Vegetable tanning agents

Vegetable Tanning Agents – Natural, sustainable, and versatile

Otto Dille is your reliable partner for the import and export of high-quality vegetable tanning agents. Our tanning agents are sourced from renewable plant-based materials and offer an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical tanning agents.

Our Products

We offer a wide range of plant-based tanning agents derived from barks, leaves, fruits, and other natural raw materials. These are ideally suited for the leather industry, textile processing, and numerous industrial applications.

Why Otto Dille?

Quality and Sustainability: We place the highest value on the quality of our products and promote sustainable cultivation methods.
Global Sourcing: Thanks to our international network, we ensure a consistent supply of high-quality tanning agents.
Personalized Consulting: Our experienced team supports you in selecting the right tanning agents for your specific requirements.

Applications

Our vegetable tanning agents are used in:

Leather Processing: For soft, durable, and environmentally friendly tanned leather products.
Textile Industry: As a sustainable solution for dyeing and finishing.
Other Industries: In paper production, cosmetics, or as natural additives.

Otto Dille – Your partner for environmentally conscious and sustainable solutions in the field of vegetable tanning agents.

Contact us today to learn more about our offerings!

Vegetable Tannins – Origin, Specifications, and Applications

Otto Dille offers a comprehensive range of high-quality vegetable tannins sourced from sustainable origins around the world. Our products cover a wide spectrum of applications, from sole and furniture leather to particularly soft or durable leather types. Below is an overview of the key products, their origins, and their characteristics.

Origin of Raw Materials

Our tannins are sourced from various regions of the world to ensure consistently high quality and availability:

Oak: Europe
Gambier: China, India, Malaysia, Indonesia
Chestnut: Europe (Central and Southern Europe)
Mimosa: Australia, Brazil, Africa
Myrobalan: India
Quebracho: Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia
Sumac: Europe (Southern)
Tara: South America, especially Peru
Valonea (Trillo): Turkey, Greece

