Fez is the center of the Moroccan leather industry. Tanning hides may be dirty and smelly work but some one has to do it.This job is not for the faint of hearts a difficult chore requiring strength and endurance. The products from the tannery are products to be proud of but few will know the journey the skin they adorn went through. Much of the tannery odour comes from pigeon droppings. Pigeon droppings contain ammonia that soften the skin making the skin become like a piece of cloth.
Visitors to the tanneries climb up narrow stairs and look down on the tanning process, smelling mint leaves to sweeten the smell of the tannery. The dying is still done mostly by hand in huge vats. Skins are then laid out to dry after being dyed.
WATCH VIDEO ON THE TANNERY
Moroccan Tannery video by National geographic
(the young man's story in this clip is very sad)
6 comments:
Interesting work! Didn't manage to read through everything...but I'll be coming back.
Very interesting, but at the same time a hard work.
Last summer I have seen Brazilian soup opera, named "Clon". This film was shoot in Morocco, in Fez. So, I have seen such tanneries, but i did not know what it is.
It is very interesting system of dyeing leather.
The tannery was fascinating and I am amzed at the generations of folks who work there. I bought a wonderful butter soft leather jacket that is wonderful and smell free. But, in the nearby Medina I bought a belt that did not seem 'fragrant' but it is. HELP...anyone know how to get rid of the smell..permanently. I alredy tried 'vanilla', the advise form a collegue. If you can help please add your comment to the blogs on this site.
Cheers
deep breath
The tannery was fascinating and I am amzed at the generations of folks who work there. I bought a wonderful butter soft leather jacket that is wonderful and smell free. But, in the nearby Medina I bought a belt that did not seem 'fragrant' but it is. HELP...anyone know how to get rid of the smell..permanently. I already tried 'vanilla', the advise from a collegue...not the answer. If you can help please add your comment to the blogs on this site.
Cheers
deep breath
Do you people have a facebook fan page? I searched for one on facebook or twitter but could not discover one, I’d really like to become a fan!
Very nice article and straight to the point. I am not sure if this is actually the best place to ask but do you people have any thoughts on where to hire some professional writers? Thx :)
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