Different types of leather tanning: with their pros and cons
Leather is a natural material that is available in a variety of different types, the one who has some experience with leather will tell but people are often confused between these leather types. While several classification methods exist, the most commonly categorizes leather based on the tanning method used. This article explores the various tanning methods employed in leather production. By understanding these methods, you’ll gain valuable insight into how leather is made, allowing you to make informed decisions when choosing leather products.
However, before diving into tanning methods, let’s explore what leather tanning is and why it’s necessary.
Table of Contents
What is leather tanning?
Tanning is the process of transforming raw animal hides into leather. Tanneries are the places where tanning occurs.
The tanning process makes hides more durable and resistant to rot or decomposition. It achieves this by permanently altering the protein structure of the skin. To achieve this alteration, a tanning agent is required.
There are two main types of tanning agents: natural and synthetic. Traditionally, only natural tanning agents were used, derived primarily from tree bark. These natural agents contain a substance called tannin, which gives the process its name.
What are the different types of leather tanning?
Two of the commonly used methods of leather tanning are chrome tanning and vegetable tanning, we will discuss both of them and in addition, we will also explore some more uncommon ways of tanning the leather. Here’s the overview of tanning methods
1.| Chrome tanning of leather
Chrome tanning is the most commonly used tanning method of all. In this type of tanning, the animal hide is tanned using chromium salts as tanning agent.
Pros
1.| Takes less time- Chrome tanning of leather is one of the fastest processes to make animal leather. It can be used for mass production
2.| Wide variety of colors- Chrome tanned leather is usually available in a wide variety of colors including vibrant shades unlike veg tanned leather
3.| Water resistant- Chrome tanned leather is more water resistant as compared to vegetable leather
4.| Uniform appearance- Unlike other natural leathers, chrome tanned leather features a uniform appearance in terms of color
5.| Soft leather- Chrome tanned leather is comparatively softer than other natural leather
Cons
1.| Harmful chemicals are used- Chromium salts are harmful and can be dangerous for the environment and workers
2.| Vegetable tanning of leather
Vegetable tanning of leather involves using natural tanning agents from tree bark for the purpose of leather tanning. It is the traditional and one of the oldest ways of leather tanning. In this method, no harmful chemicals are used, even the dye is also natural but the leather obtained by vegetable tanning is more expensive
Pros
1.| Natural and eco-friendly- Unlike chrome tanned leather, natural substances are used to make vegetable leather which does not possess any harm to the environment
2.| Durability- Vegetable tanned leather is more durable than chrome tanned leather and can last longer if taken care of properly
3.| Breathability- The vegetable tanned leather is more breathable as compared to other chemically tanned leather which makes it very comfortable to wear
4.| Age well- Though all types of animal leather tend to develop a patina but chrome tanned leather has a very unique surface patina that can be distinguished easily
Cons
1.| Price- Vegetable tanned leather is way more expensive than chrome tanned leather
2.| Slow process- Production of vegetable leather is quite slow it can take from several weeks to several months to create vegetable tanned leather
3.| Water resistance- The water resistance of vegetable tanned leather is also low which makes it susceptible to elements
4.| Color variation- Vegetable tanned leather, unlike chrome leather doesn’t feature uniform color as it tends to vary throughout the leather surface
3.| Aldehyde, Alum, or other chemicals for tanning leather
Chemicals other than chrome can also be used for leather tanning and they are Aldehydes, Aluminum, zirconium, titanium, or iron salts. These methods of tanning are also known as chrome-free tanning. These methods are designed to get a special purpose leather or to reduce the environmental impact of chrome tanning for instance leather used in automobiles needs some special properties which can only be provided by chrome-free tanning
pros
1.| Customization- Allows for tailoring leather properties to specific needs by leveraging the strengths of different tanning agents.
2.| Chrome free- Reduces the reliability of the harsh chemicals such as chrome
3.| Price- May offer very good pricing as compared to other types of leather
Cons
1.| Complex operations- Process of handling the tanning process is complex especially when a combination of chemicals is used
2.| Environmental impact- Various environmental and health hazards can still arise as toxic chemicals are used
3.| Unnatural- Not fully natural as vegetable tanned leather and that is a big difference
4.| Brain tanning
Brain tanning is also a traditional way of tanning leather that has come a long way now and these days more modern techniques are used in brain tanning which involves tanning the animal hide with man-made version of chemicals derived from oils and fats from animal’s brains.
Pros
1.| Strong and soft leather- Leather produced by brain tanning method is exceptionally strong and soft
2.| Eco-friendly- Using natural ingredients derived from animal brains makes it 100% eco friendly
3.| Water resistant- Despite being made out of natural materials, brain tanned leather features exceptional water resistance and can easily resist other elements also
Cons
1.| Not easily available- Brain tanned leather. Though it is also produced commercially but due to the lack of demand is not available everywhere
2.| Expensive- Brain tanned leather making process is complex and that makes it very expensive
3.| Smell- Brain tanned leather has a strong smell that can make some people uncomfortable
4.| Production time- The production time of brain tanned leather is very high and the process itself is complex
5.| Oil tanning
One of many traditional ways to tan leather, oil tanning is the type of leather tanning in which natural oils are used as tanning agents. It is not commonly used tanning technique as vegetable and chrome tanning. It’s known for producing a unique type of leather prized for its water resistance and suppleness.
Pros
1.| Natural finish- Due to the use of oil, the leather gets a unique smooth finish
2.| Softness- Very soft and supple, just like oil
3.| Water resistant- As oil can create a protective layer that resists water, this leather is less prone to water damage
Cons
1.| Slow process- Tanning with oil is comparatively slower as compared to chrome tanned leather process
2.| Odor- As the oil is used, this type of leather may have some smell which is not desirable by everyone
3.| Color variation- Under stress, oil can displace which will lead to the color changing
4.| Oily nature- Due to its oily nature it cannot be used everywhere as it sometimes tends to leave oil stains when leather is new
6.| Smoke tanning
Smoke tanning is a unique and traditional method for processing animal hides into leather. While less common than vegetable or chrome tanning, it has some ancient roots and offers some unique properties. The hides are exposed to smoke from a controlled fire for an extended period. Traditionally, woods like oak, alder, or willow were used due to the beneficial properties of the smoke. The smoke contains formaldehyde and other compounds that react with the proteins in the hide, causing a tanning effect. Impregnation of the hide’s cells with formaldehyde offers some microbial and water resistance.
Pros
1.| Natural and eco friendly- Just like brain tanned leather, smoke tanned leather is also eco-friendly
2.| Water resistant- Smoke tanned leather is highly water resistant
3.| Durability- Smoke tanned leather possesses some serious advantages that involves its exceptional durability
Cons
1.| Slow processing- Just like other natural tanning processes, the production of smoke tanned leather is also slow
2.| Difficult and laborious process- The process of producing this leather is comparatively difficult as the fire is involved and it is a laborious task
3.| Limited uses- As smoke leather possesses a strong smell and due to the higher price it cannot be used everywhere and has very limited usage
Conclusion
I hope our article answered your question about how long does leather last. If you have any doubts, feel free to ask in the comment section
For more information on leather products, you can check our other articles or you can contact us. LeatherBlues is known as one of the best stores for real leather products. Explore our amazing collection of leather garments and services.
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