A Brief History of Leather Tanning

Leather tanning developed as a way of preparing animal hides for practical use. Traditional methods included plant-derived tanning materials such as bark and leaves; this overview connects those methods with the terminology buyers encounter in leather sourcing.

With the passage of time, man became more sophisticated in his methods and realised that by scraping away the excess flesh and fat he could refine his leather. Followed by a process now known as liming he took ash from fires and made up a solution which aided his efforts to remove the hair from skins.

Vegetable tanning uses plant-derived tanning materials. The exact process and finish vary, so a buyer should ask which tannage is specified for the proposed leather rather than inferring it from appearance alone.

Vegetable-tanned leather is used in a range of leather goods, including belts. The intended appearance, flexibility, thickness and finish should guide material selection for a particular design.

Vegetable, chrome and combination tannages can produce different results depending on the hide, processing and finish. Compare actual leather samples against the agreed specification instead of treating the tanning method as a guarantee of durability or quality.

For a leather belt program, request the material description, tannage, surface finish and care guidance for the selected leather. Confirm any origin, sourcing or performance claim with documentation relevant to that material.