![]() ![]() ![]() Vegetable-tanned leather is finished using burnishing or turned edges techniques. This dramatically reduces the lifespan of a chrome-tanned leather product. This causes it to crack, peel and split after a few years. Animal fibers are visible on the vegetable-tanned leather products, giving them a rich patina.Īlthough chrome-tanned leather is cheaper to produce and keeps its color for a longer period, vegetable-tanned leather offers the durability and beauty only artisanal craftsmanship can deliver.Īlso, chrome leather often has its edges treated with acrylic varnish as a cost-cutting measure. The full-grain leather produced from natural tannins is strong, durable, and long-lasting. Unlike mineral tanning, vegetable tanning does not use synthetic tannins, so higher quality is maintained in the leather. Vegetable-tanned leather takes up to 28 times longer to manufacture, so it only makes up about 10% of all leather on the market today. Synthetically treated leather, like chrome-tanned leather, is soaked in mineral or chromium salts for days or even hours. ![]() It requires a high level of expertise and craftsmanship, making it expensive and rare. ![]() This kind of leather is produced using a traditional method. Why Vegetable-Tanned Leather Is So Expensive and Rare The finished leather is then cut according to the business' needs, with skilled artisans inspecting each piece. The last step is to apply oils and waxes to preserve vegetable tanned leather for longer. Sometimes the leathers are ground for several hours in a dry drum, adding to the leathers' special natural grain. Once the tanned hides dry, they are put through a stitching machine, where small hammers repeatedly hammer the leathers to make them softer. If they are satisfied with the product, the artisans leave the skins to dry on hooks in a special environment-controlled room where excess moisture drains from them. Next, the skins and the tannins are added to a large wooden rotating drum, where the skins stay for three to seven weeks to tan.Īfter this period, the skins are inspected by artisans. Then they are shaved and limed, preparing the skins for the tanning substances. When the skins arrive at the tannery, they are soaked in water for 24 hours to remove the salt. When processing vegetable tan leather, the animal hide is first dipped in salts to make animal skins resistant to bacterial growth and preserve them as they are transported to the tannery. In the same way that the natural properties of tannins protect trees from bacteria, tannins protect the skins turned into leather from damage, making the leather durable and versatile. Known as tannins, the substances naturally bind to collagen proteins in the animal skin, turning the skin into leather. The tanning agents are derived from plants like oak, chestnut, mimosa bark, quebracho, and Valonea. Typically, vegetable-tanned leather is soaked in organic tanning substances without any synthetic extracts. What Is the Effect of Vegetable Tanning on Leather? It is believed to be the oldest leather-making tradition in the world. This leather tanning process dates back to 6000 BCE. The whole tanned leather-making process takes four to six weeks to prepare. Vegetable-tanned leather is produced using a natural tanning technique called vegetable tanning. What Is Vegetable-Tanned Leather?ĭifferent types of leather are available based on different needs and requirements. Why vegetable tanned leather is so expensive and rare? Because this is considered as a high quality and last long than synthetically treated leather. ![]()
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