1 Introduction Leather is primarily derived from raw animal hides that undergo physicochemical treatment to stabilise collagen fibres and prevent microbial degradation (Heth 2015). Collagen, the dominant protein in skin, exists in at least 28 types, with type I being the most abundant and structurally significant. This triple-helix structure, rich in glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline, forms the basis for leather production (Shoulders and Raines 2009).