Ecological concerns have become key issues in the present
global industrial activities. In this context, integrated cleaner
leather processing capable of improving the effluent quality
will be the most appropriate theme for sustainable growth in
leather industry. In this investigation, an integrated leather process
has been explored. Using the optimized dehairing and sodium
hydroxide based fibre-opening process, an integrated
tanning process has been formulated employing a pickle and
basification-free chrome tanning. Experimentally processed
leathers reveal higher percentage of chromium content as compared
to conventionally processed leather. Scanning electron
microscopic analysis of both control and experimental leather
samples shows that the grain surface is clean and separation of
fibre bundles is good, indicating the efficacy of the developed process.