Checked by hand, at every stage.
Every sofa, chair, table, patchwork piece, leather, beanbag, footstool, and storage box we send out has passed through the same hands-on quality process. This page explains, step by step, how we source materials, build and inspect each piece, meet UK furniture safety law, and stand behind what we make.
Ask Us About a Specific PieceEverything covered, in order
Our approach to quality
SLW Chesterfields is a trading name of Harlequin Chesterfield Sofa Ltd, a family-run leather furniture workshop with over 45 years of hand-crafting heritage. Because every piece is hand-built rather than mass-produced on an assembly line, quality assurance for us means real people checking real work at defined stages, not a single automated check at the end of a production line.
Hand-checked, not just machine-tested
Frames, tufting, stitching, and leather panels are inspected by the craftspeople who build them, and again by a separate finishing check before a piece leaves our Bury workshop.
Consistent across every range
The same quality process applies whether you've ordered a standard stock footstool or a bespoke Harlequin Patchwork Collection sofa built specifically to your specification.
This Quality Assurance page works alongside our Terms & Conditions, Returns & Refunds Policy, and Cancellation Policy. It does not reduce your statutory rights under UK consumer law.
Who and what this page covers
Every product category we sell is covered by the same quality framework described on this page.
Consumers
Every consumer order, whether placed online, by phone, or by email, is subject to the same quality checks described in Sections 03 to 08 before dispatch.
Trade and hospitality clients
Bespoke banquette seating and fitted leather furniture supplied to hotels, bars, pubs, and restaurants go through the same construction and inspection process, with any project-specific quality requirements agreed in writing beforehand.
Materials sourcing and leather grading
Quality begins before a single stitch is cut, with how we choose our raw materials.
Hide selection
We source full and top-grain leather hides for our Vintage, Pastel, Old English, and Antique ranges, and inspect each hide for consistent thickness, grain quality, and suitability before it enters production. As leather is a natural material, healed scars, insect bites, and grain variation are expected and are inspected for character rather than treated as defects, provided they fall within acceptable tolerances for the piece being built.
Frame timber and foam fillings
Frame timber is checked for stability and moisture content before use, and cushion fillings are selected to meet the fire safety standards described in Section 06. Foam and fibre components used in our beanbags, footstools, and cushions are sourced from suppliers able to provide compliance documentation for UK furniture flammability requirements.
Handcrafted construction process
Every piece passes through the same core stages of our Bury workshop, whether it's a standard stock item or a bespoke commission.
Frame building
Timber frames are cut, joined, and reinforced at load-bearing points before upholstery begins.
Cutting and panelling
Leather panels are cut to pattern, matched for grain and tone, and, for Patchwork pieces, arranged to the agreed colour layout before stitching.
Upholstery and tufting
Panels are stitched, tufted, and fitted to the frame by hand, with buttoning and seam tension checked as the piece takes shape.
In-process quality checks
Structural check
Stage 1Frame joints, webbing, and springing are tested for stability and load-bearing strength before upholstery is applied.
Leather and stitching check
Stage 2Seams, tufting, and panel alignment are checked for consistency, tension, and colour match against the sample or specification agreed with you.
Finishing check
Stage 3A final visual and functional inspection is carried out by a team member who was not involved in building the piece, before it is approved for pre-dispatch packaging.
Fire safety compliance
All upholstered furniture sold in the UK — sofas, chairs, footstools, and beanbags included — must comply with UK furniture fire safety law, and quality assurance for us includes confirming that compliance at the point of manufacture.
Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended)
Our upholstered sofas, chairs, footstools, and beanbags use fillings and cover fabrics that meet the ignition-resistance requirements of these Regulations, which apply to upholstered furniture supplied for private use in the United Kingdom. Compliant items carry the appropriate permanent fire safety label at the point of sale.
Match and cigarette resistance testing
Fillings and covering materials used in our upholstered ranges are selected and tested to resist ignition from a smouldering cigarette and a match-flame source, in line with the relevant British Standard test methods that underpin the 1988 Regulations.
Please note: hard furniture such as dining and coffee tables, and leather goods that are not upholstered with fillings, fall outside the scope of the Fire Safety Regulations, which apply specifically to upholstered furniture and furnishings.
