HAIR-SAVING ENZYME-ASSISTED UNHAIRING - INFLUENCE OF ENZYMATIC PRODUCTS UPON FINAL LEATHER QUALITY

The influence of enzyme action-during hair-saving unhairing-on the gra in layer and grain surface of two kinds of leather (upholstery and a f irm upper leather) is described in this paper. Two experiments were pe rformed involving two variations of the unhairing process: hair-saving enzyme-assisted unhairing and hair-saving ''chemical'' unhairing. The first experiment involved upholstery leather and the second involved firm upper leather. The unhairing processes were applied at CITEC's ex perimental plant, by using five cattle hides for each unhairing. The p elt was processed in the tannery's production line, to the semi-finish ed leather stage. At this stage, a subjective inspection was performed and an official sampling area was taken from every leather to evaluat e their physical-mechanical properties. Then, both types of leather we re finished at the tannery. The results obtained led to the following conclusions: the physical-mechanical properties of the leather were no t impaired when compared with the figures corresponding to normal prod uction leather. for both types of leather (upholstery and firm upper l eather), the ''buffing effect'' on the grain was more noticeable in th e ''enzyme-unhaired'' leathers. In tanneries producing corrected grain leathers, an enzyme-assisted unhairing process could be used, especia lly for finished leather. Concerning articles made without a film-cove ring finish, our observations of an uneven dye absorption in enzyme-un haired leather should be noted.