Review: Arkademie leather desk pad

I used to have two leather desk pads made by Galen Leather that I love so much but were damaged by water. I've been waiting for the longest time for them to come back in stock until I remembered there's a local Singapore business Arkademie that makes leather products.

Arkademie does not sell leather desk pads but since they make leather products they should be able to make one easily. So I contacted James, the guy who runs the online store, to ask if they make leather desk pads and they do. I got him to make me two pieces, each 80 by 50cm to fit the Muji folding table top perfectly.

It took only a week to make and James delivered the desk pads himself because he did not want the local post to damage the leather.

The leather is natural full-grain vegetable-tanned buffalo or cow hide leather.

I had wanted something to protect the wooden table top because I review many items on my table and I'm not always that careful to put things down. Now, I can just throw all my stuff on the leather desk pad and I know there won't be any damage to my stuff and the leather.

I had the leather in brown and black as I can use them as backgrounds for product photography. I can match darker or lighter products with lighter or darker backgrounds when needed.

If you plan on writing on the desk pad with fountain pens, I recommend getting the black colour because ink spills on black will not be noticeable.

Each piece at SGD 70 is really worth the money considering this will last for a very long time. In fact it's so good I'm so tempted to make more custom ones for other table tops.