Leica Debuts a $175 Napa Leather Luxury Camera Wrapping Cloth

Leica has announced a new luxury camera wrapping cloth made from a handcrafted “Italian hair sheep napa leather” that is designed to protect the Leica M, Q, its compact cameras, and compact binoculars.

While camera wrapping cloths aren’t commonly used across the photography industry, they are found with relative frequency in the high-end space. In addition to being placed in padded camera bags, some manufacturers like Phase One or Hasselblad have in the past included a cloth wrap with cameras or lenses that adds another level of security to the package and keeps the products even safer against dings or scratches.

Leica is taking that to the next level with this new “multifunctional” camera accessory. This high-quality cloth is made from napa leather, a material that is noted for its soft feel and is typically derived from calves lambs, and kid goats. In Leica’s case, it is made from Italian sheepskin that the company says was produced in cooperation with a partner who has a 180-year tradition of creating handcrafted leather products.

The company advertises the cloth as being ideal for Leica cameras and other products, but it can feasibly be used to cover a wide range of objects that someone would want to protect against scratches, dings, or dirt. The cloth covers the target object and is held in place with an attached elastic band.

The cloth measures 45 by 45 centimeters (about 17.7 inches square) and the leather used for each is cut from a single piece of sheepskin, with no seams.

“With its silky feel, practical functionality, and elegant Leica design, this versatile wrapping cloth is a stylish and durable accessory,” Leica says.

The pieces that are cut away to create the cloth are not discarded but instead used to make a case for the Leica Visoflex 2, another new product that the company has announced today. This $150 case stows away the optional viewfinder accessory but keeps it on hand to be “ready for action in a flash.”

The leather used in both accessories has been treated to repel dust, and Leica says that because each is made from a natural, unique piece of leather, they will form a patina over time that will give it a “characteristic appearance.”

The leather wrapping cloth and Visoflex 2 case are available directly from Leica starting today. The wrapping cloth retails for $175 while the Visoclex 2 case costs $150.