Laser Cutting Leather

Using a laser cutter to cut leather is ideal for a wide range of applications. First of all precision is hard to beat. Our machines can cut far more precise than could ever be cut by hand or even using a die. Secondly, it is consistent in its accuracy. The margin of error is near to none if set up and prepared correctly and carefully. It is far more cost effective than having a die made if producing smaller batches especially if your designs vary and have frequent updates. For example if you plan to make leather phone or tablet cases it could cost a fortune not only to have every design made, but also to frequently update the die for the updated model (where essentially the old model is made redundant). One of our main reasons for loving Laser cutting of almost any material, including leather, is the minimizing of waste. We can cut so close to other patterns that it is possible to reduce waste to a bare minimum and increase the amount of products made from a hide.

Starting With a Mockup or Sketch

We normally start the design process with a paper or cardboard mockup, using the same thickness or similar thickness cardboard as the leather will be. We do this to quickly get a design made that will be an accurate representation, without wasting leather. These mockups work best for leather designs that need to be folded. On a flat drawing it can be complicated to know how much room it needs to fold over and still align. However, if the product you wish to make is simply stitched together without folds, plain paper works as well to get an accurate design made up

 

Drawing Design in CAD Software

The next step is getting the design drawn up in highly accurate software that we can send it to the machine. We use CAD software for the highest precision. This way we can test the design for alignment, add stitching holes where and if necessary

 

Laser Cutting the Leather

The actual laser cutting of leather is straight forward.

 

 

Assembly of Laser Cut Pieces

The beauty of laser cut items is the precision. The accuracy makes it easier to align and hand stitch with ease.

iPad Travelers case completed.

Tablet. Phone. Passport. Sketchbook. Pen. Business Cards. Bank Card. = Ready to travel.

 

Disclaimer: we will not use leather that comes from unknown origins or sources. We only use leather that has been processed naturally as certain chemicals can be harmful. We will not cut exotic leathers.