A timeless, modern bench for unique interiors – Mascheroni

Circe is a bench from the Mascheroni New Collection 2019. The outer edge is adorned with beautiful bold hand-stitched contrasting seams that emphasize the elegant shape of the design. It stands slightly elevated from the floor, delicately balanced on noble brass legs. Each handcrafted Italian product by Mascheroni is marked with a plaque engraved with the brand name “Mascheroni srl Made in Italy,” confirming its authenticity.

Founded approximately 40 years ago in Cabiate, a town near Milan, in the heart of the Brianza manufacturing district where its headquarters are located, MASCHERONI has continually evolved. The company began designing and producing special products and complete sets of luxury furniture for discerning clients seeking top-tier items, initially in Europe and later worldwide. Today, Mascheroni operates in over eighty countries.

MASCHERONI is one of the few companies that manages and controls the entire production cycle, ensuring excellent quality at every stage—from raw material selection and manufacturing to custom services. The process relies on teamwork, craftsmanship skills, and the quality of individual artisans. Most components of each product are handmade and produced using state-of-the-art machinery. However, assembly is entirely manual, and one of the brand’s main goals is to ensure continuity through high-level training of employees and ongoing skill development. Therefore, each senior master craftsman is paired with a junior artisan to complete their specialization and become a master as well.

Striving for perfection and continuous innovation are the fundamental principles that characterize Mascheroni products, making the brand recognized worldwide. Extensive experience and in-depth knowledge of materials, manufacturing methods, and problem-solving solutions—along with ongoing investments in research and development—ensure that products are durable and retain their value over time. Quality controls are meticulously conducted throughout the production cycle, and materials are thoroughly tested to ensure quality and functionality at each stage. The final product undergoes rigorous testing to confirm proper operation and is carefully analyzed to ensure it meets the aesthetic standards of the original design.

What quality of leather does the Mascheroni brand use?

The leathers typically used in our sector have a thickness of about 1.1 to 1.2 mm because they are cheaper and easier to process. These more common leathers are not part of Mascheroni’s sample range. The thinnest leathers the brand works with are around 1.4 mm, which is the starting point. All prices listed are for products made from leather of this thickness. The company also offers various categories of leather, all significantly thicker and more challenging to work with, but providing greater durability for the final product. What makes their leather so difficult to process, besides being two or even three times thicker than standard leathers, are the physical characteristics of the leather itself—for example, “vegetable-tanned leather” is particularly hard to bend.

NATURAL LEATHER of Mascheroni

These leathers are tanned to preserve all their natural features and the inherent beauty of the hide, including signs of the animal’s life such as small insect bites, wrinkles, and varied grain. All these marks attest to the product’s natural origin and should be regarded as quality features. Mascheroni’s task is to achieve the best possible cut to prevent these “marks” from appearing on visible parts of the products. Cowhides, mainly European, with a thickness of 1.4 to 1.5 mm, are chrome-tanned, aniline-dyed in drums, with a natural, full grain. They have a soft, warm, and exceptionally beautiful appearance. Cowhides, mainly European, with a thickness of 1.6 to 1.8 mm, are chrome-tanned, aniline-dyed in drums, with a full grain. They feature a semi-transparent, nearly smooth surface with aniline effect, described as “hard” and sturdy.

PELLE 3M / A

Full-grain European cattle leathers, 2.2 mm thick, chrome-tanned, aniline-dyed in drum, natural grain, full. Feels like silk. A magnificent and delicate material with unparalleled beauty. Small imperfections guarantee that the leathers are natural.

PELLE 3M

Full-grain European cattle leathers, 3 - 4 mm thick, chrome-tanned, aniline-dyed in drum, natural grain, full. Nearly 4mm thickness ensures long-lasting durability. The surface features extraordinary natural traces of the animal's life. Full-grain. Strong and warm.

Vegetable-tanned leather

Full-grain European cattle leathers, 2.2 mm thick, vegetable-tanned, full. Semi-transparent smooth surface, strong and warm. An excellent material, incredibly beautiful. Available only as halves. Vegetable tanning uses an old recipe that combines traditional processes with all currently available technologies. This process is carried out by tanners who pass down their craft from generation to generation with care and passion, transforming raw hides into leather without harming the environment in any way. It relies on natural tannins extracted from trees, utilizing modern technology and a long processing time. Indeed, the transformation of raw hide into leather—unique and unparalleled in the world—takes nearly 40 days. Vegetable-tanned leathers bear the marks of our lives. They age but do not deteriorate. Changes and personal use over time attest to the product's naturalness.

Over time, the tannin colors give the leather warm hues, which tend to become more prominent on the surface of each item during use. As a result, products become unique, personal, and one-of-a-kind for each user. The product tends to evolve depending on how it is used, revealing its best side. Choosing a product made from this leather means owning a prestigious, one-of-a-kind item.

The use of tannins results in products of extremely high quality: soft and smooth leathers, marked by full and glossy dyes, finished in all possible ways, suitable for any application. These products also boast impressive mechanical durability, are fully sustainable, and maintain resistance to water and temperature—parameters often considered limiting for natural products.

The result is a product that excels in every aspect, combining excellent technical properties with a heritage of craftsmanship, featuring warm colors and a unique design. It is a product that will last and improve over time, and can be safely disposed of at the end of its lifecycle.

Wood

The Mascheroni wood collection includes over 10 different species from the “Mascheroni Wood Color System” catalog. The company strives to select only the best parts of wood. Main sofa and armchair frames are mostly made from solid wood. In furniture production, solid wood is used only partially, depending on the shape and the desired aesthetic effect, which may require matching solid wood, plywood, shaped plywood, wooden slats, roots, and other enhanced materials.

Evidence of Mascheroni's product quality and material excellence is also reflected in the weight of the final product. On average, the finished product weighs 50% more than a standard one. Knowledge of wood has led the company to explore various possibilities to create new and increasingly exclusive collections. The final product is the result of the artisans' wisdom and innovation.

This reflects a desire and meticulous care to meet the demands of very discerning Mascheroni clients—people seeking custom-made, high-craftsmanship products. While challenging, this field allows the company to showcase its potential and brings great satisfaction in the process.

Italian art and cultural heritage have always been at the heart of the brand's pride and identity. Throughout its history, Mascheroni has funded the restoration of some of Canova's artworks, organized art awards, supported historic sites such as Libreria Bocca (the oldest bookstore in Italy), and continuously funds important associations like FAI (Italian Trust Fund), which protects, restores, and opens historic sites and buildings across Italy to the public. Manufacturer information