Manufacture of Exotic Leather and Small Leather Goods from Ovine Stomach

Leathers made from exotic skins or rare parts of animals have very good market value. The exotic leathers are usually preferred because of their patterns, naturally occurring marks and their unique structures. The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of tanning the ovine stomach into novelty leather and leather products. The ovine stomach was converted into an exotic leather using oil tanning methodology, with goat oil as a tanning agent. The rumen and reticulum parts of the stomach were taken through pre-tanning, tanning and post-tanning operation. The resultant leather had a different grain from the ordinary leather. Then mechanical operations like drying, toggling and staking were done. Physical properties of the leathers were analyzed by determining their thickness, tensile strength, elongation at break, tear strength, flex endurance and ball burst extension test. The grain structure of the leathers was analyzed using a light microscope. The results of physical tests were poor compared to the grains of conventional leathers since the composition of raw outer coverings of animals and those of the stomach are different. The leather processed from this non-conventional source has been found suitable for manufacturing fancy small leather goods like coin purse, key holders, purses and wallets.