Some things are meant to be used, not preserved. This goat leather cover from MD Product is one of them. It arrives pale and unassuming, and over months of daily handling it darkens gradually to a warm amber - shaped by sunlight, touch, and whatever you happen to be working through at the time. No two covers age identically, which is exactly the point.
The leather
The goat leather is sourced from the highlands of Central Asia and is vegetable-tanned without dye or surface coating, leaving the material in as natural a state as possible. This also means the leather arrives with its own character already intact - subtle wrinkles or uneven texture on the interior are not defects, but the natural result of using a single piece of hide without lining or colouring.
Before regular use, MD recommends exposing the cover to sunlight for two to three weeks to allow the leather to mature and build up its protective finish. It's a minor ask for something built to last years.
The tannery that produces the leather holds a Gold certification from the Leather Working Group (LWG), the environmental standards body for the global leather industry.
Design and dimensions
The A6 cover opens to 160 x 235 mm, fitting the MD A6 Notebook precisely. It also fits the Hobonichi Techo A6 and Hobonichi A6 blank books, though notebooks with noticeably thicker spines may be a tighter fit.
It does not fit the A6 Leuchtturm1917 or the A6 MD Diary, which is too thick for the sleeve.
The construction is deliberately minimal. Two interior sleeve pockets hold the front and back covers of your notebook securely, and two card slots accommodate small papers, receipts, or business cards. The pen holder sits flush at the inner edge of the cover so it doesn't create a ridge under your hand while writing - pull it up to use, tuck it back down when you don't need it. There is no clasp, no elastic, no magnetic closure. It stays closed because the notebook holds it together, which keeps the whole thing light and unobtrusive in a bag.
A note on the ageing process
The transformation from pale natural leather to a deeper, amber-toned finish happens gradually and unevenly, which is part of its appeal. Areas exposed to more light and handling will darken faster. The interior, which you'll rarely see, stays closer to its original colour.
Over time the exterior softens and the surface develops a patina that carries the marks of actual use. If you want something that looks the same in five years as it does on day one, this isn't the right cover. If you want something that improves with time, it's hard to do better at this size.
Specifications
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Soft armchair
$420.00
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