RESOURCES
Notes From the Tannery Floor, Gujranwala, Pakistan
Explore the materials, production methods and family business behind Karim Tanneries in Gujranwala, Pakistan. These notes explain the leather's supply state, buyer-led development, sampling and export experience, alongside the tannery's history and connection to Tanbark. Use them to prepare an inquiry or revisit a topic as your requirements develop.
Material & Process
Vegetable Tanning, From Wooden Drums to Natural Crust
Karim Tanneries carries out a three-stage vegetable tannage in wooden drums: pretanning with mimosa extracts, principal tanning using liquor prepared chiefly from solid mimosa extract, and retanning with quebracho, chestnut and oak extracts. Neutralisation, fatliquoring and natural crust preparation follow, producing leather that is dried but remains undyed and without surface finishing.
Goat leather typically shows a more pronounced grain, while sheep leather generally has a finer surface grain. Buyers assess the grain, body and handle of each piece alongside the intended product and proposed finish. Grain alone does not determine suitability; both materials require selection and development trials suited to their intended use.
DEVELOPMENT & DESIGN
Buyers Finish It, Tanbark Designs With It
Buyers develop Karim Tanneries' natural crust goat and sheep leather through their own preparation, dyeing and finishing; options include aniline and semi-aniline finishes, wax treatments and embossing. Surface Development & Applications explains these options, the role of material trials and potential application pathways. Suitability depends on the selected leather and the buyer's development and testing, rather than the application category alone.
Tanbark is Karim Tanneries' own design brand, applying the tannery's material knowledge to pieces for interiors. Tannery to Design introduces its hair-on rugs, engraved calligraphy, artwork and custom work, alongside the processes behind selected pieces. The page also provides information about the Tanbark Display Centre in Gujranwala, Pakistan.
COMPANY & HERITAGE
From Raw-Material Trade to a Design Brand
The family's raw-material purchasing began before the tannery's own operations started in 1960. The business was named Karim Tanneries in 1968, and the factory was registered on 26 December that year. Its history spans five generations; today, Muhammad Shoaib leads the business alongside his sons, Muhammad Abubakar and Muhammad Umer.
Founded in 2024, Tanbark is Karim Tanneries' own design brand, extending the family business into leather design for interiors. It draws on decades of tanning experience, with its finished work on display inside the factory at the Tanbark Display Centre.
BUYER & SOURCING
Material Trials, Sampling and Order Preparation
Samples of goat or sheep leather let buyers assess grain, body and handle before ordering and trial the material for their intended product. Both materials use Karim Tanneries' 9-grade system, grouped into 3 tiers, and buyers may request a specific grade or tier.
Karim Tanneries has supplied vegetable-tanned goat and sheep leather in natural crust state to buyers in Japan over several years and welcomes inquiries worldwide. Order quantity, pricing and lead time are discussed at inquiry. Leather is stocked by grade; once an order is confirmed, its selected pieces are individually measured and packed. Export shipping can be arranged by sea or air. Sample charges depend on the material and quantity requested.
INSIDE THE TANNERY
The Same Tannery Behind Every Page
These photographs show Karim Tanneries' own facility in Gujranwala, Pakistan, including its production floor, wooden drums and people at work. They provide a closer view of the materials and operations described throughout this website.
Tannery to Design
Tanbark, Karim Tanneries' design brand for interiors: hair-on rugs, engraved calligraphy, artwork and custom work.
Vegetable Tanning
Three-stage vegetable tannage in wooden drums: pretanning, principal tanning and retanning.
Leather
Assess grain, body and handle in vegetable-tanned goat and sheep leather supplied in natural crust state, and explore grading and samples.
EXPLORE KARIM TANNERIES
The Knowledge Behind the Leather
Heritage
Five generations of family history, tannery operations since 1960 and the people leading Karim Tanneries today.
Surface Development & Applications
Material handling guidance, plus buyer-led dyeing, finishing and trials to assess natural crust leather for its intended use.
Production & Quality
From raw-material selection to natural crust preparation, inspection, grading and storage, followed by individual measurement and packing after order confirmation.
