The traditional tanneries of Fez, Morocco

See you in Chouara, the tanners’ quarter in Fez

The city of Fez, the third largest city in Morocco, was founded in the 8th century and today has more than a million inhabitants. The city has a distinct traditional character, especially the old town or medina called Fez el Bali, which has hardly changed for centuries. Located behind a high rampart, the medina has narrow, pedestrian streets where hundreds of merchants and craftsmen sell a range of products such as dates, fish, spices, copper vases, carpets and musical instruments. Fez is also famous for its leather goods, most of which comes from the souk of tanners. The souk is home to three ancient tanneries, the largest and oldest being the Chouara tannery,which is almost a thousand years old and is one of the most famous in the country along with that of the Bab Debbagh Gate in Marrakech.

The tanneries of Fez consist of numerous stone vases filled with a wide range of dyes and various liquids spread as a large palette of watercolors. Dozens of men, many of whom stand up to their waists in dyes, work under the scorching sun. Tanneries treat the skins of cows, sheep, goats and camels, turning them into high-quality leather items such as bags, coats, shoes and shoes. All this is done by hand, without requiring the use of modern machines, and the process has changed very little since medieval times, making these tanneries absolutely fascinating to visit.

At the Chouara tannery,the skins are first soaked in a mixture of cow urine, live lime, water and salt. This caustic mixture helps to break down the strength of the leather, detach the excess fat and flesh, and the hairs that remained on it. The skins are soaked for two to three days, after which the tanners remove excess hair and grease by hand in order to prepare the leathers for dyeing. The skins are then soaked in another set of vats containing a mixture of water and pigeon droppings. Pigeon excrement contains ammonia which acts as a softening agent that allows the leathers to become malleable so that they can absorb the dye. The tanner uses his bare feet to knead the skins for up to three hours to obtain the desired flexibility.

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The skins are then placed in dye pits containing natural plant dyes, such as poppy flower (red),indigo (blue), henna (orange), cedar wood (brown), mint (green), and saffron (yellow). Other materials used for dyeing include pomegranate powder, which is rubbed on the skins to make them looser, and olive oil, which will make them shiny.

Once the leather is dyed, it is set to dry in the sun. The finished leather is then sold to other craftsmen who make the famous Moroccan slippers, known as slippers, as well as wallets, handbags and other leather accessories. Many of these products are making their way into European markets.

The skins are then placed in dye pits containing natural plant dyes, such as poppy flower (red),indigo (blue), henna (orange), cedar wood (brown), mint (green), and saffron (yellow). Other materials used for dyeing include pomegranate powder, which is rubbed on the skins to make them looser, and olive oil, which will make them shiny.

Once the leather is dyed, it is set to dry in the sun. The finished leather is then sold to other craftsmen who make the famous Moroccan slippers, known as slippers,as well as wallets, handbags and other leather accessories. Many of these products are making their way into European markets.

To get the best views of the tanneries (for taking pictures in particular), you need access to the surrounding terraces of the leather shops. Just go into one of the shops and ask for a visit, and the seller will give you an overview of how the skins are treated and tell you which dyes come from which plants. Pigeon droppings and cow urine produce a pungent smell so the guide will certainly provide you with fresh mint strands to help you overcome the smell.

Source: generationvoyage.fr