Chicken feet may be used to make leather products: CLRI

Deepkamal Kaur

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Tribune News Service

Phagwara, January 3

In a major technological boost for the city-based leather industry, the Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), Chennai, has come up with ways to make leather products using chicken feet at the Indian Science Congress being held at Lovely Professional University here.

With chicken being consumed in a large quantity in Punjab and the feet of poultry animals being dumped as waste, scientists participating in the five-day Indian Science Congress are here to share the ‘waste to wealth’ technology with leather manufacturers of the city.

Dr SK Mishra, Director, CLRI, said, “At present, the technology is being tested at two incubation centres. The results are fascinating. The chicken feet are giving a unique grain pattern (like a reptile) that can be used as a whole piece for making smaller articles such as wrist watches and key chains, besides patches in larger items such as purses and shoes. The colourful and dyed patches can even be used to embellish womenswear.”

“A small disadvantage of this type of leather is that the wastage is little more because of its small size. But, it can be easily overcome with the availability of chicken feet in Punjab. We will be very excited to share our technology with the tanners in Jalandhar if they are interested to become partners and sign an agreement with us,” Dr Mishra added.

The CLRI expert said, “We have developed a technology of using emu skin for leather. We are also working on making leather out of fish skin wherein the pattern of scales imparts a good look to the articles made out of it. This, too, is in an incubation stage in Chennai.”

The CLRI scientists also said, “The leather industry in Jalandhar is badly affected by several issues, including the GST. ”