– Europe:
– Oak is a common source of tanbark in Europe.
– Quercitannic acid is the chief constituent found in oak barks.
– The bark is taken from young branches and twigs in oak coppices.
– The bark can be up to 4mm thick and has specific coloration.
– Tanbark waterwheel in Somerset, England had various uses.
– United States:
– In some U.S. areas, mulch is referred to as tanbark.
– Tanbark can be made from tanoak in California.
– Condensed tannins are present in blackjack oak bark in America.
– Hemlock bark was a significant source of tanbark in New York.
– Mount Tremper in New York was known for hemlock bark usage.
– Africa and Australia:
– Acacia bark, known as wattle, is used for tanning in Africa and Australia.
– One ton of wattle or mimosa bark yields about 150 lbs of pure tannin.
– Tanbark is utilized in horticulture to prevent weed growth.
– Spread on flower beds and in glasshouses to protect plant roots.
– Tanbark from acacia is a valuable resource for tanners.
– Mediterranean Region:
– Around the Mediterranean Sea, sumach leaves and bark are utilized.
– Sumach is a common source of tannins in the Mediterranean region.
– The bark of Rhus coriaria is used for tanning in the Mediterranean.
– Sumach bark has tannins suitable for tanning processes.
– The Mediterranean region has a history of using sumach bark for tanning.
– Worldwide Usage:
– Tanbark from various sources is used globally for tanning processes.
– Tanbark can be repurposed for horticultural applications.
– Used tanbark is spread on flower beds and in glasshouses.
– Tanbark is beneficial to protect plant roots and suppress weed growth.
– The process of removing bark from oak branches is essential for tanbark extraction.
Tanbark is the bark of certain species of trees, traditionally used for tanning hides into leather.
The words "tannin", "tanning", "tan," and "tawny" are derived from the Medieval Latin tannare, "to convert into leather."
Bark mills are horse- or oxen-driven or water-powered edge mills and were used in earlier times to shred the tanbark to derive tannins for the leather industry. A "barker" was a person who stripped bark from trees to supply bark mills.