Kashmir's leather crafts flourished after the respected Islamic preacher Shahi Hamdan came to Kashmir with his disciples from Hamdan in Central Asia. Due to the unique climatic conditions of Kashmir, his students trained the people of Kashmir with various arts and crafts. The valley of Kashmir was separated from the rest of the world in winter due to heavy snowfall. People preferred to stay indoors when temperatures were below freezing. Needlework was an easy thing to do at home during the winter, so the industry thrived rapidly and the people of Kashmir are known to be good learners.
The traders in Rawhide collected the skins of various animals such as sheep, goats, and cattle, mainly from the slaughterhouses in Srinagar and also from the villages. Raw hides are tanned with a layer of non-iodized salt and other materials at different storage points, from where they are separated and transported to different locations outside Kashmir. In Kashmir, there are two types of skin, male and female.
