History of Leather

• Leather can be dated back to prehistoric times
• People would kill an animal for its meat and then use the hides to create rough shelters and clothing
• Wall paintings on Egyptian tombs from 5000 B.C. show that the ancient Egyptians used leather for everything from shoes to bottles and buckets

• The Ancient Greeks created the first known vegetable tanning process, where they created a formula to preserve the leather using barks and leaves
• Ancient Romans used leather for much of their military attire, including shields, shoes, and clothing

• Throughout the Middle Ages leather was oftentimes used to cover dining room chairs because it was durable
• The Industrial Revolution created a new need for leather in machinery, like machine belts, for example
• Chrome Tanning- using chromium salt to preserve the leather- became popular during the Industrial Revolution because it yielded a softer leather that was more comfortable in clothing and upholstery
• In 1954, Marlon Brando popularized the leather jacket when he wore it in The Wild Ones

• In the 70’s and 80’s, leather apparel was associated with the punk rock scene, and bands such as The Sex Pistols and The Ramones

• Leather has come a long way. Today technological advances have made it possible for leather to have many different textures and be dyed many different colors. These new advances, and leather’s natural durability have made it a staple in many closets today