what is a tanner

A tanner is a person whose occupation is to tan hides. Tanning is the process of preparing animal skins with tan or tannin (tree bark powder) in order to produce leather by hand. Tanning was considered a noxious or "odoriferous trade" and relegated to the outskirts of town and near a river or stream. The tanning process had many steps, including soaking and softening the skins in a lime pit, washing the skins with chicken droppings diluted in water, and soaking the skins in tannin basins for a few months. The leather produced was tough and used for shoes, boots, and harnesses. The work in the tanneries was hard, and the odors from decomposing organic materials were so strong that nauseous workers sometimes vomited on the job. In modern times, the term "tanner" can also refer to a person who seeks to acquire a suntan or a cosmetic product used to achieve a tan.