General product safety and standards
| Standard or regulation | How it applies to our products |
|---|---|
| General Product Safety Regulations 2005 / UK General Product Safety framework | Requires that every product we place on the UK market, across all of our furniture categories, is safe under normal or reasonably foreseeable conditions of use. |
| BS EN 1021 (Parts 1 & 2) | The British Standard test methods for cigarette and match-flame ignition resistance that inform compliance with the 1988 Fire Safety Regulations, referenced in Section 06. |
| BS EN 12520 / BS EN 1728 | Industry test methods for the strength, durability, and stability of domestic seating, which we use as an internal benchmark when assessing frame and joint construction. |
| Consumer Rights Act 2015 | Requires goods to be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose, and as described — the legal standard our internal quality checks are designed to meet or exceed. |
If you require specific compliance documentation for a trade, hospitality, or commercial installation — for example, for a hotel or restaurant fit-out — contact us at slwchesterfields@icloud.com and we will confirm what is available for your order before you commit.
Pre-dispatch inspection and packaging
Final inspection before collection
Once a piece passes its finishing check, it is inspected once more immediately before our carriers collect it, to confirm it matches your order specification and shows no transport-related marks from workshop handling.
Protective packaging for furniture
Furniture is wrapped and protected to withstand the handling involved in nationwide delivery. We ask that you inspect your furniture at the time of delivery wherever reasonably possible and record any visible damage on the delivery paperwork, as explained in our Terms & Conditions.
Bespoke and Patchwork quality assurance
Because Harlequin Patchwork Collection pieces and custom-leather orders are built specifically for you, they carry an additional layer of quality confirmation.
Specification match check
Before a bespoke or Patchwork order is finished, the leather colours, panel layout, and stitching are checked against your original order specification, not just against general workshop standards, to confirm the piece matches what you agreed with us.
Swatch service
We offer a free leather swatch service so you can view genuine material samples in your own home before ordering. We strongly encourage requesting a swatch for any bespoke or custom-leather order, since screen displays cannot fully reproduce leather colour and texture.
Our guarantee
Five-year structural guarantee
All of our sofas, chairs, and upholstered stools carry a five-year manufacturer's guarantee covering the structural elements of the furniture, with all other covered components guaranteed for 12 months, as set out in our Terms & Conditions.
Trade guarantee
Trade and hospitality orders carry a one-year trade guarantee, reflecting the different usage conditions of commercial environments compared with private domestic use.
This is in addition to your statutory rights: our guarantee sits alongside, and does not replace, your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 if goods are faulty, not of satisfactory quality, or not as described.
Quality feedback and continuous improvement
Genuine quality assurance doesn't stop at dispatch. We use feedback from delivered orders to keep improving how we build.
Reporting a quality concern
If you notice anything below the standard you'd expect after delivery, tell us as soon as possible at slwchesterfields@icloud.com or +44 07947 700380, along with photographs where relevant. See our Dispute Resolution page for how we handle and escalate concerns.
How we use what we learn
Recurring feedback about a specific leather, frame component, or finishing detail is reviewed with our workshop team so the relevant stage of our construction or checking process can be adjusted for future orders.
How we update this page
We review this Quality Assurance page periodically to keep it accurate and aligned with current UK product safety law and our own workshop processes. When we make a material change, we update the "Last updated" date at the bottom of this page.
Questions about a specific piece
Phone
Business hours
Mon–Fri, 09:00–18:00 (GMT), Bolton, England
Company information
SLW Chesterfields, operated by Harlequin Chesterfield Sofa Ltd
- Registered company name
- Harlequin Chesterfield Sofa Ltd
- Company number
- 15921383
- Registered address
- 169 Tottington Road, Bolton, England, BL2 4DF, United Kingdom
- Workshop & trading address
- New Victoria Mills, Wellington Street, Bury, BL8 2A, United Kingdom
- Phone
- +44 07947 700380
For full contractual terms, see our Terms & Conditions. For order cancellation, see our Cancellation Policy. For returns outside cancellation, such as faulty goods, see our Returns & Refunds Policy. For how we handle complaints, see our Dispute Resolution page.
All of our policies, in one place
Last updated and effective: July 24, 2026 — SLW Chesterfields, operated by Harlequin Chesterfield Sofa Ltd, Company No. 15921383. Registered address: 169 Tottington Road, Bolton, England, BL2 4DF, United Kingdom.