Leather Desk Pads:

It's one of those items you never knew how badly you needed until you actually own one. Seriously, a desk pad can elevate your workflow, increase the lifespan of your desk, and even has the potential to up your workspace-style game.

Did you know they weren't initially designed to serve as a cool surface for your tech equipment?

Back in the day, people realized that writing on a hard desk surface was not ideal, especially when using fountain pens.

It was invented to provide the flat smooth surface needed to write on, and also to serve as a barrier from ink which could spill and soak into the desk itself.

Desk pads could soak up this ink and, as a bonus, were quite comfortable to write on.

For these reasons, you may hear them sometimes being referred to as desk writing pads or desk blotter pads.

Anyway, they worked so well that when we started using ballpoint pens and even computers, desk pads were not abandoned and still are the best option for your desktop today.

Enter the present day: leather desk pads have been around for ages and there isn't quite a valid reason for not equipping your desk with one when considering all of the advantages they offer.

A desk pad is a must-have accessory for anyone who uses a desk to work. And once you go 'desk pad equipped', you'll never go back.

There is a particular advantage to using a leather desk pad over a stock-standard, synthetic desk pad which we'll get into a bit later.

For now, let's elaborate a little on the defining advantages of owning a desk pad.

 

Advantages of a Leather Desk Pad 

Increased Desk Lifespan

If at any point you have experienced the following, just nod along as you read - damage to your desk from a leaky pen that spilled "out of nowhere", unintended coffee spills (extra sympathy if they were intended), nasty scratches from a bracelet or cuff link.

If we're honest, many of these damages can be prevented by being a little more aware of our surroundings. The thing is, worrying about where the coffee cup is at any point in time, or trying to be as careful as you can with your bracelet so as not to do a smidgen of harm to your desk, can detract from your flow-state.

Having a desk pad will protect your desk by way of the physical boundary it creates between outside harm and the desk surface but it also frees your mind up a little by removing trivial workspace concerns.

A desk that's protected from ink stains, scratches, liquids, general wear and tear, and even sunlight exposure, means the desk lifespan is extended. This opens up the possibility of investing in more quality desks.

Owning a quality desk pad means that you can work on your vintage oak home desk or expensive office desk without worrying about making your ancestors, boss, or bank account upset due to accidental damage.

What's more, scratches, stains, and heat damage from computers can ruin a gorgeous desk and instantly turn it from a place of inspiration into an eyesore.

You are much better off playing it safe with a desk pad. This can be particularly true if young children are using it.

 

More Ergonomic Workflow

The thing about desktops is that the more stuff you have on it, the more potential there is for distraction and reduced work output.

A desk pad has this magical effect of making all of your desk items - the weird pen holder you bought in Turkey, your little notebook (or three), your laptop, screen, mouse, mousepad, coffee cup, a tangle of cables, pen, and a photo frame of some humans you love - look like unified parts of a very deliberate effort to curate a more focused workspace.

A more focused workspace, even the illusion of one, can have beneficial effects on your state of work such as increased concentration and less distraction, more productivity, and maybe even deadlines dealt with well before the... um, deadline.

The thing is, when your mind thinks it's focused, it will be focused. A desk pad can help achieve that effect by simply giving the feeling that things are in order and things are in control.

On the more practical side of things, a desk pad offers a non-slip surface that provides some resistance to sliding papers and mouse tracking issues.

A desk pad can also dampen some of the resonance of the keyboard and minimize some of these vibrations from being transmitted into your desk giving a more refined and comfortable feeling.

A more practical and, therefore mentally, organized workspace where things are sliding around as they please means that your clutter will feel like purposed clutter and your stuff will stay where you put it.

All of this means your productivity will increase while your mental state has the potential to be a little more relaxed throughout the day. Sounds like a double-win worth taking note of.

  

Elevated Desk Style

Desk pads have the potential to add a certain style gain to your workspace but choosing the right material for a desk pad will have drastically different aesthetic effects.

Some of the options available on the desk pad market are made from paper, rubber, and cardboard. These can have varying build qualities, longevity, and importantly here, aesthetic appeal. There is one material that outdoes them all: leather.

Regardless of the style of your desk and the surrounding environment, a leather desk pad will elevate it.

There is a certain level of class that a leather desk pad brings to the table (excuse the pun).

What's more, you can control the level of classiness you'd like to portray. Whether that be something on the more subtle side of things to a leather desk pad adorned with wood finishing, there are options out there to suit your particular taste.

Leather desk pads are an all-rounded ideal accessory to add to your desk because they bring functionality coupled with that inherent class-factor.

This could have some fantastic consequences such as setting the right professional tone when you have meetings at your desk or when a potential client is sitting at your workspace listening to you explain the inner-workings of their project.

Again, the kind of professional tone depends on your choice of desk pad but it can vary from a look of opulent success to subtle class. The choices are there but you can't go wrong if you choose a leather desk pad.

 

Comfort

A leather desk pad, as explained in the aforementioned advantages, basically serves as a barrier between you and your cold, hard desk.

Now I don't want to generalize and say that everyone works on a hard desk but if you're using something soft as a desk, you may want to rethink calling your bed your 'workspace'.

Let's assume we're all using actual desks as... desks.

That surface is quite unforgiving. A leather desk pad can be the perfect soft touch that your wrists and elbows will thank you for. It will add that touch of comfort without adding a sense of plushness, just the right amount of give, and support for your limbs to rest on.

 

 

Leather Desk Pad vs Standard Desk Pad

There are plenty of choices out there which can make things difficult. In three words: go with leather.

For the sake of completion, let's have a look at some of the differences between leather and standard desk pads.
  

Leather Desk Pads

Aesthetically, a leather desk pad is the most attractive and luxurious choice of desk pad.

You may see them being marketed as executive desk pads. Call it what you want, but leather desk pads do a fine job of outdoing the competition.

You can usually find them in gorgeous browns and blacks that are ideal for any formal looking desk or anyone who wants some of the advantages we spoke about earlier - comfort, ergonomics, elevated style - that only quality top-grain leather can bring. 

A leather desk pad is a simple yet very functional way to add elegance to any office space.

The vast majority will have a felt backing and side rails that allow for blotter paper, a calendar, or just used to store something like business cards. Some even have side rails made from attractive woods like walnut.
  

Standard Desk Pads

While there are many varieties to choose from, what most people consider to be a standard desk pad is one made from synthetic materials. 

The majority of desk pads in this group are black but some manufacturers offer pads with varying patterns or even come with pictures printed on. 

A certain sense of 'Focused Workspace' is lost in these cases.

They will have an anti-slip backing such as felt or an anti-skid micro-foam, to keep the pad from shifting or sliding when in use, which is also soft so that it will not damage the desk underneath.

 

 

Leather Desk Pads: A Must-Have Accessory

Ultimately, the choice of desk pad lies with you, the hardworking individual who values their workspace and that which can come of a carefully curated one.

With this in mind, you'd be doing yourself a huge favour by purchasing a leather desk pad. You're guaranteed the following:

1. An ergonomic workflow which will keep you focused when your tasks demand
2. An increased desk lifespan allowing you to invest in quality table
3. An elevated desk-style for personal morale and client
4. Increased comfort allowing for non-distracted

Considering all this, it's clear that a leather desk pad truly is a must-have accessory.

  

Where Can I Buy a Quality Leather Desk Pad?

Developer Branded sells 100% vegan leather desk pads available for purchase.

We’ve got colors that’ll match and elevate your work setup.

Check out our desk pads here.