The leather: history, processing and leather selection
Leather has accompanied human history since long before the invention of writing, cities, or metalworking. Before becoming a material for shoes, bags, interiors, and luxury goods, it served as protection, technology, and cultural resource.
For thousands of years, human communities learned that animal hides were not merely a by-product of hunting: they could be transformed into a strong, versatile, and durable material.
From this discovery emerged one of the world’s oldest crafts: tanning.
Even today, despite the development of synthetic materials, leather remains difficult to replace when comfort, durability, breathability, adaptability to use, and aesthetic value are required in a single material.
However, speaking of “leather” as if it were a single material, is a mistake. Every type of leather differs depending on:
- the animal it comes from;
- the structure of its fibers;
- the tanning process;
- the surface finishing;
- final use.
To truly understand the value of a leather, it is essential to start with its history.