Introduction
Tarn
A little bit of History
Mazamet nowadays
Fellmongery
Tanning

It is because of the quality of the water of the Arnette river (the famous river of the Golden comb), that fellmongery managed to develop so well in Mazamet (indeed, the process is entirely biological, using fermentation. If the water had been hard, calcium would have formed a deposit around the hairs preventing them from being separated from the skin).

Rapidly, Mazamet became the world-wide center of Fellmongery, and was famous in the entire world (Australia, New-Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, United-States,...), because the manufacturing process was unique. Even today, when one must admit that the leather industry is undergoing a crisis, Fellmongery remains an important activity in Mazamet.

Until the 1970's, Mazamet remained the world-wide center of the treatment of lamb and sheep skins (it started to decline with the economical awakening of Asia).

Note: for those who are curious to know more, call or write to: 

Office du Tourisme de Mazamet

Maison Fuzier

81200 MAZAMET

FRANCE

tel (int.code)33.563.61.27.07;

fax (int.code)33.563.98.24.16 

TREMPAGE

Once they reach the Fellmongery factory, the "woollen skins" are dipped into a water bath.

N.B: Sheep are very filthy animals (!) this operation aims at softening all the dirt stuck into the wool (insects, excrement,...)

SABRAGE

The skin is processed through a special machine, between a metal grid and a roller with vertical blades that separate the hairs longitudinally at first. Right after this roller, a powerful stream of water (like a 'Karcher™') eliminates a large part of the dirt.

"slashing" machine

At the end of the sabrage, the wool is called 'back-washed wool' because it is still hanging on the skin.

RE-TREMPAGE

After the sabrage, the skin is dipped again into a bath with a catalyzer which is going to accelerate the opening of the pore.

ETUVAGE

The etuvage is a much supervised operation: the skins are laid on sets of shelves, the wool facing down, in 37°C stoves. Regularly (about every 2 hours: it depends on the type of the skin), the 'Maître peleur' (the worker who supervises the operation) checks out the fermentation stage: he pulls the hairs. As soon as the hairs start to peel off the skin, it is sent to the 'Pelage'. Indeed, if the fermentation is too advanced, the skin is useless for tanning. In the same way, each skin is different, even if they were all put in the stove at the same time, so each skin is examined every 2 hours.

When they are cleared of the wool, and dried, they will be classified according to their quality, before being tanned. 

PELAGE

The 'peeling worker' was standing bent over the peeling bench. One extremity of the bench was lying on the floor. The other was put up with a crosspiece in order to lie on the belly of the worker. Thus, the worker could jam the top of the skin between his belly and the wood. He ('she' most of the time…!) took the peeling knife with both his hands, and 'peeled' the wool, pulling the hairs out in a descending movement.

Pelage the old way...

 ... Once again, it is almost the same thing as using a depilatory cream...!

Instruments de pelage

Err… Don't try to use these on your legs, though!!!  

Note: Nowadays, this work is entirely mechanized. 

LE LAVAGE A FOND

At the end of the pelage operation, the skin and the wool are separated. The skin is dried, and gives the cuirot which is then sent to the Mégisserie (dry skin, parchment aspect).

On the other side, the wool is still greasy (with the suint). No other cleaning operation has been completed since the sabrage. To eliminate the suint, the wool is put into a concentrated soda bath, and it comes out of it entirely clean. It is then called "full washed wool". It can now be combed and dyed.

... The pull-over is almost ready, let's now talk about the leather jacket...

Note: the pictures on this page are from the book "Peau d'Ame" © copyright 1991