What is leather?

Leather is the hide or skin of animals that has been tanned. Tanning makes the hides and skins soft and flexible. The hides are ‘cured’ or preserved before tanning. For this the skins are salted. After tanning, waxes, resins, shellac, etc. are used to give a shiny effect. Dyes are used for colouring. Hides or skins of cows, goats, pigs, horses, snakes, alligators, etc. are used to make leather.