Tanning – A multi-step process at the core of leather production
Leather tanning is the process of modifying animal skins through physical and chemical means to turn hides into leather. Initially developed as a manual and traditional process, leather tanning has eventually evolved into large scale industrial operations, constantly focusing on improving productivity, quality of the finished product and environmental performance. Numerous chemicals are used throughout the different stages of the process, including several inorganic salts produced by BASF.
Examples of applications include:
Ammonium Bicarbonate
- Pre-dyeing treatment of leather
Ammonium Chloride and Ammonium Sulfate
- Deliming / buffering process
Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Sulfite and Sodium Bisulfite
- Deliming process, bleaching and emission control of by-product gases