Leather Manufacturing

Leather was one of man’s earliest manufactures, perhaps even the first. The processes and methods of making leather are the same all over the world. Preparation for tanning includes such operations as: 1)curing, 2)fleshing, 3)unhearing, 4)bating. Leather manufacture may be divided into three main stages: 1)preparation for tanning, 2)tanning, 3) finishing. Skins are brought to the tannery in a cured condition, curing may be done by salting. Salt stops the bacterial action. Unhearing or depilation is removal of the hair and epidermis. The first chemical method of depilation was that in which slaked lime employed. These processes don’t distinguish considerably from the four ones. Clay and magnesia reduce the lime content. These materials make the lime slaked with difficulty. It is important that the lime should be entirely removed. The lime solution weakens the hair roots. Short liming is necessary in the manufacture of shoe leather. The action of lime on tanning is very harmful.

Vitebsk

The Vitebsk region, one of the six administrative regions which make up Belarus, is located in the north east of the country. The Vitebsk region of Belarus borders Russia, Lithuania and Latvia. It is still an important center of arts and is surrounded by stunning countryside. Vitebsk is often referred to as the cultural Capital of Belarus. It is best known as the birthplace of the Jewish painter Marc Chagall and his home has been preserved and operates as a museum. There is also museum dedicated to his works that also frequently hosts exhibitions by the city’s large modernist, avant-garde artist. In November, the city holds the International Festival of Modern Choreography, which plays host to dance companies from around the world. There is not a great deal of fine dining available in Vitebsk, nor a great deal of variety. The best regarded restaurant for both atmosphere and food quality is “Traktir”, located in close proximity to city hall and provides a portion of its menu in English. There is also a passable Chiness restaurant, “ Zolotoye Drakon”, another few short blocks away, which also issues it’s menu in English. “Café Teatralnoye”, underneath the Yakub Kolas. Theatre, has a fairly extensive menu and reasonably attractive dining area.

History of Footwear

No one knows when people first began to wear shoes.

The early form of footwear was probably a single piece of row hide often with the hair attached and facing outwards. According to climate terrain and the way of life of the people three types of footwear evolved in different parts of the world. The first known footwear used in warm climates was sandal. It was a piece of material cut in the form of the foot. Boots were customary in cold mountainous regions as well as the open steppes and hot sandy desert conditions. The shoe developed in colder regions. The Romans left for us more than 130 drawings of their footwear. The better quality Roman shoes were made in leather or cloth, dyed in various colors and with gilt and embroidery. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Roman styles of shoes continued to be worn for many centuries. Better class shoes were shaped to the foot and were made of leather a fabric in all colors. Shoes were fastened with lacks, buttons or buckles and pattern protected delicate designs out-of-doors. Pointe-for shoe was introduced in the late eleventh century and for time this was cut and shaped in the form of a scorpion’s fail of ram’s horns. They were made of leather, velvet or satin in all colors. The heel was established and grew in height from one inch to or two and half inches. During the eighteenth century women’s shoes were made of many different materials: kid, satin, brocade, velvet. Until the wid-1800s, most people wore homemade shoes or bought shoes front a shoe maker who lived nearby or travelled from house to house. In 1882 the shoe-lasting machine was invented by an American wafer, Ernst Mate liger by name. Today many shoe-manufacturing operations are automated. For example, shoes may be designer on a computer. In addition, components may be cut by a facer and stitched by computer-controlled slithers such improvements enable many factures to respond to style change quickly and with reduced costs.