Specifications	Oak Bark	Gambier Extract	Chestnut Wood Standard	Chestnut Wood ‘Sweetened’	Mimosa Extract	Mimosa Bark
Tannin content in %	6 – 17	50.0 ± 2.0	75 – 77	72.0 ± 0.2	72.5 (min.)	33.9
Insolubles in %	71.0	12.0	< 1.0		1.0 (max.)	39.4
Moisture in %		12.0	< 8.0		7.0 (max.)
Non-tannins in %	Ø 5.5	17.0	18 – 22		26.5 (max.)	11.9
Sugar in %	Ø 2.6		3.0 – 4.0
Ash in %		4.5	5.0		3.5 (max.)
pH		4.6 ± 0.3	3.5 ± 0.5	4.5 ± 0.2	4.3 – 4.7
Iron in ppm					80 (max.)
Solubles in %						45.8
Specifications	Myrobalan	Quebracho	Sumac	Tara	Trillo	Valonea
Tannin content in %	62 ± 0.5	76 ± 1.5	62.0 ± 2.0	> 5 Descriptions and Application Areas of the Offered Vegetable Tanning Agents Mimosa Extract Botanical name: Acacia negra, Acacia molissima Used for the production of sole, strap, bag, and furniture leather Color: Red 4.1% / Yellow 6.2% Description The use of mimosa bark extract / mimosa extract is very popular worldwide, and this extract can be blended with a range of other tanning agents in the re-tanning process. Characteristics include a naturally soluble extract, consistent quality, pale color, and low salt and sludge formation. When properly used in tanning, it ensures rapid penetration and fixation of tannins in the leather. Especially in the re-tanning of chrome-tanned leathers, it achieves good fullness, polishability, embossing, and printability. It is commonly combined with other anionic tanning agents such as syntans (Retanin SO), resins, and polymers to enhance the quality of the finished leather product. In general, mimosa is by far the most popular vegetable tanning agent and is indispensable in modern tanneries for drum and pit tanning. The light color after tanning appears natural and also conceals defects in the hide. The overall quality and thus the value of the leather are increased. Applications Ideal for the production of sole, strap, bag, furniture, and other vegetable-tanned leathers. Mimosa Bark Botanical name: Acacia negra, Acacia molissima Used for firm, light-colored leather with a slight reddish hue Color: Red 4.1% / Yellow 6.2% Description Only the bark of the trees is used, which is shredded after peeling. These trees are cultivated in nurseries and can be peeled about 7 years after planting. The inner trunk is processed as shredded wood in the chipboard industry or used as charcoal. Applications Leather tanned with mimosa bark results in firm, light-colored leather with a slight reddish hue. The leather is light-sensitive and darkens over time. In bark tanning, it is used today in combination with oak bark, especially for high-end shoe soles and in the orthopedic footwear sector. Due to the very long production time of this leather, manufacturing costs are relatively high. Quebracho Extract Botanical name: Quebrachia lorentzii syn. / Schinopsis balansae Used for firm, tough, and reddish leather Color: Red 5.1% / Yellow 5.9% Description Quebracho extract is obtained from the inner red heartwood of the quebracho tree, which grows in South America, mainly in Argentina and Paraguay. The extract leached from the wood belongs to the catechol group and is classified as a condensed tannin. The main characteristics of the cold-soluble extracts are a very rapid penetration rate into the hides, a high tannin and relatively low non-tannin content. The fairly low acid and medium salt content classify it as a mild-tanning extract. The soluble quebracho extracts can be mixed in any proportion with all other vegetable extracts and syntans. They can be used in all stages of traditional pit and drum processes to produce all types of vegetable leather and are particularly suitable for rapid tanning of sole and harness leather, vachette, fine, and lining leathers. In mixtures with other extracts, they are also used for all types of retanning of chrome and semi-chrome leathers. Applications Leather tanned with quebracho results in very firm, tough, and reddish leather. The leather is light-sensitive after tanning and darkens over time. Especially suitable for split leather. Chestnut Wood Extract Botanical name: Castanea sativa Used for uniform, compact, and firm leather, high lightfastness Description Chestnut wood extract belongs to the group of neutralized sulfite pyrogallol tannins. Chemically, it is an ester of phenolic carboxylic acids and higher alcohols. It is a type of chestnut wood extract with reduced astringency and a modified salt/acid ratio. Chestnut wood extract is used in the retanning of leather and can be used for tanning with other vegetable tannins or chrome. It can be used up to 30% of the total weight of vegetable tannins. For special effects, it can be mixed with other tannins in the retanning process. It increases the hydrophobic properties of the leather, helps with the dispersion and binding of color pigments and fats, and increases the overall weight of the hide. Applications The use of chestnut wood extract leads to an increase in overall weight, excellent physical and chemical properties of the finished leather, allows uniform retanning, and results in an attractive and stable color. In the retanning of chrome-tanned leather, up to 30% chestnut wood extract can be used to achieve uniform, compact, and firm leather with high lightfastness. Valonea Cups (Trillo) Botanical name: Quercus valonea, Quercus macrolepis Used for soft, supple as well as firm and durable leather Description The tannin source is the fruit cups of various Mediterranean oak species (including Quercus valonea). The ripe fruit cups with their tannin-rich scales (known as “Trillo”) are harvested mainly in Turkey and Greece from wild-growing trees. After drying and cleaning, the Valonea tannin is traded in three forms: as crushed fruit cups, as Trillo (scales), or as tannin extract. The tannin content of the fruit cups is about 29%, the content of the Trillo (scales) about 40% in dry matter. Applications By different processing methods and subsequent treatment of the leather, Valonea tannins can produce both soft, supple leather as well as firm and durable leather. They are suitable for upholstery leather, shoe upper leather, lining leather, or the manufacture of leather goods. Valonea-tanned leathers show a lightfastness rating of 3-4, surpassing many other vegetable-tanned leathers. Valonea also plays an important role in sole leather production. Valonea Extract Botanical Name: Quercus valonea, Quercus macrolepis Usage: For soft and supple as well as firm and durable leather Description The tannin source are the fruit cups of various Mediterranean oak species (including Quercus valonea). The ripe fruit cups with their tannin-rich scales (known as “Trillo”) are mainly harvested in Turkey and Greece from wild-growing trees. After drying and cleaning, the Valonea tannin is traded in three forms: as