Poultry industry by-products as an alternative source of exotic leather

Abstract Chicken paw skin was available in enormous quantities, which would be considered waste in the Ethiopian poultry industry. Due to a lack of awareness and technology in Ethiopia, chicken paw skin was neither consumed as food by people nor converted into leather and leather products by tanneries. This study aimed to investigate the possibility of poultry waste beneficiation. Raw chicken paw skin was characterized by using a different chemical treatment to convert it into leather and leather products by using a suitable and eco-friendly tanning method. In this study, organoleptic properties, tensile strength, tear strength, visual assessment, water absorption properties of chicken leather, and leather products were made from chicken leg leather. Chicken leg leather has a unique grain structure, good strength, and an attractive look. Chicken paw leather has good physical properties, with tensile strength, elongation, and tear strength of 244.6N, 29%, and 28.6N, respectively, like exotic animals used to produce small and medium leather products. The feasibility of using chicken poultry waste and leather paw skin was also investigated. Finally, chicken leg leather demonstrates the potential for use as a raw material for highly fashionable leather, which is used for medium-sized leather products with low manufacturing costs.