The Tanners Of Fès.Ain Azliten, Sidi Moussa And Chouara.Fès El-Bali, A UNESCO World Heritage Site Editorial Image

The manufacturing process, the tanning. It begins with the collection and selection of the skins sheep, cow and the most valuable, goat and camel, which are shaved to remove hair and other residues.These skins are left for two or three days in large tanks containing a mix of bovine urine, quicklime, water and salt, to dissolve any residue. After being washed, they are dried in the sun on the terraces surrounding the tannery. The next step is one of the most tiring and dangerous for a tanner`s health. Dry skins are soaked in a mixture of water and pigeon guano, which contains ammonia and allows the skin to soften. To achieve the necessary softness, however, the tanners are forced to enter this liquid up to the waist and to step on the hides barefoot for even two or three hours straight. The infections are only part of the problems caused by this operation.