What is Brain Tanned Leather?
The main tanning agent used to produce brain tanned leather is—you guessed it —animal brains. It might sound questionable, but this technique is actually extremely practical and historically has been one of the most common tanning methods used by indigenous people all over the world. Today, brain tanned leather has been relegated to the background in favor of alternative tanning methods that are more viable for mass production; unsurprisingly, brains are less accessible than some other tanning agents. Despite this, brain tanned leather has a cultural presence in Native American communities, and it continues to exist as an artisan technique.
What are the Properties of Brain Tanned Leather?
One of the first things to keep in mind is that brain tanning is a lot more versatile than you might expect. It can be applied to hides from a wide variety of animals, far beyond the usual candidates like deer and moose hides. In fact, with very few exceptions, almost any type of leather can be brain tanned, though the particular properties may vary depending on the animal and the leather’s intended use. With that out of the way, there are a few things that most brain tanned leathers will have in common.
Soft and Durable
Leather that has been made via brain tanning has some very desirable characteristics. In particular, brain tanned leather is extremely soft and flexible. Normally, you might expect traits like these to come at the cost of sturdiness, but brain tanned leather doesn’t sacrifice any of its durability to achieve them. On the contrary, it’s renowned as being an exceptionally long-lasting type of leather.
Smoked Leather
A crucial step in brain tanning involves smoking the hide over a fire. In fact, this is arguably the most important part of the entire process. The heat helps to dry the hide, and the smoke coats its surface with particulate matter. These particles play a role in softening the material, but they also leave a residue which helps to protect the hide, and which makes it much more water-resistant.
The most noticeable consequence, though, is the scent. Leather that has been smoked over a fire has a very rich smell which can remain for months afterwards. For a lot of people, this is something to love about brain tanned leather, but if you have a sensitive nose, you don’t need to worry; it will eventually fade.
Natural Appearance
A lot of tanning methods can significantly alter the appearance of the original hide, and might employ measures to ‘correct’ the grain. This is not the case with brain tanned leather. Any pockmarks or blemishes on the hide will remain even after the tanning process is complete. Some people might enjoy the more authentic look this provides, but this doesn’t appeal to everyone. Ultimately, whether this is a favorable trait or not will depend on individual preferences.
How is Brain Tanned Leather Made?
Brain tanned leather commands a high price tag in part because of the amount of work required. The nature of this particular tanning method is such that a great deal of the labor has to be done by hand, which can be a fairly time-consuming process.
In general, the preparation of brain tanned leather begins with the washing of the animal pelt, in order to clean off any excess dirt or grime. Once it’s been tidied up a bit, the pelt is stretched onto a frame or sprawled over a table, and a knife or animal bone is used to scrape off the grain and the hair. This is a tedious procedure that has to be done with care, as any leftover grain can cause the hide to stiffen.
At this point, the tanning agent is ready to be applied. A solution is prepared by mixing the animal brains and fats into water. Technically, nothing else is needed in the solution, but it’s not uncommon for people to add things like eggs or olive oil, which can help soften the leather even more.
This mixture is then rubbed into the hide, where it is left to dry for several hours. During this time, it can be worked with tools to make it more flexible, and it’s possible to repeat this procedure a few times, alternating between applying the tanning solution and then scraping the pelt’s surface.
Once fully saturated with tannins, the final step is to smoke the hide. This is normally done by stretching it onto a frame placed above a fire, where it is left to absorb smoke for a time ranging anywhere from a few hours to around a week. When the fire dies down, you’re left with a lovely new piece of brain tanned leather.
Is Brain Tanned Leather Sustainable?
It’s understandable if the idea of treating animal brains as a tanning solution raises some eyebrows. However, the truth is that there are very few tanning methods more sustainable than brain tanned leather. The cause for this is twofold, but both reasons can actually be attributed to the use of animal brains.
In general, the most problematic part of the tanning process has to do with the chemicals involved. Many modern leathers are manufactured in factories designed for mass production, and rely on synthetic chemicals like chrome alum, which often have substantial effects on the environment. In contrast, brain tanned leather avoids this problem altogether, since just about everything you need in order to tan the hide is provided by the animal itself.
For this same reason, brain tanned leather is not feasible to make in bulk amounts. In this particular instance, being poorly suited for large scale production could actually be considered an advantage. By avoiding the assembly-line, brain tanned leather has remained very much within the domain of individuals and small businesses, where it has a minimal environmental impact. One of our biggest priorities is the use of environmentally friendly leather, and although we don’t use brain tanned leather ourselves, it earns high marks for its sustainability.
Conclusion
Although it’s one of the more niche tanning methods out there, brain tanned leather deserves praise for its cultural and historical importance as well as the excellent quality of the leather itself. This is reflected in the steep prices which genuine brain tanned leather demands, seeing as it is often produced by just a few people over many hours of work. If you do choose to invest in a piece of brain tanned leather, you’re likely to find a lifelong companion in it, and a testament to the art of leather tanning.
