SAEDNEWS: "Are you familiar with the art of Seraji? Do you know what kinds of products can be created with this craft? Join Saed News as we explore and discover the beauty of this traditional art."
At first glance, it may be hard for some to believe that the hides of animals such as cows can, through a process, be transformed into products that today represent one of the most profitable trades in the world, spanning clothing, apparel, and various consumer goods. Beyond the “tanning” process—preparing animal hides using industrial machinery and certain chemicals to produce leather—there is a stage known as “Sarraji,” traditionally practiced. This stage is one of the areas where Iranians have long showcased their creativity and artistry through professional engagement. In essence, what transforms animal leather into one of the essential consumable items of our daily life is Sarraji, or leather crafting. Despite the availability of artificial alternatives, genuine leather products retain their authenticity, and few people can resist them in favor of synthetic, often low-quality substitutes.
Sarraji, or traditional leather crafting, is one of the oldest Iranian arts. It is essentially the art of using natural leather to decorate and create leather products through traditional methods. Leather handicrafts have always been highly popular due to their adaptability to diverse tastes and demands. The importance of leather in handicrafts is rooted in its physical properties: it is sewable like fabric, moldable like wood, stretchable, and highly receptive to color and shape alterations. These qualities allow a creative artisan to transform leather into a variety of forms and practical applications.
Early humans used the hides of hunted animals as clothing. However, these raw hides had significant drawbacks: they were damp, and in warm weather, the fur would fall off, the skin would rot and tear, and dried hides became stiff, brittle, and unusable for clothing. Over time, humans developed techniques to process hides for greater utility, a practice now known as tanning. They used soot, extracts from wood and leaves, animal fat, fish oil, and salts (such as white alum) to improve the durability and flexibility of hides. These processes enabled the production of leather tools and items such as clothing, shoes, tents, mats, armor, and bridles.
The precise date of the leather industry’s emergence in Iran is unknown. Archaeological studies suggest that as early as 1500 BCE, Iranians used hides and leather for clothing. Russian researcher Igor Yakutov notes that the wealthy used luxury hides, such as cheetah skin, while the less affluent used sheep leather. By around 550 BCE, Iranian clothing and armor incorporated leather and wood. Iranian tanned leather was of high quality and, following the advent of Islam, was exported to all Islamic countries. Traditional tanning in Iran relied primarily on plant-based materials; however, due to the secrecy of workshop methods, quality eventually declined, and progress stagnated in this sector.
Historically, animal husbandry thrived in various regions, making animal hides readily available. Consequently, there were many Sarraji artisans and tanners. Tanners prepared the hides and provided them to Sarraji artisans, who then skillfully created diverse handmade products. In the not-so-distant past, city and village residents visited Sarraji markets for shoes, saddles, armor, bridles, and hunting equipment.
Leather products include men’s and women’s handbags, rifle and pistol covers, suitcases, ammunition pouches, equestrian gear, belts (including traditional sports belts), eyeglass cases, camera cases, and other leather accessories. Today, leather crafting is primarily decorative, focusing on handbags, phone cases, belts, and similar items.
Leather production developed gradually over time. Ancient inscriptions and tablets describe methods and materials used in traditional tanning. The process relies on ancestral experience and includes the following stages:
Soaking: Dry hides are soaked for 3–6 days depending on thickness to soften them. Fresh hides do not require soaking.
Lime Treatment and Fleshing: Softened hides are layered in clay jars, sprinkled with lime, and covered with water. After 4–6 days, hair and fur easily separate from the hides.
Barley Flour Application and Re-scraping: After hair removal, hides are layered in jars with barley flour and water. Fermentation swells the hides, preparing them for tanning agents.
Salting: Hides are placed in large basins, salted, and left for 3–4 days.
Tanning: Hides are placed in pits with wood and brick walls. Each layer is sprinkled with tannin-rich material (mazu) and pressed daily for 4–5 days to ensure penetration.
Drying and Flattening: Post-tanning, hides are sun-dried and carefully flattened on tables.
Dyeing: Leather is dyed using materials such as weld, madder, plant-based dyes, and white soap. Dyed hides are hung on wooden rods to dry completely.
Polishing: Tanned hides are polished with a smoothing tool to shine. Applying oil at this stage increases softness and flexibility.
Measuring: Finished leather is measured for area.
Packaging: Leather is packaged for market distribution.
Prepared leather is handed to Sarraji artisans, who use specialized tools and their creativity to produce diverse products. Tools vary depending on the product but generally include: cutting tools, chisels, clamps, needles, awls, hammers, punches, rivet setters, pliers, low tables, and leather stitching threads.
Leather must be protected from sharp objects, as scratches are irreversible. Ink stains are permanent, and perfumes or sprays should never be applied directly to leather, suede, or nubuck. Leather garments should never be machine-washed, as detergents and water can severely damage them.
Traditional Sarraji (leather crafting) is one of hundreds of authentic Iranian handicrafts. This art, originating from Kermanshah, has recently been registered as a national heritage.
