhide rugs in certain colors and configurations can be extremely rare so they are less common. For example some cowhides like white we only get around 20 per 1000 cowhides we bring into our tannery which causes the rug price to increase because of its rarity.

Q: Are these rugs soft or rough?

A: Our rugs because of the tanning process are much softer than many rugs you will find at less expensive price levels. We use only chromium tanning which produces a superior cowhide rug that is soft and supple which maintaining the ability to last in your home for a lifetime. The Brazilian rugs we sell are typically your softest option that feels like a buttery smooth material. European breeds will still be soft but have a different feel.

Q: Do these hides shed the hair?

A: These are chromium tanned hides you can literally pick the rugs up by the hair and it will not come out. Normally you only see this with much less expensive, inferior tanned hides. 

Q: How long will a cowhide last?

Since they are a natural animal byproduct, cowhides have a very long lifespan that will last many years and in some cases, many of our original customers have had their rugs for over 20 years now and still look amazing in their homes. 

Q: How are the cowhides tanned?

A: Our cowhides are tanned using what is called the chrome tanning process. This causes the back of the hides to have a slight blue-grey color. This is the best technique for soft and supple leather. This process is long and strenuous and takes over 8 hours to finish. Our tanneries use only environmentally responsible methods of waste treatment during this process. 

Q: Can these cowhides be used for upholstery projects?

A: Yes, our cowhides are used by upholstery companies nationwide. The Brazilian hides will have a softer to the touch thicker material that is great for hiding flaws in your upholstery project. The European breed hides won't be as thick but still have an amazing finished look and used on many projects we see our clients completing.

Q: Can I return the rug if I don't like it?

A: Returns are no problem at all if you decide that the cowhide is not right for you, please call us within the first 30 days and we will issue you a return authorization. 

Q: can you please give some kind of a size of the rug???

A: We measure our rugs individually from the largest point width and height wise and post on this page. If you do not see the measurement on this page please request a certain size and we will email you back with some examples in this size range. 

Q: When will my product ship?

Most products ship within 24 to 48 hours.  If we cannot ship your product within that time frame we will contact you by email and/or phone. 

Q: Is this considered leather?

A: Yes, this is a genuine leather cowhide rug with the hair on. 

Q: My animals have a tendency to mark their territory on new rugs. Will this stain my rug?

A: Cowhides are very stain resistant! We always recommend cleaning the area by blotting with a damp rag to dry the area. We also provide a cleaner that is great for situations like this and a 5-year protection plan that if you were not able to remove a stubborn stain someone would come out free of charge to clean your rug. 

Q: Do you ship Worldwide?

A: Yes, we ship worldwide as long as you have a physical address we can make it happen!