The History of Leather

The University of Saskatchewan's Trading Consequences project is studying the historical, economical and environmental impact of international commodity trading in the British Empire during the 19th century. The project uses text-mined spatial data and trade statistics from historical records to help analyse the growth and impact of the British Empire on international trade.

Mapping Supply Chains for Nineteenth Century Leather uses the SourceMap supply chain mapping platform to visualize how the UK's leather tanning industry developed in the nineteenth century. In the eighteenth century the tanning industry depended largely on mostly localized sources of raw materials but developed during the nineteenth century into a global commodity network, sourcing raw materials and exporting finished products around the world.

The project uses a series of supply chain maps to show how the UK's leather tanning industry developed into a global industry during the nineteenth century. It includes four maps showing the growing network of supply chains in the tanning industry through time as the British Empire grew and exerted its influence around the world.