A Review of Eco-Friendly Preservative and Bio-Tannin Materials Using Powdered Barks of Local Plants for the Processing of Goatskin

Abstract

Skin is a raw material which is considered as the heart of leather making process. Skin falls vulnerable upon the flayed of the animals and is seriously invaded by bacteria if it is not well protected. Curing and preservation of raw stock resist putrefaction and reserve leather quality. Worldwide, most commonly used skin preservation is by using table salt which is accused of polluting the environment by increasing soil salinity, affecting water body, releasing more than 40% dissolved solids and 55% chlorides etc. Further, on the side of leather tanning, 80-90% of all leathers is manufactured by tanning with basic chromium (III) salt, because of its excellent features and is also solemnly accused that; its safety record is cautionary, uncontrolled emission of chromium (VI) and it is a limited natural resources. Pollution control authorities of many countries are imposed severe restrictions on both salt preservation and chrome tanning forcing the tanners and researchers to look for possible alternative ways that are naturally abundant, easily obtainable, low priced, eco-friendly and offer competitive with existing tanned leather performances. The critical reviewed was targeting the recent alternatives trends to skin/hides salt preservation as well as vegetable tanning as a possible way to replace the use of basic chromium salt for the sustainability of leather industry and to further suggest another preservative and vegetable plant to be used in future studies.