Fes is very well known for its medieval tanneries. Although Marrakech also has a few tanneries, the ones in Fes are more famous and I believe were the first. The tanneries are used the same way since they were established, more then 1000 years ago! Sheep, goat, camel and cow skins are used, with different skins used for different quality leather products. The skins are first placed in vats, to prepare them for the leatherworking process. The skins are placed successively in saline solution, lime, pigeon droppings (the ammonia from the droppings softens the skins) and then in vats containing the coloring agents. Traditionally natural dyes were used, although some tanneries now use artificial dyes. The traditional tanneries get the red color from poppies, yellow from saffron, brown from henna, and green from wild mint.

Most of the workers work barefoot, and use their toes to pick up the skins from the bottom of the dying vats, then work on them with their hands. Up to 600 skins sit in a vat at any one time, spending up to 2 months being worked on. Berbers traditionally prefer to work on goat and sheep skins, while Arabs use mostly camel and cow skins.

Since the animal skins are placed in vats containing pigeon excrement, and often have rotting animal flesh attached to them, the whole area smells extremely bad. When you enter the vicinity of the tanneries, guides and workers offer everyone fresh mint leaves to put under your nose for the duration of the visit.

Although it doesn't look great, this is actually a very good job and is relatively well paid. Studies done about the health of the workers found out that they actually live longer and healthier lives then workers in other Moroccan collectives.

Overall view of two of the main tanneries in Fes:

Workers in the tanneries:

Red skins in the vats:

Various skins drying in the sunlight:

Leftovers of the animal skins. The horns are often made into combs:

A finished product of the process, leather slippers for sale at a market: