Learn more about the tanning process involved in leather making here.

WHAT IS TANNING

Leather is made from animal skins or hides which have been chemically treated to preserve quality and natural beauty. The chemical procedure used to ready raw animal hides for use is called “tanning.” A piece of hide or skin which has been tanned produces a strong, flexible leather which is able to resist decay and spoilage.

The majority of leather made today is produced from tanned cattle hides, though many types of hides can be used, including those from horses, pigs, goats, calves, labs, deer, kangaroos, reptiles, seals, and walrus.

STAGES OF TANNING

Raw animal skins go through several steps during the tanning process. Depending on the type of hide used and the desired end-product, the steps taken during tanning can vary greatly.

CURING

Animal skins or hides are first “cured,” a process which involves salting and/or drying the hide once it’s been stripped from the animal. Because this step needs to be performed almost immediately upon removal from the animal, it often takes place inside the meat-packing industry or at a nearby factory. Hides can be cured in one of two ways:

Wet-Salting is done by salting the hide and then piling many skins together until they form a moist bunch. They are then left to cure for one month, so that the salt can completely be absorbed into the skin.

Brine-curing is more common than wet-salting, as it’s considered a faster, easier method. During brine curing, hides are positioned carefully in vats and smothered with a mixture of salt and disinfectant. After 10-16 hours, the skins are completely cured and ready to move on to the next stage.

SOAKING

Once the hides have been cured, they are then soaked in water for several hours to several days. The water helps to rid the skin of salt, dirt, debris, blood and excess animal fats.

FLESH REMOVAL

After soaking, animal hides are moved through a machine which strips the flesh from the surface of the hide.

HAIR REMOVAL

The hides are then transported to a large vat, where they are immersed in a mixture of lime and water, which loosens the hair from the skin. After a 1-10 day soak, the hair is mechanically removed from the hide.

SCUDDING

Stray hairs and fat which were missed by machine, are removed from the hide with a plastic tool or dull knife in a process known as “scudding.” Scudding is done by hand.