We understand and respect that not everybody is either a fan of, or agree with cowhide, it's background or its processing, but we have noticed that even those who are okay with it - well they tend to have a few misconceptions in regards to cowhide as well.
So we have decided to put together this week's blog based on clearing those misconceptions. Bit of a myth buster situation, if you may!
We feel it is important to offer the correct information and education to our customers and viewers, especially knowing that there are these misconceptions in the world surrounding the industry. We do not like the idea of leading customers astray or having them believe something, if it's not in fact truthful.
So this week we will go over four of the larger and more common misconceptions in the cowhide industry.
1. The cattle are bred solely for their hide and then disposed of.
This is a very common one!
Thankfully we can say that a big chunk of the world actually uses the majority of the beast, leaving very little to waste. These not only result in a higher quality product, but are the companies you want to stand behind and support.
In saying that, yes, unfortunately there are also quite a few companies around the world who breed cattle solely for their hide. We personally see this as a serious issue and is something we hope will change in the industry.
Unfortunately, we have found that a lot of businesses don't actually know about this, or if their products are or aren't from these particular suppliers.
We at Country Allure REFUSE to align or have anything to do with these sole purpose cattle-breeding businesses, and ensure that our hides are ethically sourced as a bi-product of the beef industry. Meaning that the main use of the cow is for beef, secondary is hide, and that the majority of the beast is used and not wasted.
2. I can't buy a cowhide rug because my dog will chew and eat it.
Well, unless you've made your own cowhide in the backyard and have left it 'raw' as such (basically meaning untreated), making it smell delicious and desirable to your doggo's sniffer - there shouldn't be any reason why your dog would decide to chew your hide rug unless he is being a naughty boy!
Properly processed hides leave behind no foul smelling animal odour, and if anything, will just smell like standard leather. Because in actual fact, cowhide is simply leather with the hair left on! Some hides may have that 'new car smell' which is talking about the fresh leather scent and some will smell more natural, but it all depends on how the cowhide is processed, as to how it will smell.
For example, some hides at first may smell a bit strong after being in its packaging for an extended time but that's likely to not be the hide, more so the cleaning agents used to clean it after the tanning process. But that's nothing a few days to air out won't fix!
So unless you've noticed in the past that your dog likes to chew on other your cowhides or leather products such as shoes, lounges, jackets etc, or even you're other rugs, carpet or mats - then it's pretty safe to say that you're in the clear!
3. Cowhides are stupidly hard to clean and maintain.
Cowhides in general are actually not hard to clean and maintain at all. Yes, you do have to put in slightly more effort then a standard rug or mat, but in no means is it difficult.
Check out our section dedicated to cowhide care. It's A LOT simpler than you think. You will even learn a few maintenance tricks and tips.
https://countryallure.com/pages/careinstructions
And lastly:
4. Tanning leaves behind a dangerous and toxic chemical residue.
We can absolutely understand wanting to ensure that your cowhide pieces are safe for you, your family and your pets. Especially as they are on the ground with your rug.
Thankfully, after the tanning process is complete, cowhides are soaked and cleaned thoroughly. This means that it gets rid of those excess tanning solutions. They are then dried and trimmed, and wiped over again.
This means by the time you have received your cowhide, there will be no concern for having toxic or dangerous chemicals on your cowhide rug.
We made sure that all of our cowhides meet Australian standards and are cleared with biohazard checks when entering the country. This offers peace of mind to us and our customers that what you are receiving is completely safe.
We hope that you have learned a thing or two and that you can leave today's blog with a clearer conception on Country Allure, our cowhides, and the misconceptions within the industry.
If you have any questions in regards to our cowhides, please don't hesitate to contact us on our social pages and we will be happy to help where we can.
Signing off for now,
Jess Price ✨