Centuries in the making. Luxury in the driving seat.
Eight generations of the same family have been changing the course of leather history, and we can trace our leather making roots all the way back to 1758. Whenever there’s a major advance in automobiles we’ve been right alongside, ready with the most perfectly crafted luxury performance leather.
Founded in 1905 by Arthur Muirhead, Bridge of Weir Leather is a family owned Scottish company, operating one of Europe's largest leather production facilities. Discover our rich history, below.
1911
The first Ford Model T production plant outside the US was established at Trafford, Manchester, and Bridge of Weir leather was specified for the interior.
1955
The Citroen DS revolutionised the way we look at cars. It won rallies galore, and hearts the world over and is considered one of the greatest cars of all time. Inside, it was upholstered in Bridge of Weir leather – which at the time, was considered some of the most stylistic seating inside a design classic in motoring.
1956
The Lincoln Continental Mark II is now a legend among cars. The brief to Ford’s designers was simple, direct and mind bogglingly challenging. We quote: “Taking inspiration from the Lincoln Continental – acknowledged to be the most beautiful car of its day – to design a car that will be the most distinguished car in the world”. The result is a true classic. Bridge of Weir was asked to supply the upholstery leathers “hand worked to a rich softness”.
1976
DeLorean – The leather from Bridge of Weir was ground-breaking. It was the first time that an automotive finish had been applied to a full chrome furniture leather. The result was the first ‘soft’ leather trim in a production car. The DeLorean DMC 12 went into production in 1981.
1990s
McLaren F1 – Bridge of Weir leather was used to upholster the distinct three abreast seating layout. Leather travelling at 240mph!
2012
Bridge of Weir crafted the leather interior for the Aston Martin One-77, a limited production of 77 unique vehicles. Production of the One-77 was completed in 2012 with all 77 vehicles sold.
2015
The Ford GT marked 50 years since the original GT40 won the 1966 24-Hrs Le Mans. Bridge of Weir’s leather, a soft, chromium-free Nappa, was used across the entire interior. The interior colour trims were influenced by the Sixties’ era fascination for the space race.
2020
The McLaren Speedtail - 106 vehicles produced, every single one totally bespoke. Bridge of Weir created 157 colours over and above the existing McLaren colour range for this project. Speedtail is also the first production car for which Bridge of Weir has carried out digital printing.
Achievements
At Bridge of Weir Leather, we're always proud when our work is recognised, and have been fortunate to receive a diverse range of awards and industry accolades through the years.
A testament to our commitment to our global customer base, we're a five time winner of the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise of International Trade - in 1985, 1996, 2000, 2012 and 2018. A selection of our other accrediations are below.
2010
European Tannery of the Year
2011
Volvo Supplier Excellence Award for Corporate Social Responsibility
2012
President’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to Motor Industry from the Association of Scottish Motoring
2012
Scottish Engineering President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement
2023
Marie Claire's Sustainable Interiors Award
2023
Design and Innovation for The Scottish Car of the Year Award