crushed fruit cups, as Trillo, or as tannin extract. The tannin content of the fruit cups is about 29%, the content of the Trillo (scales) about 40% dry matter. Applications By using different tanning processes and subsequent leather treatments, Valonea tannins can produce both soft and supple as well as firm and durable leathers. They are suitable for upholstery leather, shoe upper leather, lining leather, or for the manufacture of leather goods. Valonea-tanned leathers have a lightfastness rating of 3-4, surpassing many other vegetable-tanned leathers. Valonea also plays an important role in sole leather production. Tara Powder Botanical Name: Caesalpinia spinosa Usage: For leather that dyes well, high lightfastness Grind size: 150 and 200 (200 is finer and has better penetration) Description The tara tannin is obtained from the pods of the small tara tree (Caesalpinia spinosa). The trees grow in Peru in the mild climate of the Andean valleys. Mostly, the plants grow wild. To a lesser extent, local farmers plant them for erosion control or as natural boundaries for their fields. The tara pods are harvested in April. The trees are not harmed during harvesting. The sale of the pods is an important source of income for the rural population of Peru. The valuable ingredients of the yellow-red tara pods have been used for centuries by the people of Peru as a remedy for sore throats. Numerous other applications of the pods and their ingredients are known: as a raw material for dye production, as a reducing agent in the chemical industry, or as a fining agent in spirits production. Applications The tara tannin produces a cream-colored leather. This leather dyes well and has high lightfastness. Tara leathers are available in soft and firm varieties. They can be used as automotive upholstery leather, shoe leather, furniture leather, or clothing leather. Myrobalan Extract Botanical Name: Terminalia species, especially Terminalia chebula Usage: For combination with other tannins, produces soft leather Color: Red 1.5% / Yellow 3.0% Description Terminalia chebula is a tree with a round crown and widely spreading branches. Its main components include chebulagic, chebulinic acids, and corilagin. Its fruits have relaxing, stomach-soothing, and tonic properties. The ingredients are also known as adaptogenic hepatoprotective agents. The fruit is astringent, tonic, laxative, carminative, fever-reducing, and antiasthmatic. It is often used for hemorrhoids, pneumonia, throat inflammation, caries, gingivitis, and diseases of the pancreas. Chebulin, extracted from the dried fruits, has a spasmolytic effect similar to that of poppy. Furthermore, the fruit is antiseptic, hypoglycemic, and promotes blood clotting. The plum-like, tannin-rich fruit is often used for tanning and dyeing. Applications Mainly used in combination with other tannins, it produces strong sludge formation. The resulting leather is very soft. Sumac Extract Botanical Name: Rhus coriaria Usage: For soft, flexible, and light-colored leather Available Qualities 1. Light yellow spray-dried powder from Rhus cotinus 2. Yellow/kakhi-colored spray-dried powder from Rhus coriaria and Rhus cotinus 3. Yellow spray-dried powder from Rhus coriaria and Rhus cotinus Description Sumac extract is a tannin derived from various sumac plants: the best known are Rhus coriaria (tanning sumac), Rhus cotinus (smoketree), Coriaria myrtifolia (tanner’s sumac), and Rhus glabra (American sumac or white sumac), which belong to the sumac family (Anacardiaceae) and contain high levels of tannins. A known sumac in the region is the native staghorn sumac (toxic), but it does not yield usable tanning extracts. The extract is produced by leaching dried and ground leaves from trimmed branches. The powder is then obtained by spray-drying. In the Mediterranean, ground fruits of Rhus coriaria are commonly used as a spice. Applications Sumac-tanned leather is soft, flexible, and very light in color. Sumac is one of the finest but also most expensive tanning agents. It is used to produce fine leathers (Saffian, Morocco, Cordovan leathers), for tanning leather that should be especially light and soft, and for “sumachizing” — a kind of post-tanning with sumac extract to lighten the leather. It is also used for pretreatment of certain colored leathers. Sumac-tanned leather is notable for its excellent lightfastness. Sumac extracts are among the finest tanning agents and can produce almost white leather. Gambier Extract Botanical Name: Uncaria gambir Usage: For soft, elastic leather Description Gambier extract is a tanning agent obtained from the leaves of Uncaria gambir, native to Asia, growing about 10 degrees north or south of the equator. The plant grows wild as a shrub but can also be cultivated. Gambier extract is produced by extracting the leaves, sometimes with twigs, with water at 85-90°C and then evaporating the solution; the powder is then spray-dried. Applications Used alone, it produces very soft leather, mainly in the post-tanning of calf leather. It is also used in the post-tanning of chrome-tanned glove leather, as it provides remarkable fullness, softness, and elasticity. Oak Bark Botanical Name: Quercus sessiliflora = Quercus robur Usage: For firm, tough yellow-brown leather with dark edges Description Oak bark contains 6-17% tannins. The tannin content depends on the age of the bark and the time of harvest. The tannins have an astringent (contracting) effect. This is utilized in treatments with oak bark for baths, compresses, and mouth rinses. Skin and mucous membrane diseases associated with severe itching can also be supported with oak bark baths. The Germans historically used oak leaves stored over winter to tan furs from sacrificial animals. The more tannin-rich oak bark is still the most important raw material for preparing tanning liquors. 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They significantly contribute to improving animal metabolism … Continue reading Feed Additives Since 1908, for over 117 years, we have been your reliable trading partner and supplier of plant extracts and chemicals for tanning, dyeing, and binding. Baeck GmbH & Co. KG Langenharmer Weg 223 - 225 22844 Norderstedt Phone +49 40521 70633 Fax +49 40521 70639 Email: info@otto-dille.de Products Vegetable tanning agents Tanning aids Colored wood extracts Feed Additives Thermal Insulation Water Treatment Lignosulfonates Dust suppressant Crystalline Quartz Flour Industries Leather industry Construction industry Agriculture and Animal Feed Manufacturers Textile industry Automotive industry Glass and ceramics industry Information Tanning information Lignosulfonates information Inventory management Copyright © 2025 Otto Dille All rights reserved. Imprint Privacy Policy Cookie Settings