Storing or Saving Animal Skins In Kasur’s Leather Industry,
Is a critical part of the leather production process. Kasur, located in Punjab, Pakistan, is one of the country’s most prominent leather hubs. The city is home to hundreds of tanneries and plays a vital role in Pakistan’s leather exports. To ensure high-quality leather production, proper storage and preservation of raw animal skins is essential.
Below is a detailed exploration of how animal skins are stored or saved in the Kasur leather industry:
🐄 1. Importance of Proper Skin Preservation
Animal skins (mainly from cows, buffaloes, goats, and sheep) are highly perishable. Without proper preservation, the skin can decompose quickly, especially in hot and humid conditions. Spoiled skins lead to lower leather quality and economic losses.
🧊 2. Methods of Preserving Animal Skins in Kasur
Kasur tanneries use several techniques to store and save raw hides and skins, depending on time, transport conditions, and final leather quality:
a. Salting Method (Dry Salt and Wet Salt)
Most Common Method in Kasur.
How it Works: The flesh side of the skin is treated with common salt (NaCl) to prevent bacterial growth.
Dry Salting: The skin is covered with salt and stacked in layers for 7–10 days.
Wet Salting: Involves using a brine solution for quicker preservation.
✅ Benefits:
Low cost
Easily available salt
Simple for transport and storage
b. Air Drying (Sun Drying)
Less common in industrial tanneries but used in rural or small-scale operations.
Skins are stretched and dried under the sun or in shaded air circulation.
❗Drawbacks: Can lead to stiff skins and may damage collagen fibers if not done correctly.
c. Freezing Method
Rare in Kasur due to lack of freezing infrastructure and high electricity costs.
Used in high-end export-grade leather storage.
🧰 3. Temporary Storage Before Tanning
Once preserved by salting or drying:
Skins are bundled and stored in cool, shaded storage houses to avoid heat and pests.
Kept away from direct sunlight, moisture, and rodents/insects.
Stored on wooden pallets or shelves, never on bare floors.
🧼 4. Sorting and Grading Before Tanning
Before tanning, skins are:
Sorted by species (cow, buffalo, goat, etc.)
Graded by quality (based on cuts, holes, grain quality)
Logged in record books with details like date, origin, and preservation method.
This step ensures:
Proper inventory control
Efficient supply to tanneries for processing
🔒 5. Long-Term Preservation for Export or Tannery Delay
If skins need to be stored for a longer time:
Re-salting is done after every few weeks.
Antibacterial agents or fungicides may be applied to prevent microbial growth.
Temperature control is ensured in advanced facilities.
🏭 6. Environmental Considerations in Kasur
The preservation process, especially salting, can lead to environmental challenges:
Salt runoff contributes to soil and water salinity.
Efforts are underway to promote eco-friendly alternatives like enzyme-based preservation.
🧪 7. Innovations and Modern Techniques
Some modern tanneries in Kasur are adopting:
Vacuum drying techniques
Biological preservatives (enzyme-based)
Chilled storage systems for export-quality hides
🧵 Extended Exploration: How to Store or Save Animal Skins in Kasur’s Leather Industry
🐐 1. Sources of Animal Skins
In Kasur, animal skins are sourced from:
Slaughterhouses (urban and rural)
Meat markets
Private farms and livestock owners
Eid-ul-Adha donations (a seasonal surge)
Skins collected are typically from:
Cows and buffaloes (for thicker, durable leather)
Goats and sheep (for soft, supple leather like suede and nappa)
🧺 2. Immediate Post-Slaughter Handling
After slaughter:
The skin must be removed within 1 hour to avoid decomposition.
It's washed lightly to remove blood and dirt.
It is folded flesh side inwards to prevent contamination and minimize drying.
Negligence in this stage can cause:
Hair slip (hair falling off)
Putrefaction (bacterial rot)
Lower leather yield
🧂 3. Detailed Preservation Techniques
🔹 A. Salting (Primary Preservation Method)
Used by more than 85% of handlers in Kasur.
