A process for leather production from a raw animal hide includes the steps of pre-soaking, soaking, unhairing and liming, re-liming, deliming and bating, pickling and tanning, degreasing, re-tanning, neutralizing, dyeing and fatliquoring, and washing the processed hide. Waste liquid is collected from at least one of the foregoing steps is recycled to at least one of the foregoing steps. The collected waste liquid can be recycled to the same step, to a different step, or to two of more steps in the process.

Methods and systems for sorting hides are provided. In particular, one or more embodiments comprise a tanning control system that enhances the traceability of hides by capturing and utilizing data related to the unloading, tanning, sorting, and packaging of hides. Furthermore, one or more embodiments enable the tanning control system to improve efficiency by sorting hides based, at least in part, on data generated during prior tanning processes. Additionally, one or more embodiments facilitate the tanning control system in customizing the sorting and packaging of hides based, at least in part, on one or more hide characteristics and/or customer specifications.

Methods and systems for sorting hides are provided. In particular, one or more embodiments comprise a tanning control system that enhances the traceability of hides by capturing and utilizing data related to the unloading, tanning, sorting, and packaging of hides. Furthermore, one or more embodiments enable the tanning control system to improve efficiency by sorting hides based, at least in part, on data generated during prior tanning processes. Additionally, one or more embodiments facilitate the tanning control system in customizing the sorting and packaging of hides based, at least in part, on one or more hide characteristics and/or customer specifications.

An aqueous orthosilicate solution comprising m[SiO4.sup.4?]+nX.sup.1+ in an aqueous solution wherein X is an alkali metal cation selected from the group consisting of sodium or potassium; and wherein n is four to five times greater than m. The aqueous orthosilicate solution is made by adding silicon particles of less than about 3 cm and water to a pressure vessel followed by adding a molar excess of alkali caustic to the pressure vessel containing the silicon particles. The temperature in the vessel is maintained not to exceed about 190? F. while an aqueous orthosilicate solution is formed. Upon cooling the formed aqueous orthosilicate solution is recovery. Aluminum or CuO can be added during the initial heating.

An aqueous orthosilicate solution comprising m[SiO4.sup.4?]+nX.sup.1+ in an aqueous solution wherein X is an alkali metal cation selected from the group consisting of sodium or potassium; and wherein n is four to five times greater than m. The aqueous orthosilicate solution is made by adding silicon particles of less than about 3 cm and water to a pressure vessel followed by adding a molar excess of alkali caustic to the pressure vessel containing the silicon particles. The temperature in the vessel is maintained not to exceed about 190? F. while an aqueous orthosilicate solution is formed. Upon cooling the formed aqueous orthosilicate solution is recovery. Aluminum or CuO can be added during the initial heating.

Methods and systems for sorting hides are provided. In particular, one or more embodiments comprise a tanning control system that enhances the traceability of hides by capturing and utilizing data related to the unloading, tanning, sorting, and packaging of hides. Furthermore, one or more embodiments enable the tanning control system to improve efficiency by sorting hides based, at least in part, on data generated during prior tanning processes. Additionally, one or more embodiments facilitate the tanning control system in customizing the sorting and packaging of hides based, at least in part, on one or more hide characteristics and/or customer specifications.

Methods and systems for sorting hides are provided. In particular, one or more embodiments comprise a tanning control system that enhances the traceability of hides by capturing and utilizing data related to the unloading, tanning, sorting, and packaging of hides. Furthermore, one or more embodiments enable the tanning control system to improve efficiency by sorting hides based, at least in part, on data generated during prior tanning processes. Additionally, one or more embodiments facilitate the tanning control system in customizing the sorting and packaging of hides based, at least in part, on one or more hide characteristics and/or customer specifications.

Compositions and methods for cleaning and decontaminating animal carcasses are disclosed. The compositions comprise a mud ball remover having a thioglycolate salt and a base and an antimicrobial agent effective to remove mud balls and reduce microbial contamination of a hide surface at ambient temperatures. The methods comprise cleaning and decontaminating an animal carcass by applying the disclosed compositions onto the surface of the animal carcass to soften and loosen foreign debris attached to the carcass followed by mechanically removing the foreign debris while preserving the integrity and quality of the hide byproduct and resulting leather articles.

A recycling process for achieving near-zero emissions of tannery effluent is characterized in that effluent recycling is carried out independently in soaking, liming, re-liming, de-liming bating, pickling chrome tanning, re-tanning, neutralizing, and dyeing procedures. The effluents in the above procedures can be recycled in each step. This process greatly reduces effluent discharge and helps solve the problem of tanning pollution. The process also improves the quality of the finished leather, effectively decreases loose grain rate and increases compactness and fullness of the finished product. The project can reduce chemical material consumption by 15%-55%. For example, the consumption of chromium powder can be reduced up to 65%. Consumption of other chemical materials can be reduced by more than 90%, while certain chemical materials can be essentially completely conserved.

Methods and systems for processing raw animal hides into leather are provided. In particular, one or more embodiments comprise a tanning manager that directs the routing of hides to a plurality of tanning drums. This allows the tanning manager to efficiently use the capacity of the plurality of tanning drums and provides improved consistency in the tanning of the hides. Furthermore, one or more embodiments enable the tanning manager to route hides to tanning drums based on various factors, such as hide type, hide weight, and hide size. In addition, one or more embodiments provide the tanning manager with greater control over the processing of hides into leather by customizing the tanning recipes applied to each batch of hides.