Most customers think that the more expensive a hide is, the better quality it is. We all know that's not true.
Garrett Leather posted a nice little Q&A about the factors that affect the cost of leather on their site. I printed it out and hung it in my shop for customers to read.
Check it out: http://tinyurl.com/77ccary
Generally, I blow by the "Hog Ring ads", but clicked on this one because I have been asked for a quote for leather on an interior job. I have to say, it was interesting to read the full Garrett article. Thanks!
Pretty good article, indeed. But I would love to hear the excuses for Aviation leather to cost up to 400% higher (just for the Burn Certs) than your average leather hides. It only costs about $40 to get a Burn Certificate, but very few end users in the aviation spector, goes through the bother. And the Burn Certification continues in all the foams, carpets, headliners, backing materials, some ahesives, vinyls, and cloths.
The markup is very slim to none in aviation supplies to get a sell. It up comes down to it, when I tell a Lear Jet owner the price of materials, most of the time he swallows hard without showing and tells me to do it. Some do bark. You know it's like a Lexus, Porsche, Hummer, or Mercedes owner complaining about the gas mileage.
Gale.