Steps:
Lay skin flat with flesh side up.
Apply salt in a 2:1 ratio (2 kg salt per 1 skin).
Fold or roll skins and stack for 1–2 weeks.
Excess salt is shaken off before tanning.
✔️ Effective for 30+ days if stored properly.
✔️ Low-cost and available across Pakistan.
🔹 B. Brining (Wet Salting)
Submerging skins in saturated saltwater solution.
Used by larger tanneries for faster preservation.
✔️ Good for transport within 3–5 days.
❗ Heavier and more difficult to handle.
🔹 C. Drying (Air or Shade Drying)
Used in villages or Eid-ul-Adha surplus season.
Skins are stretched on wooden frames or wires.
Dried under shade to prevent UV damage.
✔️ Reduces weight and cost of transportation.
❗ May cause stiffness or cracks if over-dried.
🏠 4. Storage Conditions
To store skins safely before tanning, Kasur tanneries ensure:
📦 Storage Setup
Cool and well-ventilated storage sheds
Skins kept off the floor using wooden racks or pallets
No plastic wrapping – it traps moisture and causes decay
⚠️ Avoid
Heat and direct sunlight (speeds up decay)
Contact with other rotting skins
Insects or rodents (can eat or infect hides)
⏱️ Storage Duration
Salted skins: Up to 1–2 months
Air-dried skins: Up to 3 months (depending on humidity)
Chilled/frozen skins: Up to 6 months (rare in Kasur)
🧑🏭 5. Grading, Sorting & Record-Keeping
Each skin is:
Tagged with origin, date, and preservation type
Graded by size, species, defects, holes, or cuts
Categorized for export or local processing
This ensures better quality control and custom leather matching for customers.
🧪 6. Antibacterial & Antifungal Treatments
Advanced tanneries use:
Biocide sprays on salted skins
Fungicides during wet season storage
Natural preservatives like neem oil (in small-scale rural settings)
This protects skins from mold and bacteria while stored for longer periods.
🌍 7. Sustainable & Eco-Friendly Practices (Emerging Trends)
Kasur, under environmental pressure due to waste from salting, is slowly transitioning to:
Enzyme-based preservation (non-toxic, biodegradable)
Vacuum-sealed storage for export hides
Low-salt or salt-free preservation (research-backed)
Government and NGOs are also promoting:
Training programs on sustainable handling
Modern warehouse infrastructure in industrial zones
🚛 8. Transportation to Tanneries
Once preserved:
Skins are bundled and loaded onto covered trucks or vans
Delivered to tanning units in Kasur’s industrial area
Inspection is done before soaking and liming (first steps of tanning)
🧭 9. Seasonal Challenges & Eid-ul-Adha Management
During Eid-ul-Adha:
Massive influx of animal skins in short time
Makeshift salting and collection centers are set up
Tanneries and charities work together to collect and store within 24–48 hours
Skins are:
Stored in temporary salt pits
Then moved to central warehouses across Kasur
The process of storing and saving animal skins in Kasur's leather industry is a crucial first step in ensuring high-quality leather production. Most tanneries rely on traditional methods like dry and wet salting due to their effectiveness and low cost.
Proper handling, cleaning, salting, drying, and storage conditions are maintained to prevent spoilage and degradation of the hides. Skins are then sorted, graded, and carefully stored in well-ventilated warehouses before entering the tanning process.
However, with increasing awareness of environmental concerns, modern and sustainable preservation techniques such as enzyme-based treatments and eco-friendly storage methods are gradually being introduced.
The city's ability to handle large volumes of animal skins — especially during peak seasons like Eid-ul-Adha — showcases Kasur’s well-organized infrastructure and skilled workforce.
Ultimately, the success and reputation of Kasur as Pakistan’s leading leather hub depend greatly on the efficiency, hygiene, and sustainability of its skin preservation and storage practices.
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