Cowhide
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'Cowhides are natural products and a by product of the food industry from cows. Similar to items such as shoes and leather jackets, they ensure that less of an animal is wasted post-slaughter.
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[edit] Process
Once a cow is slaughtered, the skin is removed. Then they are selected in the raw state, at the very first moment when they are salted. They are then chosen and organised by size and colour. In the tannery, a traditional hair on hide tanning method is employed to ensure that the hide is soft, and less susceptible to odour and moulting. It ensures that the cowhide will last longer. It is then naturally dried and the best hides are separated from the rest, with the ones that cannot be used in full as decorative items separated to be used as patchwork rugs. These are usually those with damage (for example cuts and other injuries to the skin during the life of the animal) that causes the skin to tear post drying.
[edit] Use
Cowhides can be dyed to resemble skins such as tiger or zebra skins, but dyeing is usually reserved for the lower quality cowhides. The best quality hides are usually presented in their natural colours, which are, of course, based on the breed of the cowhide.
There are many types of breed, and among the most famous are the Hereford breed cows. These are a thick and slightly more woolly (longer haired) brown and white hide. The Brindle cowhide are so called due to their Brindle style colouring (a stripey continuous type of pattern).
