For the love of leather

Gerhard van Deventer of Incanda leather furniture believes in his products. In fact, he often spends a good few seconds jumping up and down on a couch frame to show its strength.

Using solid wood – and glue instead of staple guns to build the frames – the Incanda team makes a point of creating top-quality, long-lasting furniture. 

This commitment to quality extends to every corner of the business, which Gerhard started about eight years ago. Before he began with leather, this spirited entrepreneur was making lamps out of porcupine quills and guinea-fowl feathers. “Then I saw a picture of a cow-hide rug in a Dutch decor magazine and immediately phoned my father and told him not to sell our Nguni cattle.”

This was the start of Gerhard’s venture into leather under the name “Incanda”, which literally means “porcupine” in isiXhosa.

Initially in the leather wholesale game, buying leather skins from the abattoir, Gerhard moved on to furniture manufacturing after his customers began to request upholstered products. Along with a varsity friend, Hendri Visser, he set up in a double garage and has since grown from producing about 10 couches a month to around 100.

The Incanda factory, shop and showroom now take up the better part of a street in Paarl, producing full-grain leather furniture and rustic wooden pieces as well as offering a full re-upholstery service.

The Incanda brand has also moved into the realm of interior design, with a full decorating service as well as a beautifully stocked home accessories and gift store at the Paarl showroom. Leather handbags are also a recent addition.

“I love the creative part of my job,” says Gerhard, “but I get the most joy from managing my co-workers. I might be the captain of this ship, but I can’t take it forward alone.” 

With showrooms in Paarl and Pretoria and the newest one opening in Durbanville on 1 November, Incanda is introducing beautiful, robust products with the spirit of Africa into homes across the country. They certainly get the VISI thumbs-up….

More information: www.incanda.co.za, +27 (0)21 863 1965