"Leather is a durable and flexible material created by the tanning of animal rawhide and skin, often cattle hide. It can be produced through manufacturing processes ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry. Leather industry is a very old manufacturing sector producing a broad range of goods such as leather footwear, leather bags, leather garments, and so on. The raw material used in leather industry is derived from the waste product of food industry, specifically from meat processing. This waste product is converted into desirable and useful leather products. Leather and its products are one of the most traded products globally. The leather industry has a long history dating back hundreds of years. It is a $100 billion manufacturing sector that produces leather hides and goods all around the world. The most popular hides are from cows, sheep, goats, and pigs. The most popular products are shoes, clothing, and upholstery. So many people, and so many countries, are involved in the processing and production of leather goods. It’s an amazing world trade that yields products most of us use on a daily basis.

This book assesses the worldwide prospects of the leather and leather products industry in the coming decade. It examines the major underlying trends of recent years and how they are expected to evolve in the short to medium term. In its attempt to provide a thorough picture of the leather sector, the book covers its various aspects: the availability of raw material, the tanning industry, and the manufacture of footwear and other leather products. Chapter 1 presents an overview of the principles of post-tanning operations. It covers relationship between tanning and post tanning. Finally, it focuses on compact processing and post tanning operation. The post-tanning stage is made up of further chemical treatments designed to improve the appearance of the leathers and make them suitable for commercial uses. After tanning, the leather still appears rigid and wet and has the color typical of the tanning process used. Chapter 2 focuses on accounting and costing in leather industry. It is important to understand the terms cost, costing, cost accounting and cost accountancy. Chapter 3 focuses on the methods of leather manufacture. It explores on how to make leather, the leather making methods, and the preparatory stages. Chapter 4 focuses on chemistry of leather that explores the chemical analysis of leather and chemical testing of leather. Chapter 5 details about footwear and leather goods technology. It details the value addition to leather industry wastes and by-products. The leather industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. Footwear has become an indispensable fashion accessory. As a result, considerable attention is now centered on designing and creating foot wear which are fashionable as well as long lasting. Chapter 6 focuses on mechanics of leather machines. The many uses of leather have largely relied on the range of mechanical properties which it can provide, according to the raw material employed in its manufacture and the manufacturing processes themselves. The contrasting behavior of a stiff sole leather and of a fine gloving leather exemplify this point. Chapter 7 sheds light on safety and occupational health hazard of leather industry. The technological developments in the world have positive reflections in working life. Besides, the labor productivity of the workers has become important as a result of the increasing number of machines, increasing production speed, competitive structure and rapid market changes. It has become a necessity for workers to work in healthy and safe environments. At this point, occupational health and safety gains importance because it’s a field of concerning human health and job safety. "