Grippable and rugged, these handmade footballs are built to be caught and thrown. The concept is simple, but achieving this state of functional elegance is more involved. Paul Cunningham, who designs and makes each ball, searched years before finding the right leather, a tough American-tanned skin originally developed for heavy duty boots. 

Unlike the official NFL issues made for the broad and brawny hands of professionals, Leather Head footballs are built to fit roundly in the hand of a layman. Much better for throwing between friends. The footballs are handmade one at a time from start to finish, so the quality is consistent, but each iteration is distinctive. 

Leather Head footballs are an artisanal product, and Cunningham considers himself accountable for the quality of each ball. Along with meticulously sourced materials, carefully designed cutting dies, and hard-earned skills, Cunningham maintains high standards and checks for quality at every step.

The Leather Head footballs on this site are made exclusively for Kaufmann Mercantile with bright yellow contrast stitching against classic dark brown leather.

• Tweet