If you’re into leather stuff, you might have come across “vegetable tanned leather” and wondered what it really means.
Basically, vegetable tanned leather is a kind of leather that’s tanned using natural stuff from trees, fruits, and plants, instead of chemicals like chrome. This process not only gives the leather a cool and pretty look over time, but it’s also better for the environment compared to chrome tanning.
In this blog post, we’ll take a deep dive into the world of vegetable tanned leather, talking about its history, how it’s made, and why it’s great to have stuff made from it.
Features of Vegetable Tanning
Vegetable tanning is one of the oldest methods of leather tanning, and it entails transforming raw animal skin into a material that retains as many of its original characteristics as possible while using only natural substances known as tannins as chemical reagents. This intricate transformation process results in the so-called “vegetable tanned leather”.
Vegetable tanning is a natural way to make leather, using ingredients from nature. It doesn’t harm the animal or the environment. Also, it doesn’t treat the leather harshly. Raw hides used in tanning come from animals raised for food, not just for their skin. This means no animals are killed just for tanning.
That’s why many people with metal allergies prefer vegetable-tanned leather, like leather jackets. It’s safe for humans and the environment as well as does not contain harmful chemicals.
History of Vegetable Tanning
Vegetable tanning is a really old way to make leather. It started 2000 years ago and got better in the Middle Ages. Most leather was made this way until the late 1800s. Tannins from tree bark and water are used in this process. In the past, it took 1-3 months to tan leather. The leather made this way was not very flexible. It was used for shoes, bags, and belts. Expert tanners have passed down the secrets of this process for centuries. They mix old recipes with new technology. In the past, tanning took about 30 days in tanks. Now, it takes 36-48 hours in drums.
Vegetable Tanning Production Steps
When leather is made, it goes through a long and complicated process. It can be split into two main parts: the “wet” part, where water is used, and the “dry” part for finishing. The whole process has 4 big steps.
Step 1
As you’d expect, tanning needs a lot of water. People used to tan near rivers, which is why the wet part of the process is called the “riviera phase.” This phase, also known as “riviera works,” prepares the leather for the next step. It used to be done by the waterways until recently. The first step is the same for both mineral and traditional tanning. Mineral tanning uses metal salts, while traditional tanning uses vegetable tanning.
- Greening
- Hair removal
- Liming
- De-liming
- Fleshing
- Pickling
Step 2
After the riviera phase, the leather isn’t fully tanned yet, but it’s kind of stable and can be kept for a while. The mineral and vegetable tanning processes use different stuff, but they both aim to keep the leather from getting ruined. The vegetable tanning uses natural tannins, while the chrome tan process uses minerals made in a lab.
Step 3
After that, it’s time for the tanning and re-tanning stages to start. During these steps, the leather gets tanned with water in big barrels called drums. These drums rotate to help the tanning products, fat-liquors, and dyes penetrate the leather. Once the tanning is done, the leather is still wet. Then comes the fourth phase, where the leather is dried. Finally, we move on to refining the product based on what we need.
Step 4
After the vegetable tanned leather dries, it doesn’t need much fancy stuff done to it. Just some simple mechanical stuff to make it soft and stretchy, and then it’s ready to use for making things. If it’s not even colored, it keeps the natural colors from the plants it came from: like light beige from mimosa, reddish-brown beige from quebracho, or a deep brown from chestnut peel. Sometimes they mix different tannins together to get the color they want.
Advantages of Leather Tanning
- Using solely natural components in the tanning process
- Each skin is unique and unrepeatable, distinguishing it from others.
- It is appropriate for persons with allergies.
- It has essentially no environmental impact.
- A distinct and recognizable odor
- It is easily customizable with a wide range of techniques, including engravings, printing, and colors.
- It may attain thicknesses of up to 6 millimeters, which other tanning methods cannot.
- Greater resistance and endurance, the skin does not age, but rather improves over time.
- It is eco-sustainable.
- Higher selling prices than other therapies.
- The customer perceives added value.
Comparison with other Leather Production Process
Comparing different ways to make leather is important. We should think about the type of tanning used and the quality of the leather. The most common tanning methods are vegetable, chrome, and alternative methods. Each method affects the leather in different ways.
Vegetable tanning
Like we talked about before, vegetable tanning uses natural stuff from trees, fruits, and plants to tan the hides. It takes a few weeks to a few months, but the leather ends up with a cool look, deeper color, and it’s tougher than other kinds of leather.
Chrome tanning
Chrome tanning uses chemicals called Chromium to tan the hides. This way is quicker and easier than vegetable tanning, but it’s not good for the environment. The leather that comes out doesn’t have the same rich color and texture as vegetable tanned leather. It’s also not as strong and breathable.
Alternative tanning methods
There are different ways to tan hides, like using animal brains, minerals, or chemicals. Brain tanning is good for the environment but takes a lot of time and effort. Alum tanning is quicker but the leather is not as strong or flexible. Synthetic tanning is fast but creates a lot of waste and pollution.
Taking Care
Cleaning
Whether it’s the men leather jackets or the women leather jackets, to keep vegetable tanned leather looking its best, it should be cleaned on a regular basis. The best approach to clean vegetable-tanned leather is with a moist towel and mild soap. Wipe the leather down gently and let it dry naturally. Avoid using harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaners, since these can ruin the leather’s natural patina. Also, avoid using too much water, as vegetable-tanned leather is more susceptible to stains and discoloration if it becomes too wet.
Maintenance
Conditioning vegetable tanned leather is essential for preserving its appearance and durability. This entails using a leather conditioner specifically designed for vegetable tanned leather. The conditioner restores moisture and suppleness to the leather while also protecting it from drying out and breaking.
Storing
Vegetable tanned leather must be stored properly to preserve its quality. It should be kept in a cool, dry place, out of direct sunshine and heat. Avoid keeping leather goods in plastic bags, since they can trap moisture and allow mold or mildew to grow. It is also vital to pack leather products with paper or another type of filler to maintain them in shape while they are kept.
Taking care of vegetable tanned leather is really important to keep it looking nice and lasting a long time. You got to clean it regularly, store it properly, and make sure it doesn’t get too wet. Oh, and don’t forget to use a special conditioner made just for this kind of leather to keep it hydrated. If you take good care of it, it’ll look even more beautiful as it gets older.
