Tannins

Tannins are chemicals used by tanners to prevent the disintegration of the collagen fibres of the leather. These chemicals are absorbed by the hides and skins during the tanning process. They bind to the protein collagen in the skins and prevent the disintegration of the fibres by turning them into leather. Without this, the skins would decompose. A variety of tanning agents are used for tanning but the three main types of tanning are vegetable tanning, which involves the use of plant substances, chromium III and synthetic tanning. Finished leather contains about 8 to 45% of tannins.

Different tanning agents: synthetic tannins, Chrome III, Quebracho (vegetable tannin).

 

Tannins - Tanning agents

Mineral tanning agents

• Chrome III
• Tawing with alum

Vegetable tanning agents

• Apple tanned
• Mimosa
• Olive leaves
• Sumac
• Tara
• Quebracho

Synthetic tanning agents

• Synthetic tanning agents

Types of tanning

• Chrome tanning
• Vegetable tanning
• Synthetic tanning
• Chamois leather
• Tawing with alum
• Brain tanning

Videos about the leather production

The leather production in a modern tannery.

Brain tanning.

The leather production with tannins of the oak.

Chamois leather production in Germany.

Process steps in the leather production
storage - soaking - liming - fleshing - splitting - pickling - tanning - neutralising - withering - sorting - shaving - dyeing (through colouring) and fatliquoring - drying - finish - softening - final check

Tanning methods
Chrome tanning - Vegetable-tanned leather - Synthetic tanning - Tanning with fats and oils

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