CURING HIDES

CURING:

The raw materials used by the leather industry originate largely as by-products of the meat-packing industry.
Before entering the tanning process, the raw skins are ""cured" by salting or drying them promptly
after being removed from the slaughtered animal. The more common methods used in curing require
the use of salt. (sodium chloride) in one of two ways: wet salting or brine-curing.
In wet-salting, the skins are liberally salted and piled on top of one another until they form a pack.
They are left in the pack for about 30 days to allow the salt to thoroughly penetrate the skin.
Brine-curing is a much quicker method. In agitated brine-curing, the method
most commonly used, skins are placed in large vats called race
ways that contain a disinfectant and brine maintained close to full salt saturation.
After about 16 hours in the raceway, the skins are completely penetrated by the salt.

NOTE

Today, many artificial substances are produced and sold as "Leather goods." These modern synthetics include such plastics as polyvinyl chloride and nonwoven fibers impregnated with binders. These materials lack leather's porous quality, pliable nature, and resilience. However, the attificial materials cost less to produce than leather and have come to command a large share of the leather market, particularly in shoe soles.