Leather Technologist

Job Description:

Leather technologists prepare, treat and finish leather to make it ready for manufacturing.

Job Category:

Chemicals

See Chemicals jobs

What you will do:

In your day-to-day duties you could:

remove hair and tissue to prepare the leather
use salt, chemicals and natural extracts to clean, tan and preserve the hides
colour and dry the leather
apply finishes to hide flaws and add waterproof coatings
research, test and sample chemicals and dye products in the laboratory
monitor waste and by-products
write up research and operational reports
quality control the leather before it’s sent to the manufacturers

Skills:

You’ll need:

knowledge of chemistry including the safe use and disposal of chemicals
knowledge of manufacturing production and processes
to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

As well as:

to be thorough and pay attention to detail
the ability to work well with your hands
the ability to use your initiative (drive)
the ability to work well with others (teamwork)
observation and recording skills
physical skills like strength and coordination

Illustration of employee looking at workspace

Entry Requirements:

You can get into this job through:

a university course
a college course
an apprenticeship

University
You could do a degree in:

leather technology
fashion and design technology
garment technology

You could also do a postgraduate course in leather technology at university. You’ll need experience in the industry or a relevant first degree to apply.

College
You could do a Diploma in Apparel, Footwear or Leather Production.

Apprenticeship
You could do a leather craftsperson intermediate apprenticeship or a fashion and textiles product technologist higher apprenticeship.

Working Hours and Environment:

You could work in an office, in a laboratory, in a factory or in a workshop.

You may need to wear protective clothing.

Career Path & Progression:

With experience, you could move into related jobs like production manager, company chemist, buyer or technical salesperson.

You could move into other jobs in quality control, research or technical management. You could also move into related areas such as buying, sales or marketing.

You could set up your own research or consultancy business and work freelance for retail firms and leather companies.

Leather Technologist