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En savoir plus sur le secteur Cuir et maroquinerie :
History of Leather The leather manufacturing industry represents one of the oldest industries in the world and in France, yet it continues to thrive. Even before our civilization, our ancestors, the first leather suppliers, used leather to protect themselves from the cold with clothing or to build shelters to protect themselves from the weather. The lifespan of the used skins was very short, as they were always susceptible to putrefaction and quickly worn out due to their daily exposure to the sun and weather. Gradually, men saw the need to preserve the skins and give them more durable properties. Oil tanning and vegetable tanning emerged. However, many historians share the same opinion that tanning was probably a coincidence. It is said that a shepherd from Sinai, after degreasing and salting a goat skin, saw it fly away and fall into a hollow. The shepherd then passed by the hollow with his flock and realized that the skin was still usable. Surprisingly, the skin did not rot and was well preserved after this adventure. Legend has it that the skin fell into a rocky hollow filled with alum salts dissolved in water. This chemical reaction would have made this shepherd the first leather tanner in history around 2200 BC. But the secret of tanning appeared much later, around 1000 BC, by the Carthaginians who established a large skin production center near Marseille. It was then the Greeks and Romans who began the industrialization of leather, thanks to large vats in which the skins could be immersed in a tannin solution. They were the first suppliers of leather and shoes to commercialize shoes and clothing made of leather. In the 16th and 17th centuries, leather crafts became very important and the profession was particularly prosperous. In France, there were more than 5,000 tanning workshops at that time, with around 30,000 and 40,000 people employed in leather production in France. Some cities were particularly conducive to leather work, such as Graulhet, a city in the Tarn region. Indeed, the city has the 3 key elements for a good leather industry: livestock, water, and forests, and we can add the special tannin from the surrounding area, which, combined with the almost neutral pH water of the Dadou River, can work wonders. This has led to the establishment of many leather suppliers in France to prosper their trade. "It was a quick tanning process for bovine leather, which elsewhere required 18 months, while in Graulhet, it only took 2 months!" (site le château de la rigaudie, le patrimoine). The leather was a greenish-gray color and also offered unparalleled strength at that time in France, as well as an affordable price. French Leather Manufacturing Today France is currently the 3rd largest exporter of raw leather in the world, as well as the world's leading supplier of calf leather, the most sought-after material by the leather industry. Today, there are 19 tanneries and 26 leather factories that generate 404 million euros in revenue and employ more than 1,550 people. The know-how of the tanneries and leather factories produces highly sought-after French leathers by large companies in France and internationally. Since 2012, the market has continued to grow, as has the revenue. The industry includes 8,000 companies, and the most innovative ones are developing thanks to research-based processes: improved quality of skins, production, innovative industrial processes, respect for the environment... French leather manufacturing companies are also creating new concepts that are better suited to the needs of today's consumers. But there are also many counterfeits, a considerable threat to "Made in France" and French leather companies, particularly in the leather goods sector. Many companies want to protect their designs and models and are investing significant resources to do so. Despite the effective action of French customs, this scourge is still to be fought. Today, leather is mainly used (at least half of production) by shoe suppliers and about a quarter for clothing. Only approximately 15% is used for furniture, and the rest is transformed into leather goods and other consumer products by leather suppliers. Our French Leather Manufacturers La Source Française allows you to find your French leather supplier among the 223 listed. Among others, you can find La Reverdie or ERRO.
En savoir plus sur le secteur Cuir et maroquinerie :
History of Leather The leather manufacturing industry represents one of the oldest industries in the world and in France, yet it continues to thrive. Even before our civilization, our ancestors, the first leather suppliers, used leather to protect themselves from the cold with clothing or to build shelters to protect themselves from the weather. The lifespan of the used skins was very short, as they were always susceptible to putrefaction and quickly worn out due to their daily exposure to the sun and weather. Gradually, men saw the need to preserve the skins and give them more durable properties. Oil tanning and vegetable tanning emerged. However, many historians share the same opinion that tanning was probably a coincidence. It is said that a shepherd from Sinai, after degreasing and salting a goat skin, saw it fly away and fall into a hollow. The shepherd then passed by the hollow with his flock and realized that the skin was still usable. Surprisingly, the skin did not rot and was well preserved after this adventure. Legend has it that the skin fell into a rocky hollow filled with alum salts dissolved in water. This chemical reaction would have made this shepherd the first leather tanner in history around 2200 BC. But the secret of tanning appeared much later, around 1000 BC, by the Carthaginians who established a large skin production center near Marseille. It was then the Greeks and Romans who began the industrialization of leather, thanks to large vats in which the skins could be immersed in a tannin solution. They were the first suppliers of leather and shoes to commercialize shoes and clothing made of leather. In the 16th and 17th centuries, leather crafts became very important and the profession was particularly prosperous. In France, there were more than 5,000 tanning workshops at that time, with around 30,000 and 40,000 people employed in leather production in France. Some cities were particularly conducive to leather work, such as Graulhet, a city in the Tarn region. Indeed, the city has the 3 key elements for a good leather industry: livestock, water, and forests, and we can add the special tannin from the surrounding area, which, combined with the almost neutral pH water of the Dadou River, can work wonders. This has led to the establishment of many leather suppliers in France to prosper their trade. "It was a quick tanning process for bovine leather, which elsewhere required 18 months, while in Graulhet, it only took 2 months!" (site le château de la rigaudie, le patrimoine). The leather was a greenish-gray color and also offered unparalleled strength at that time in France, as well as an affordable price. French Leather Manufacturing Today France is currently the 3rd largest exporter of raw leather in the world, as well as the world's leading supplier of calf leather, the most sought-after material by the leather industry. Today, there are 19 tanneries and 26 leather factories that generate 404 million euros in revenue and employ more than 1,550 people. The know-how of the tanneries and leather factories produces highly sought-after French leathers by large companies in France and internationally. Since 2012, the market has continued to grow, as has the revenue. The industry includes 8,000 companies, and the most innovative ones are developing thanks to research-based processes: improved quality of skins, production, innovative industrial processes, respect for the environment... French leather manufacturing companies are also creating new concepts that are better suited to the needs of today's consumers. But there are also many counterfeits, a considerable threat to "Made in France" and French leather companies, particularly in the leather goods sector. Many companies want to protect their designs and models and are investing significant resources to do so. Despite the effective action of French customs, this scourge is still to be fought. Today, leather is mainly used (at least half of production) by shoe suppliers and about a quarter for clothing. Only approximately 15% is used for furniture, and the rest is transformed into leather goods and other consumer products by leather suppliers. Our French Leather Manufacturers La Source Française allows you to find your French leather supplier among the 223 listed. Among others, you can find La Reverdie or ERRO.
