Modern leathers conservation project seeks industry contributions
The Leather Conservation Centre (LCC) and the Society of Leather Technologists and Chemists have launched a joint project to address emerging conservation challenges linked to modern leathers.
The term refers to leathers produced from around the 1920s onwards using new industrial materials and techniques. These materials are appearing more frequently in heritage collections, but their chemistry, ageing behaviour and manufacturing history are not yet well understood.
Current conservation approaches often draw on plastics research and do not fully account for the leather component, creating potential long-term risks.
The project will document key developments affecting modern leathers, including new tannages, surface finishes, raw material quality and market trends. A reference library of modern leather samples will also be created to support research into degradation, environmental vulnerability and future conservation strategies.
The Society of Leather Technologists and Chemists is setting up a volunteer working group to support the initiative. The partners are also inviting tanneries to contribute leather samples with composition recipes for reference and recording. Any proprietary information will be protected.
More info can be found here
