To work efficiently, it’s best for an exotic tannery to operate with several organized departments:

1) Wet department – This area is where skins can be put into batches for processing. They are weighed, clipped, and recorded before they are put through the tanning process. This area should have a lot of extra space for expansion. While a number of activities can go on in here, the best tanneries have separate wet areas for tanning and coloring.

2) Storage/Holding Areas – Plenty of room should be available to store skins during the tanning and coloring process.

3) Chrome Capture – Chrome tanning is how most exotic hides are produced, therefore it is only logical to recover the materials before mixing them with other streams.

4) Chemical Storage – A wet-proof chemical storage area is absolutely crucial for any safe and professional exotic leather tannery.

5) Lab – A lab to ensure controls and balances in chemicals and processes for tanning is necessary. A lab is also used to measure dyes and other chemicals that must be precision-weighted.

6) Dust Prevention – Ventilation is crucial for a tanning facility, but so is dust control. Dust can ruin a hide during the tanning and finishing process, so it is crucial to have proper air filtration to keep the air as crisp as possible.

7) Drying Facilities – Dried skins are stretched and kept an a clean environment to remove the risk of dust contamination.

Mechanical Shop – With a tannery producing high volumes of material, they will require equipment maintenance from time to time. This area is storage and a “working” area for equipment requiring maintenance, upgrading, or repairs. Typically this are is found in the largest tanneries.

9) Shipping – Lots of space is required here; this area is where skins go through final inspection for standards. They are categorized, labeled, weighed, sized, and stored before they are shipped to the customer and/or broker who has purchased the skins.

tags: chrome capture, exotic leather tanneries, exotic tannery, wet department
Categories: Exotic Leather Tannery
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Here are thoughts about how a successful exotic leather tannery operates:

1)      They have a steady, consistent source of raw materials. A good tannery cannot reliably provide material to their customer base without the steady stream of raw resources.  Typically the best tanneries will get materials provided by farmers.

2)       Good planning – Materials are typically harvested by farms and from the wild a few times a year, but raw material can be stockpiled.  To get the best pricing and the best raw materials, good planning should be in place.  This allows a tannery to operate at low costs and provide the best prices.

3)      Special Handling – A good tanner will know the ins-and-outs of how to tan a specific type of skin.  Not all skins are made the same, and exotics require extra steps and equipment to tan them to the highest grade, luxury quality that is desired.

4)      Understanding of Cuts for the highest grades – The best tanneries know how to tan Alligator with the leg material attached, ostriches with quill points intact without any holes or transparency in the skin.

5)      Expert chemistry – Expert tanners understand the chemistry and components of each individual skin and how best to tan it to get the desired outcome.

6)      Good Organization – Exotics are often regulated species that require tagging, weighing, and registration so they are accounted for from the beginning of the process to the end.

7)      Emphasizes Consistent Quality – Quality is important along every step of the process of material acquisition, tanning, finishing, drying, and shipping.

All exotic leather tanneries that are profitable and provide grade A exotic skin will have all the above standards.

Our supplier has relationships with the top tanneries worldwide, making available the finest skins at the best prices.  For wholesale and production-level sales inquiries, please fill out our contact form so our supplier can contact you.

tags: exotic leather tanneries, exotic skin, grade a exotic skin
Categories: Exotic Leather Tannery
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