ABSTRACT
The chamois are tanned by traditional methods using unsaturated oil such as cod liver oil to give a soft and natural feel to the product. Typically chamois leather is used to dry off surfaces after washing; this is due to the absorbency of the leather (Bayramoglu 2006). In addition, grime particles are drawn away from the surface being cleaned. The particles are held within the hollow fi bre of the leather, eliminating abrasion. Other uses of oil tanned leathers are for glove-making and for fi ltering water from petrol, etc. Chamois leather has a characteristic yellow colour and because of this reason it is not necessary to dye it. It is an example of a leathering type of process because, although it resists microbial attack, the shrinkage temperature is not raised signifi cantly above the value of raw pelt. In essence, the process involves fi lling wet pelt with unsaturated oil, then polymerising the oil in situ by oxidation (Covington 2009).
