The Ottoman Store

Don’t be fooled by cheap polyurethane (artificial) leather knock-offs from China and India. Our poufs are hand crafted in Morocco by skilled artisans over 21 days using goatskin hides, natural vegetable dyes and a technique called sun power drying - we do not chemically treat our leather poufs (it damages the leather and pollutes the environment), the smell of leather is normal and will fade over time.

We put quality first and have personally met with the artisans, visiting the ancestral tanneries in Morocco to witness the process that takes place to carefully handcraft each product we offer. Each pouf is tanned, painted and embroidered by hand, giving slight variations of colour, stitching and size, they do not have the symmetry and finish of a mass produced product. Natural flaws, colour variations and tooling marks are present between poufs making them truly unique.

In order to maintain our prices, we ship our poufs unfilled. Shipping a pouf with filling would cost a small fortune. Poufs can be filled with a variety of materials depending on what's available and the kind of finish you want to achieve. For a light beanbag-style pouf, use polystyrene balls, foam chips or scrunched up newspapers (traditional). To achieve a firmer, heavier pouf use cotton, felt, or wool fabrics. Our favourite is using old towels and sheets – it’s eco friendly and saves landfill!

Make sure the material you use is clean and dry. unzip and open pouf to its full shape. Start by filling the sides at the top to ensure all the nooks and crannies are stuffed. Continue stuffing ensuring the sides and seams are fully filled before moving to add another layer. Continue until the pouf is full. The pouf will bed down over time and more filling can then be added as required. The more you fill your pouf, the better it’ll look!

Clean your pouf with a dry cloth from time to time. This will ensure dust is removed without damaging the leather. There is no need to use harsh solvents.

Sometimes it's necessary to clean dirt off that requires more than a dry cloth. Start with a clean cloth, run under clean water and wring until slightly damp, wipe clean and dry any excess water from surface. when required, use cleaning products designed for leather. Test a small patch first to ensure no reactions occur. Clean according to the product label.

Leather conditioner provides leather with moisture and protects it from damage and is an essential part of maintenance. Keep your pouf away from direct sunlight and extreme heat. Sunlight will fade the leather and heat can cause cracking.