leather

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leather Animal hide, treated to make it hard-wearing and resistant to decay. Most leather comes from cattle hide, but many other kinds of skin are used too. The skin is first cured, via a drying process or the application of salt. It is then washed and prepared for tanning, a process that usually consists of treating the skin with a solution of chromium salts or plant extract (tannin). Other processes include dyeing, oiling and the application of various finishes, such as varnish.

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