Since time immemorial man has used hyde and skin of animals to protect himself from vagaries of the weather. Our country has been a world famous market for leather goods. Processing of raw hyde into finished leather has been carried on for ages but perhaps the processes have never been more technical in nature as they are today. Leather Technology is a harsh and messy training. Conditioning is needed for handling of murky raw hydes and skins of animals from the onset. The training may not be very glamourous but the trained technologists get jobs in prestigeous firms, export houses and government organisations. Employability is as prestigeous as in other branches both financially and in terms of social status.
India is a major producer of leather goods and processed leather. Leather industries are mainly located in Kanpur and neighbouring areas and in the South in and around Chennai. Kolkata is base for leather goods. The industry is largely privately owned. Indian Leather industry has an estimated turnover of Rs. 70 billion per annum. With the largest cattle population it is the richest source for raw material and over the years has upgraded its processing capacity, to handle nearly 200 million hides and skin every year. The lucrative export earnings have made this a growth sector industry today.
Nature of Work
The work in a leather industry has 2 main areas – The processing of raw leather to finished leather ready for the manufacturing industries and design, production and marketing of finished leather goods. i.e garments and accessories. Leather techologists are trained in the treatment of animal skin and are involved in directing and supervising the processing of raw hide.
Leather tanning
Leather is prepared in tanneries from animal hide and skin. The hides of cows, buffalo, goats, pigs, horses are processed for preparing leather to be used for the manufacture of a variety of products. After pretreatment or curing which involves removal of unwanted flesh, hair from the skin and curing with salt the skin is made ready for tanning. Tanning agents cement together the protein fibres in the skin, giving leather its unique flexibility and hard wearing qualities. Tanning processes originally used vegetable tanners, currently tanneries are using chemicals such as chromium salts and synthetics. Tannages are used in combination or succession to produce leather with superior finish. This industry has been blamed for causing substantial environmental damage and hence there may be need to go back to the older processing methods.
Leather Technology
Leather technologists are trained to work in production, research and quality control, marketing and sales.
Production-In production leather technologists use scientific and technical processes for the processing of skin and hyde to make leather ready for shaping into products. They are aware of the processes used for treatment of hides and skin and assess the thickness, softness, texture, colour, and its water resistance capacity before it leaves the processing line. Leather technologists study the use of various chemicals in the processing of leather and supervise the processing as per specifications.
Research and Quality control - In research and quality control they test and analyse the finished products in laboratories, using chemicals, dye stuffs and small scale apparatus to ensure that the leather produced has all the
required qualities.
Marketing and Sales - In marketing and sales leather technologists use their scientific knowledge of leather processing to market the various qualities of leather advising on suitability for products to be manufactured.They communicate market demand to the production department with accurate specifications and requirements.
Leather product manufacturing - The work of a leather technologist in a leather product industry e.g in the shoe or garment industry depends on the size of the industry and often includes supervision of production line workers or even marketing and sales, and some technologists also become designers.
Work Environment
Leather technologists work in tanneries. The work is practical and can be messy particularly at the stage of processing of the hides and skin. Indian tanneries have not modernised and generally has noxious smell. Large machineries have to be worked on. Technologists work in offices while planning their work, working with product designers and the marketing department.Work in labs involves leather processing. Leather technologists working in marketing and sales have to work with customers to interpret production needs and pass this information to the technologists incharge of manufacturing. Their work involves travel.
Personal Characteristics
The work of technologists requires adaptability, problem solving skills, scientific acumen (mainly chemistry) and practical ability in manufacturing industries. Aptitude for managing people is needed. Good communication skills are required for written reports and verbal communication. The work requires physical fitness as in production the job is demanding. Technologists must not be allergic to chemicals, and should have no colour blindness.
Employment Avenues
A leather technologist finds employment with industries which manufacture footwear, leather garments and leather products. Exports of these items has been on the rise. Employment potential is encouraging at present and is
following a marked improvement in terms of opportunities for employment for manufacture of leather garments, shoes and sports goods. There are bright prospects for entrepreneurship and self employment with our exports of leather finished goods overtaking traditional goods. The requirement of experts in this field has increased manifold. Designers come from design schools or have special qualifications in the designing of footwear, leather garments and other products like ladies purses, brief cases and bags etc. Designers follow fashion trends and work as per given specifications. The manufacturing process involves production, supervision by the leather technologist who ensure that the goods manufactured are made correctly and the production line operates smoothly.
