Improving Tearing Resistance of Leather - Part 1 Prevention and Treatment of Low Tearing Strength in the Tannery

An appropriate tear strength is one of the main properties that concern customers and it is also a significant source of claims. The authors make a review of the production process, focusing on each step that can either damage the natural strength of collagen fibers or improve them and therefore, the leather. Although the authors’ experience is in bovine hides, the general concepts presented in this paper may be applied to other types of hides and skins. The aim of this work is to transfer field tannery experiences collected over 40 years of activity in different tanneries, to colleagues that are looking for world class leather production.