The provided diagram illustrates the multi-stage process of transforming raw animal skins into finished leather. Overall, the process involves twelve distinct steps, which can be broadly categorised into the initial preparation and preservation of the hides, followed by chemical treatments and final finishing procedures.
The process commences with the delivery of skins from a farm. First, they are sorted according to size and trimmed. Salt is then applied to the hides before they are cured for a period of 30 days. Following the curing stage, the skins are soaked in water for 12 to 24 hours. Subsequently, the hair is manually removed from the skins with a knife.
In the next phase, the hides undergo a pickling process in a large rotating drum containing acid and salt. This is followed by tanning, where the skins are treated with chemicals in another drum for 48 hours. The leather is then coloured and softened in a vat with dye and oil. In the final stages, the leather is dried and then waxed by hand, producing the finished material ready for use.