What is Leather Tanning Agent?

What is Leather Tanning Agent?

iSuoChem: The Professional Leather Tanning Agent Manufacturer

Leather tanning agent is a chemical agent that plays a key role in the leather processing process, aiming to transform raw hides into soft, firm and durable leather.

iSuoChem Marketing Department / Edited by Jason

How does Leather Tanning Agent Work?

The working principle of tanning agent in leather processing is mainly through the chemical reaction of the active functional groups in its molecules with the collagen in the raw hide to form a new cross-linked structure, thereby changing the internal structure of the leather and making it tighter and tougher. Specifically, the active hydroxyl groups in the tannic acid molecules can react chemically with the amino and carboxyl groups of collagen to generate stable cross-linked bonds, thereby enhancing the physical properties and chemical stability of the leather.

Types of Leather Tanning Agent

Leather tanning agents can be divided into two categories according to their chemical properties: inorganic tanning agents and organic tanning agents:

Inorganic tanning agents:

Main types: including chrome tanning agents, aluminum tanning agents, zirconium tanning agents, etc., which are inorganic salt compounds with tanning properties.

Features: For example, chrome tanning agents are high-quality tanning agents for making light leather (such as shoe upper leather and clothing leather). The leather produced has the characteristics of high shrinkage temperature, good elasticity, flex resistance, and water washing resistance.

Pic# Tanning agent for leather

Organic tanning agent:

Main types: including vegetable tanning agent, oil tanning agent, aldehyde tanning agent, synthetic tanning agent, etc.

Features:

Vegetable tanning agent: made from tannin (tannin) extracted from plant bark, wood, leaves, fruits or rhizomes, it is an environmentally friendly leather tanning agent.

Oil tanning agent: using natural oils or petrochemical products as tanning agents, such as whale liver oil, alkyl sulfonyl chloride, etc.

Aldehyde tanning agent: formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde are commonly used as tanning agents, and the leather produced has good water resistance.

Synthetic tanning agent: made from aromatic hydrocarbons such as phenol and naphthalene through chemical reactions such as sulfonation and condensation, it can be used as an auxiliary or alternative tanning agent.

Zeolite leather tanning agent: Zeolite tanning agents can be classified as a new type of inorganic or composite tanning agent

Click to Request the Free Sample of Zeolite Leather Tanning Agent

Pic# Zeolite Leather Tanning agent

High-performance, sustainable leather tanning agents - Zeolite leather tanning agent

Traditional chrome tanning agents, aldehyde tanning agents, and phosphorus tanning agents, because of excessive content of heavy metals, formaldehyde, chromium, etc., not only cause different pollution to the environment, but also pose a certain threat to the health of users. Many countries and regions (EU) have strict residual standards for toxic substances produced during the traditional tanning process.

Among these tanning agents, zeolite leather tanning agent is a high-performance, sustainable and environmentally friendly leather tanning agent. Especially since its debut at the Tokyo Leather Show a few years ago, it has gradually attracted the attention of the industry.

What are the advantages of zeolite leather tanning agent?

1. Environmentally friendly, sustainable: The core material of zeolite leather tanning agent is a natural mineral material called zeolite. Zeolite itself is non-toxic and harmless, and no harmful waste is generated during use.

2. High-performance: Zeolite leather tanning agent, through its unique pore structure and adsorption capacity, effectively adsorbs and fixes chemicals in the leather tanning process, reducing pollution to the environment. The adsorption and slow-release properties of zeolite make the tanning process more efficient, reducing tanning time and the amount of chemicals used.

3. Improve quality: During the tanning process, these molecules are slowly released and undergo a uniform and deep cross-linking reaction with skin collagen. This gradual release mechanism makes the leather tanning process more gentle and uniform, reducing the hardness and roughness of the leather surface. Zeolite leather tanning agent can give leather a softer, more natural feel and excellent physical properties, such as wrinkle resistance and wear resistance.

As consumers' requirements for environmental protection and quality continue to increase, zeolite leather tanning agent has broad application prospects in leather processing. It is not only suitable for various types of leather processing, such as upper leather, clothing leather, luggage leather, etc., but can also be used in combination with other tanning agents to achieve better tanning effects. At the same time, with the continuous advancement of technology and the reduction of costs, zeolite leather tanning agent is expected to become one of the mainstream tanning agents in the leather processing industry in the future, showing great potential and application value in the field of leather processing. As a company that produces zeolite leather tanning agent, iSuoChem is committed to continuous research and development and innovation to provide the industry with better quality and environmentally friendly leather tanning solutions.