How are Moisture absorbers in the leather industries?

Leather is a classification of premium goods. It is very precious as it is a very time-consuming process to extract it and then preserve it accordingly. Leather is used in various things like furniture, fashionable costumes, upholstery, bags, etc. It is quite expensive that good preservation is necessary to keep it intact in its original state or become unusable. Moisture and humidity are an enemy of leather and leather products. 

How can moisture and humidity affect leather?

Leather goods, to be preserved in their optimum condition, need good ventilation. It needs to be kept at a temperature of 15 to 20 degrees Celsius and 50 to 70% humidity. Leather in itself is quite a tough material, so it is used in making products with heavy usages like gloves, jackets, and other protective wear.

When the leather has been tanned, a change in humidity level can affect the entire leather, which can make it brittle. If leather escaped anywhere between its optimum temperature and humidity, it could negatively affect its strength and toughness.

What happens when the humidity is not controlled?

The biggest problems that the leather industry faces with uncontrolled humidity are:

• The leather products have or unique shine to them which is why it is used to make expensive products. If the humidity is not controlled, then such shine is lost.

• 
  

• A bad odor can be a result of extra moisture when leather is stored. It can make it unusable and cannot be used for anything.

• 
  

• The discoloration is also another factor As it again renders leather unusable. It can become a huge loss to the leather industry if it is not controlled properly.

• Mold and fungus growth on the ladder can occur with improper ventilation and when leather is kept in high moisture areas. Such molds and bacteria destroy the quality of leather and also leave unremovable bad stains.

• Destruction and loss in strength can happen as a result of keeping weather in high moisture areas. According to a study, there is a huge difference in tensile strength which is the strength of the leather not to be broken when kept in high humidity area. It was recorded a difference of 12.5% in tensile strength.

Uses of moisture absorbers in the leather industry

To preserve the leather in its perfect condition, the first thing that needs to be done is to dry and clean it properly. This is to make sure that there are no reminiscent moisture particles on the leather. When that the leather will be stored it is to be kept with moisture absorber. The best moisture absorbers for the leather industry are silica gel which has a high capacity of absorbing moisture properly. The moisture absorber should be replaced every alternate week to make sure that the leather is stored properly.

The process of removing this moisture is also known as dehumidification. The moisture absorbers must be inserted when the leather is being packaged. Most spoilage of leather happens in its packaging.

When leather goods are shipped for long distances, there is a lot of fluctuation in the temperature and amount of moisture. This can result in mold and fungus growth on the leather. Further, it becomes a very time-consuming process later, and in any industry, extra time or delays can be very costly to the business. So to avoid such instances, moisture absorbers must be, added to the packaging.

It is highly recommended to use moisture absorbers in leather packaging to avoid unfortunate losses in business when excess moisture and humidity.