Preparation

During the preparatory stages the hides are prepared for the tanning process. There are a variety of processes used at this time, depending on the requirement and necessity of that particular hide. The process starts with the preservation of the hide, when chemical are applied to prevent decay.

The hide is then soaked in water to wash and rehydrate it. A process known as ‘liming’ is used to remove unwanted proteins, greases and fats. This process is repeated several times during the preparatory stages. After a preliminary liming has been done, the hide is then de-haired and the subcutaneous material is removed.

The hide is then split into two or more horizontal layers and the process of liming is repeated. After this the liming chemicals as well as those used to remove the hairs are removed from the pelt. Once the pelt is chemical free, proteolactic proteins are used to soften the hide and remove other unwanted proteins, this is known as ‘bating’

Subsequently the hides are subjected to the twin processed of degreasing and frizing, wherein all he unwanted fats are removed from the hide and the subcutaneous layer of fat is physically removed. Now that the hide is more or less ready for tanning, the manufacturer then decides whether the colour is suitable for his purposes or not. If it is too dark there is an additional bleaching process to lighten the colour.

Once all these processes are completed the pH value of the skin must be optimized in order to allow for the penetration of the tanning agents. In order to do this the hide is either ‘pickled’ or ‘depickled’ depending on whether the acidity levels need to be lowered or raised.