Hide

A hide or skin is an animal skin tanned or dried for human use. The term hide applies to all leather, with and without the animal hair on the surface. The term hide sometimes includes furs, which are harvested from various species with soft hair.

There is a distinction between "skin" and "hide" in the English-speaking countries. It`s not always clear when which of the two terms should be used. Experts designate all small skins as "skin". But also all hides of hoofed animals. Pig leather is also referred to as "skin" and the hides of young animals. Only the skins of animals with a shoulder height of more than one meter are called "hides". It is unclear with the kangaroo. Through the upright walk the shoulders are high, but by the physique the hides are not always very large depending, on the type.

Skin

Skin is the outer covering of humans and animals and has various functions: it affects the body temperature; it is a sense organ for heat, cold, touch and pain; and it protects against injuries, bacteria and the sun. On some areas of skin grows more or less hair.

The skin of cattle consists of 33% proteins, 2-6% fats, 65% water and 0.5% minerals. It is divided into three layers: epidermis (about 1% of the thickness), dermis (about 85%) and hypodermis (about 15%). The dermis is the layer used in leather production.

All mammals and races have different types of skin. The skin varies according to age, gender, nutrition and climate. A leather skin also contains different leather fibre structures. All this must be considered by the tanner when selecting the raw material, and in the production process, in order to provide leather of good quality.

The tanned leather skins, which have not yet been cut to size, are called hides. The hair of the animal can be removed or still be present on hides. Hides with very soft hair are called furs.