Leather is a durable and stylish material with several uses, such as jackets, pants, belts, shoes, handbags, and wallets. Leather upholstery for furniture and car seats is also prized for its long-lasting strength and aesthetic appeal. When you slip on a well-crafted leather jacket or admire the rich texture of a leather bag, you might not think about the intricate journey that brought that product to life. Yet, the leather manufacturing process is a fascinating blend of ancient craftsmanship and modern innovation. This process transforms animal hides, a byproduct of the meat industry, into beautiful and supple leather used in everything from fashion to furniture.

The leather making process begins with selecting a good hide, typically from cows, goats, or sheep. These animal skins serve as the raw material for the leather industry, which ensures that hides are not wasted but rather turned into durable, versatile leather goods. After harvesting, the leather processing journey kicks off with cleaning and removing excess moisture, prepping the hide for the crucial leather tanning stage.

Tanning methods vary, but they all aim to preserve the hide and give it structure and longevity. Traditional tanning agents like vegetable tannins are still used, but in modern leather production, chemical solutions such as chromium salts are widely applied for efficiency and softness. These agents are responsible for creating top grain leathers prized for their quality, while split leathers—made from the lower layers of the hide—are considered of lesser quality but still valuable in the right context.

As the process begins to take shape, different tanning methods influence the texture, strength, and appearance of the final product. While high-end leather is made to be strong and flexible, the rise of recycled leather and synthetic leathers has offered more sustainable and affordable alternatives, though they lack the authenticity commonly referred to when real leather is made.

Understanding how leather is made gives us greater appreciation for the skill behind making leather and highlights the artistry that turns a simple hide into something truly exceptional.

Most leather on the market comes from cows, though several different animals contribute to the market. Some popular options are sheep, lamb, goat, crocodile, snake, ostriches, deer, and kangaroo. Cow leather is the most popular, though, due to its high strength and accessibility.

When sourcing animals for leather products, most manufacturers partner with the meat industry. Rather than discarding the skins removed from animals used for food, leather companies purchase these skins for less waste. Leather makers also consider how the animal is raised and cared for before aligning themselves with any company.

When the leather company has sourced their skins, it’s time to prepare them for tanning. This process includes techniques like soaking the skin to remove any dirt, preserving salt, flesh, wool, or hair, and degreasing the hide to ensure it is completely clean.

It is at this point that the hide may be split into the types of leather we mentioned above. This determines the thickness of the leather, depending on what it will be used for. Skins won’t be split since they are already too thin for this process.

Tanning is one of the most important parts of leather production since it prevents the material from decomposing. This process involves placing the prepared hides into a drum with special chemicals, such as a chromium salt mix (which leaves the leather, once tanned, a pale blue colour. This product is commonly called “wet blue”), vegetable tanning agents, or a chrome-free alternative. The hides are soaked in the tanning chemicals for a set timeframe. When the tanning process is complete, the hides are now considered leather.

Retanning isn’t used for all leather, though high-quality products require this process. It uses specific chemicals that alter the color and texture to ensure the leather is marketable for items like clothing or purses. Once retanning is complete, the leather is placed between two rollers to remove any remaining moisture.

At this stage, leather is ready to be dyed. The most popular colors for leather products are brown and black but there are also an array of colors to give the product a more unique look. The dyeing process can take 8 hours or more to complete, so dyed items are more expensive than classic brown leather products.

Fatliquoring involves adding oil to the leather to soften the texture and make it more flexible. The tanning process removes most of the moisture in the hide, so the finished leather could dry out and harden or crack without the addition of these oils

The finishing stage gives the leather the desired look, depending on what it’s intended for. One option is polishing using a velvet wheel for a shiny finish. Another possible finish includes the use of a roller or heated hydraulic press to emboss the material. Some leather makers add a surface coating to alter the color or design while adding a protective layer to the material.

Once all of the above steps are completed, the leather is ready to be graded on its feel, softness, flexibility, thickness, pattern, and color. After it receives its grade, it is sent out to the customer, where it is made into clothing, accessories, luggage, or furniture.

In understanding how leather is created, it's clear that the process is more than just tradition—it's a science rooted in biology, chemistry, and craftsmanship. The foundation of leather tanning lies in transforming animal hides, a by product of meat production, into a durable and soft material that can be shaped into timeless leather goods. These hides, once stripped of hair and impurities, are not waste, but rather a valuable raw material that would otherwise go unused.

The structure of a hide reveals a lot about the final quality of leather. Composed of two layers, the top layer has a tight pore structure and strong collagen structure, ideal for high-quality leather. The bottom layer, while still usable, has varying degrees of strength and flexibility, and is more prone to marks like insect bites. This layer is often used in synthetic products or bonded leathers that mimic the feel of genuine leather but differ in longevity and feel.

What makes natural leather truly unique is its fiber structure, which allows it to age gracefully, breathe, and mold to the wearer over time. The material is often air dried to preserve its character and minimize damage. And while synthetic products have flooded the market as more affordable and vegan alternatives, they lack the organic complexity and heritage of natural hides. Therefore, many variants of leather exist, each offering distinct characteristics depending on the source, tanning method, and treatment.

However, as the industry evolves, the environmental impact of leather cannot be overlooked. From the sourcing of animal hides to the chemicals used in processing, manufacturers are increasingly looking for cleaner solutions and sustainable practices. By appreciating where leather comes from and the incredible transformation it undergoes, we not only value the craft, but also make more conscious choices as consumers.