Leather manufacturing is the process of converting raw animal skin into leather through three sub-processes:
However, the operations the hide undergoes (that could be anywhere from 35 to 55 different operations) all depend on what type of leather a manufacturer is producing.
Leather manufacturing is a by-product of the meat and dairy industries, and leather can come from any animal.
But, the most popular type of skin used in the leather manufacturing industry is bovine (ox, cow, calf, and buffalo skin), which accounts for 64% of leather.
Leather is traded internationally and comes in different conditions: fresh, wet salted, pickled, sun-dried, crust, wet blue, and finished.
The history of leather manufacturing is a long one.
Leather has been manufactured for thousands of years, by extracting water from bark, wood or leaves, to preserve an animal’s skin from decay.
According to experts, the oldest tanneries, found in Egypt, date back to over 5,000 years.
And since then, it’s now estimated that there are 9,000 tanneries worldwide, and the annual area of leather produced is 19,000 million square feet, that’s around 2 million square feet per tannery.
We haven’t touched on faux leather, but we will further in the article. For now, let’s investigate the leather manufacturing process.
As quickly touched upon in the previous chapter, the leather manufacturing process is long and complicated.
And because of this, manufacturers (due to the supply and the time constraints) use a batch manufacturing process to fulfill manufacturing orders.
To make leather, here are the steps a manufacturer would need to follow:
Preservation
After slaughtering the animal, the skin is preserved to survive the journey to the tannery by drying, salting, or freezing.
Beamhouse operations
At this stage, the manufacturer begins prepping the hides for tanning. While at this stage, the skin goes through:
Once the hide is ready, it can then go through the leather manufacturing process of tanning.
Tanning
At this step, the tannins (chemicals) are absorbed by the skins to turn them into leather.
Neutralizing
The leather manufacturer begins neutralizing the acids left behind from tanning.
Withering
Any residual water is squeezed out from the wet skins through metal rolls.
Finally, the material passes through its final steps.
Sorting
The leather goes through quality checks and any necessary fixes, or alterations take place at this stage.
This will consist of steps such as:
After all this, the final quality check takes place.
If you’re more of a visual learner, let us wheel out the hypothetical TV and trolley from your school years, to share this video on leather manufacturing with you:
However, this is mostly relevant for the animal by-product of leather making, but what about faux leather?
The traditional leather manufacturing process is arguably a grizzly affair, and a lot of people may even consider it barbaric.
Luckily, as mentioned before, we have innovated beyond innovation, and now know that we’re able to use other sources of material when manufacturing leather.
Artificial leather (synthetic leather, faux leather, vegan leather, or pleather) is the go-to for manufacturers looking for a cruelty-free alternative.
One of the earliest known faux leathers was Presstoff.
During WW2, leather was rationed in Germany, and Presstoff – a layered and treated paper pulp – was used instead to produce items that were normally made with leather.
Since then, innovative manufacturers have been producing many different types of faux leather from all sorts of sources, with the most popular being plastic.
“Plastic!?” you might be screaming.
Yes, it is plastic, mainly PU leather and PVC leather, which is an issue since it’s a lot less degradable than actual leather.
However, don’t fret, as there are a ton of other animal-free sources for leather manufacturing that are also eco-friendly such as:
But you might still be confused, “What type of leather should I be using?” and honestly, it all depends on the type of leather that you need for your products.
Do you need something strong and durable? Or are you using leather product manufacturing purely for its aesthetics?
Although the United Kingdom has left the European Union (EU), certain pieces of legislation (formally known as 'retained EU law') will still apply until such time as they are replaced by new UK legislation; this means that you will still see references to EU regulations in our guidance.
This guidance is for England, Scotland and Wales
Any consumer product made of leather - for example, clothing, shoes, bags, belts, furniture, soft furnishings, and even equine equipment, such as saddles and bridles - is subject to controls on the chemicals that may be present as a result of the tanning process. Chemicals such as azo dyes, chromium VI and dimethyl fumarate (DMF) have previously been found to be present in leather goods and are now restricted under regulations due to the health hazards they pose to consumers.
If you are a manufacturer or importer (referred to in law as the 'producer'), you would normally be expected to have tested your products to ensure that they comply. If you are not the manufacturer or importer, you should check with your supplier that the products comply with the Regulations; this could involve asking to see test certificates, or auditing your suppliers if you are a large retailer.
Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulates the use of azo dyes, chromium VI and dimethyl fumarate (DMF). This EU Regulation was adopted into UK law on 1 January 2021 and is now known as UK REACH.
Anyone who supplies consumer leather products intended to come into direct and prolonged contact with the skin, and that may contain any of these chemicals, will be affected by the Regulation. Examples are as follows:
Azo dyes are organic compounds. Azo dyes are used to treat textiles, leather articles and some foods. Some - such as dinitroanline orange, ortho nitroaniline orange, or pigment orange 1, 2, and 5 - are mutagenic and carcinogenic. Azo dyes derived from benzidine are carcinogens.
Tanning is the process of making raw hides or skins into leather. The majority of leathers used in furniture, gloves and footwear are tanned using chromium salts. Contact with the skin can cause burns and contact-dermatitis allergic reactions, which appear as reddening of the skin, itching and rashes.
Chromium VI is a skin sensitiser; future reactions can be caused when only a very small amount is in contact with the skin. There are also dangers from ingestion. This is a particularly important hazard to assess for young children's toys or clothing where there is a risk of mouthing. Studies have shown the ingestion of chromium VI may affect the liver, kidneys and the immune system.
DMF is used as a biocide in leather products, such as furniture or shoes, to prevent growths of mould during storage or transport in a humid climate. DMF has been found to be an allergic sensitiser at very low concentrations, producing an eczema reaction that is difficult to treat. Concentrations as low as 1ppm may produce allergic reactions.
Back to topAzo dyes, which may release one or more listed aromatic amines above 30 mg/kg (0.003% by weight), must not be used in articles that may come into direct and prolonged contact with the human skin or oral cavity - for example:
Leather articles must not be placed on the market unless they conform to these requirements.
Back to topLeather articles or articles containing leather parts coming into contact with the skin must not be placed on the market where they contain chromium VI in concentrations equal to or greater than 3 mg/kg (0.0003% by weight) of the total dry weight of the leather.
Back to topLeather products containing the biocide DMF in concentrations greater than 0.1 mg/kg must not be placed on the market.
Back to topFor products sold second-hand, the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (GPSR) apply. These require goods supplied to be safe so the restrictions will still apply.
Back to topYou are classed as a 'producer' if you are one of the following:
If you are come under the definition of a producer, you would normally be expected to have tested your products to ensure that they comply. It is recommended that a reputable test house should carry out any testing, such as one accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).
If you are not a producer, you should check with your supplier that the products comply with the Regulations. This could involve asking to see test certificates, or auditing your suppliers if you are a large retailer. How much you need to do depends on a number of circumstances - for example, the size of your business - but doing nothing will not be sufficient.
Back to topFor more information on the work of trading standards services - and the possible consequences of not abiding by the law - please see 'Trading standards: powers, enforcement and penalties'.
Back to topNo major changes.
Last reviewed / updated: May 2022
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