Designer leather chair for unique places – Mascheroni

Armchair with armrest from the MI.EXPO.15 collection designed for furnishing public spaces and waiting areas. Available variants: MI.Expo.15 and MI.EXPO.15 S2. Each handcrafted Italian product by Mascheroni is marked with a plaque engraved with the brand name “Mascheroni srl Made in Italy,” confirming its authenticity.

The Italian manufacturer MASCHERONI was founded about 40 years ago in Cabiate, a town near Milan, in the heart of the Brianza manufacturing district, where its headquarters are located. The company did not rest on its laurels; it began designing and producing special products and complete sets of prestigious furniture for its demanding clients—those seeking top-tier products, initially in Europe and later worldwide. Mascheroni now operates in over eighty countries.

Today, MASCHERONI is one of the few brands that manages and controls the entire production cycle, ensuring excellent quality at every stage—from raw material selection, through manufacturing, to custom services. Everything is based on teamwork, as well as the skills and quality of individual artisans. Most elements of each product are handcrafted using the latest machinery. However, everything is then assembled entirely by hand, and it is no coincidence that one of the brand’s main goals is to ensure continuity by maintaining high levels of employee training and further development. Therefore, each senior master craftsman is paired with a junior artisan to complete their specialization and also become a master.

Seeking excellence and continuous innovation are the foundations that characterize Mascheroni products, making the company recognized worldwide.

Experience and in-depth knowledge of the materials used, production methods, and problem-solving solutions inherent to the products, 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 entire production cycle, and materials are thoroughly examined to ensure quality compliance at each stage. The final product is carefully tested to confirm proper functionality and thoroughly analyzed to ensure it meets the aesthetic expectations set in the original design.

What kinds of leather does Mascheroni use?

Leather typically used in our sector has a thickness of about 1.1 - 1.2 mm because it is 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 about 1.4 mm, which is the starting point. Therefore, all prices listed are for products made with leather of this thickness. The company also offers various categories of leather, all significantly thicker and thus more challenging to process, but providing greater durability for the final product. What makes their leather so difficult to work with, besides being two or even three times thicker than standard leathers, are the physical characteristics of the leather: for example, “vegetable-tanned leather” is particularly difficult to bend.

NATURAL LEATHERS by Mascheroni

These leathers are tanned to preserve all their natural features and the inherent beauty of the leather itself, including signs of animal life such as small insect bites, wrinkles, and varied grain. All these marks indicate that the product is genuinely natural and should be regarded as quality features. Mascheroni’s task is to ensure the best possible cutting of the leather so that these “marks” do not appear on visible parts of the products. European bovine leathers, mainly, 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. European bovine leathers, mainly, with a thickness of 1.6 to 1.8 mm, chrome-tanned, aniline-dyed in drums, with a full grain. They feature a semi-transparent, nearly smooth surface with aniline effect, and are “hard” and sturdy.

PELLE 3M / A

Cowhides, mainly European, 2.2 mm thick, tanned with chrome salts, aniline dyed in a drum, natural grain, full. Feels like silk. A magnificent and delicate material with unparalleled beauty. Small imperfections guarantee that the hides are natural.

PELLE 3M

Cowhides, mainly European, 3 - 4 mm thick, tanned with chrome salts, aniline dyed in a drum, natural grain, full. Nearly 4mm thick ensures long-lasting durability. The surface features extraordinary natural marks of the animal's life. Full-grain. Strong and warm.

Vegetable-tanned leather

Cowhides, mainly European, 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 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 lengthy processing time. Indeed, the transformation of raw hide into leather, unique in the world, takes almost 40 days. Vegetable-tanned leathers bear the marks of our lives. They age but do not rot. Changes and personal use over time attest to the product’s naturalness.

Over the years, the tannin colors give the leather warm hues that tend to become more pronounced on the surface of each element during use. Therefore, the 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 an exclusive and one-of-a-kind item.

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

The result is a product that excels in every aspect, combining excellent technical properties with the craftsmanship of materials from bygone eras, featuring warm colors and 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. The main structures of sofas and armchairs are mostly made from solid wood. In furniture production, solid wood is used only partially. This varies depending on the product, shape, and the desired aesthetic effect, which may require the use of solid wood, plywood, shaped plywood, wooden slats, roots, and other enhanced materials.

Proof of Mascheroni’s quality and material selection is also reflected in the weight of the finished product. On average, the final product weighs 50% more than standard products. Knowledge of wood has led the company to explore diverse 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-quality handcrafted products. It is undoubtedly a challenging field, but one that allows the company to showcase its potential and brings great satisfaction.

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 National Trust), which protects, restores, and opens historic sites and buildings across Italy to the public. Manufacturer information