how leather is made

receiving raw hides Tanneries receive hides from meat packers and store them in a well ventilated area. Most hides arrive cured but some tanneries work with fresh stock that is shipped within hours from the meat packers.

soaking Raw hides are washed with water without chemicals. This process removes the dirt and salts from the hides. Soaking will also restore moisture in the raw hides.

liming Chemicals are added to the soaking drums to remove the hair from the raw hides. This process uses a lime and sulfide based chemical. This process prepares the hides for tanning.

fleshing Fleshing is a mechanical operation that rids the hides of excess flesh and fat found on the hide.

splitting Hides are split into two layers. The top layer where hair used to be, will be made into top grain leather. The bottom layer, also called a “split” will be made into a suede leather.

tanning Hides are then chrome or vegetable tanned. This puts the hides in a preserved state referred to as “Wet Blue”

dyeing The wet blue hides are then dyed to color per order. Hides are dyed in large drums with dyes and fat liquors to set color, hand and softness.

drying The wet leather is stretched on a toggle frame which passes through an airy drying tunnel. Hides can also be vacuum dried.

finishing Depending on the product; pigments, oil or wax finishes are applied to the leather.