Monday, 7 February 2022

Fez 2 _ Morocco - leather tanning

 There are 3 tanneries in Fez, Morocco.
The entire leather production process comprises manual labor only.
 
 
The Chouara Tannery is almost a thousand years old. It's amazing to think that the process hasnt changed in a millenium.
 

If you want to buy Moroccan leather, Fez is the place to come to.
 

hides are first soaked in a mixture of cow urine, quicklime, water, and salt. This caustic mixture helps to break down and soften the leather
 
 

The tannery consists of
numerous stone pools filled with different coloured dyes and liquids

The men stand in the pools of dyes.
Its hard work in the hot sun.
...They use their bare feet to kneed the hides.

The hides are first soaked for two to three days to prepare for tanning.and dyeing.
The ingredients are mostly natural. Components like pigeon poop contain ammonia

dying pits contain natural vegetable dyes..
 Saffron for yellow,  mint for green, henna for orange.










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