SATRA to hold intensive leather course in UK

Highlighting details of this upcoming event.

SATRA’s ‘Intensive Leather’ course has been designed for manufacturers, sourcing companies and retailers of all types of footwear, leather goods, gloving, garments, accessories and upholstery. It is ideal for newly appointed technologists, designers and buyers, as well as more experienced personnel. The programme is therefore suitable for everyone whose knowledge of leather is limited or even non-existent, but can also act as a valuable refresher for members of staff who are quite familiar with using leather in their products.

While the emphasis will be mainly on footwear, this training will also be applicable to other leather products, such as bags, accessories and clothing. This is because problems encountered with leather as a material are generally the same for most products. This two-day course will be next held at SATRA’s head office in Kettering, UK on 16th and 17th April 2025.

The programme

The course will begin by considering the basic facts about leather – what it is as a material and, as each skin or hide is unique, the characteristics that are inherited from the farm. Delegates attending these sessions will discuss how leather is made, with an emphasis on the process stages that are important to its final quality and performance.

The differences between leather from cattle, sheep, goats and pigs will be examined, and their suitability for different components and types of footwear. The use of exotics can also be explained if requested. The discussion will include terminology used in the industry, how leather can be graded and used efficiently to avoid wastage, and the issue of sustainability – comparing leather as a material to alternative options.

The event will conclude with a consideration of the testing and specifying of leather. This presents an opportunity for delegates to introduce examples of products or materials that they would like to discuss, which can be done on a one-to-one basis or within the group as appropriate.

Publishing Data

This article was originally published on page 10 of the January 2025 issue of SATRA Bulletin.

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