I’m telling you, this new Kate Hyde endeavor is the way forward for books. Especially once the market for actual physical books gets smaller and smaller over the next twenty years or so.

Like most bibliophiles, I adore leather-bound books, especially the smell. Yet you’ll almost never see a fine leather-bound book in commercial publishing. The decision to feature genuine leather is pretty much confined to those with a serious commitment to the art of bookbinding or rare book conservation. The reason is the extreme expense and the necessity of foil blocking the books, preferably by hand for a small quantity, which prices it well above what most people are prepared to pay, even for a very special gift. (A very fine example of a leather book done traditionally on a relatively large scale of print run: the Folio The Luttrell Psalter.)

via Leather: books and packaging « Bespoke Editions.