The term “leather” in Old English leðer referred broadly to hide, skin, and similar materials. The craft itself predates recorded history.

The craft of making leather has existed for more than 7,000 years. Leather is one of humanity’s oldest materials. Prehistoric humans used animal hides for clothing and shelter.

The word “tanning” comes from medieval Latin tannāre, derived from tannum (oak bark), because hides were treated with tree bark tannins.

The process of turning hide into leather permanently alters the protein structure of the skin, making it more durable and less prone to decomposition.

The Areni-1 shoe is a leather shoe dating to around 3,500 BCE (approximately 5,500 years ago) from Armenia.

Leather “breathes”; it can regulate moisture better than many synthetic materials.

Leather can be made from many types of animal skins such as cow, deer, ostrich, stingray, and other exotic hides.

Cowhide is the most commonly used skin in leather production due to its thickness, availability, and ease of finishing.

The global leather industry generates many billions of U.S. dollars annually.

“Full-grain leather” (sometimes spelled “full grain”) is of higher quality than “top grain leather.” Top grain does not automatically indicate the best quality.

White leather is among the most difficult types to produce because dyeing it while maintaining softness and flexibility is especially challenging.

Leather tends to biodegrade faster in landfills than many synthetic materials.

The tanning process historically used natural materials such as tree bark, sumac, hemlock, animal brains, salt, and even pigeon droppings.

One historical material, cuir bouilli or boiled leather, was used in the Middle Ages for armor and molded objects.

Each leather hide is unique. Its natural markings, shading, and grain ensure that no two pieces are exactly alike.

Leather production often utilizes hides that are by-products of the meat and dairy industries, making it a sustainable way to repurpose materials that would otherwise go to waste.

Leather is remarkably versatile. It can be made very soft (like lambskin) or extremely tough (like heavy cowhide) depending on the processing methods.

The city of Córdoba in Spain became famous for a type of leather called “cordovan,” derived from equine hides.

In ancient times, hides and leather were used for various purposes such as boat sails, tents, furniture coverings, armor, and more.

Leather was used for boat sails in ancient civilizations.

Samurai famously used leather armor, and European knights sometimes relied on leather protection when they could not afford metal armor.

Some early forms of money in China were made of leather (specifically deerskin leather) before the widespread use of paper currency.