From hide to leather: how tanning works
Most people have never seen how leather is made. Knowing the steps helps you ask better questions about quality and sustainability.
- Preservation and sorting. Raw hides are preserved so they do not spoil, then sorted by size and quality.
- Beamhouse. The hides are soaked and cleaned, and hair and flesh are removed, preparing the skin to absorb the tanning agents.
- Tanning. Tanning agents, such as chrome salts or vegetable extracts, stabilise the hide. This is the step that turns perishable hide into durable leather.
- Wet finishing. The leather is retanned, dyed and fatliquored, which sets its colour, softness and feel.
- Drying and conditioning. The leather is dried and softened so it is flat, supple and ready to finish.
- Finishing. Surface coatings, embossing or polishing give the final look, whether natural, pigmented or grained.
Why it matters
Every step uses water, energy and chemicals, which is why standards such as LWG audit tanneries on how they manage them. The choices made along the way decide how a leather feels, ages and performs in a finished bag.
The exact route varies by article. Ask your supplier for the process behind the leather you choose.
Planning an order? Request our catalogue and we will share the range, minimum order quantities, lead times and terms.
Request our catalogueRelated
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