Wool vs Cowhide Poufs: How They Look, Feel and Age
Materials · 17 October 2026 · 6 min · Published by Raheem & Son for RS Living
Two very different surfaces for the same job. How wool and cowhide poufs differ in feel, care and the rooms they suit, so you can choose with your eyes open.
The short answer
Choose wool if you want warmth, softness and a surface that forgives a quick blot. Choose cowhide if you want a smooth, graphic surface where each piece has its own markings, and you are happy to keep it away from water. Both make good poufs; they simply age differently.
At RS Living most poufs are wool. Three, the Basil, Evander and Elise poufs, are cowhide, which is animal hide with the hair left on. The Rafa pouf is a jute and wool blend.
Side by side
The differences that matter day to day.
| Wool pouf | Cowhide pouf | |
|---|---|---|
| Feel | Soft, warm, textured | Short, smooth hair; cool to the touch at first |
| Look | Colour and weave pattern | Natural markings, different on every hide |
| Spills | Blot with a white cloth and cool water | Wipe at once with a barely damp cloth; never soak |
| Cleaning | Vacuum with a brush attachment | Brush in the direction of the hair |
| Sun | Fades slowly in strong direct sun | Hair can fade and dry out in strong direct sun |
| Suits | Living rooms, bedrooms, warm schemes | Graphic or minimal rooms, contrast with textured rugs |
How wool behaves
Wool has a natural coating that slows liquid down, so a spill sits on the surface for a moment before it soaks in. That pause is what makes blotting work. Lift solids, blot with firm pressure, dampen with cool water and blot again. Never rub, and never use hot water, which sets protein stains.
New wool sheds a little loose fibre for the first weeks. That is normal and stops. Brush or vacuum gently with the beater bar off, the same way you would care for a wool rug.
How cowhide behaves
Cowhide is skin, so the rule is the opposite of wool: keep it dry. Wipe spills straight away with a cloth that is barely damp, then let it dry naturally away from a heater. Do not use a steam cleaner, do not soak it, and do not use household cleaning sprays.
Brush the hair in the direction it lies to lift dust. Over years a cowhide surface develops a soft sheen where it is touched most. Every hide has its own markings, so the pouf you receive will not be identical to the image, which may be digitally rendered.
Which rooms suit which
Wool poufs sit easily in a warm room with textured rugs and upholstery, and they are the comfortable choice for a footrest you will use every evening. Cowhide brings a sharper edge: it looks strong against a flatweave or a natural jute rug, and it suits a room that already leans minimal.
Think about where the pouf will live. Next to a door to the garden or in a room where drinks are common, wool is the easier companion. In a quieter sitting room, cowhide is a handsome accent. For styling ideas, see how to style a pouf.
Pets and children
Neither material is indestructible. Claws can catch wool loops and can scratch hide. If you have pets, choose the one you are happier to see age, and read living with a rug when you have pets and children for the habits that protect any textile.
A quick way to choose
Ask three questions. First, will it be used as a footrest most evenings? If yes, wool's softer surface and warmth make it the more comfortable choice for bare feet and long use. Second, will drinks, plants or wet shoes be near it? If yes, wool forgives a quick blot more easily than hide forgives water. Third, does the room need a strong accent or a quiet one? Cowhide's markings make it a focal point; a wool pouf in a colour from the rug sits back.
If you answer "yes, yes, quiet", choose wool. If you answer "no, no, accent", cowhide is likely to suit you better. Mixed answers usually mean wool, simply because it is the easier companion in a busy room.
How each ages
A wool pouf that is used every day settles slightly in shape where people sit or rest their feet, and its surface softens. Small loose fibres come away in the first weeks and then stop. Over years the colour mellows a little, especially if it is in a bright room. None of this is a fault; it is what wool does.
Cowhide develops a gentle sheen where it is touched most, and the hair can flatten in places with use. Brushing in the direction of the hair keeps it even. Hide that is kept too dry, for example next to a heater, can lose its suppleness, so position matters more with cowhide than with wool.
Mistakes to avoid with either
Using household spray cleaners. On wool they can leave a sticky residue that attracts dirt; on hide they can dry or mark the surface. Cool water and a clean white cloth for wool, a barely damp cloth for cowhide, are all most marks need.
Rubbing a spill. On wool, rubbing roughens and can felt the surface; on hide, rubbing spreads the mark and pushes moisture in. Blot or wipe, never scrub.
Putting it where it will be sat on as a step. Poufs are seats and footrests, not ladders. Standing on one compresses the filling unevenly and strains seams.
Combining the two
There is no rule against owning both. A wool pouf as the everyday footrest in front of the sofa, with a cowhide pouf beside a chair as an occasional seat, gives you warmth where you need it and contrast where you look. Keep the cowhide one away from the busiest route through the room. If the rug is patterned, let the cowhide be the only other strong surface in that corner so the two do not compete.
Questions
Which RS Living poufs are cowhide?
Basil, Evander and Elise. Most other poufs are wool, and the Rafa pouf is a jute and wool blend.
Can I clean a cowhide pouf with water?
Only a barely damp cloth, straight away, then let it dry naturally. Do not soak it or use a steam cleaner.
Is a wool pouf warmer than cowhide?
Yes, wool feels warmer and softer to the touch. Cowhide feels smooth and cool at first.
Will my cowhide pouf look exactly like the photo?
No. Every hide has its own markings, and some product images are digitally rendered, so markings and colour vary.
