How does the tanning process work?

Many are curious about our company and how the tanning process works, on this page we'll try to explain our process from making raw skins into a high quality beautiful end-product.

1. When the raw skins come in, they are first inspected for quality by hand. We only use skins of healthy animals and without any slaughter or dyeing mistakes.

2. The raw skins that got through our inspections are stored in brine (salt) to prevent rotting.

3. When we have gathered enough skins, they are washed for an entire night in a tub with warm water and soap to remove dirt from the skin.

4. To prevent rotting and hair loss, all residual remains of meat and fat are scraped off with a machine.

5. Afterwards they are washed again, this time with an environmental friendly detergent and bleach.

6. To get rid of all bacteria and to smoothen the skins, they are immersed in a tub of salt, acid, fat and some natural tanning products.

7. Because the skins are now soaked with moisture, they are wrung with a large wringer. For further drying they are hung in our heated loft for a couple of days.

8. When the skins are dried for more than 90%, they are going through a stretching machine a number of times to make them flexible again.

9. To make the leather side of the skin nice an smooth we polish them with a sander/grinder.

10. With a combing machine the skins are brushed to make the hair pleasantly soft and wooly.

11. All excess leather is cut off by hand to give the skin it's well known shape.

12. For a last time the skins get combed by hand to get rid of all remaining knots.

13. To finish them off, they are ironed with a large mangle to give them a natural shine.

The skins are now ready for sale or further processing (eg slippers, pillows or bags).