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ICOM CC Leather and Related Materials Working Group - Leather Conservation for Today

Thursday 30 and Friday 31 October 2025


For nearly 40 years the Leather and Related Materials Group (one of the Working Groups of the International Council of Museums Committee for Conservation - ICOM CC), have been gathering every three years to share and disseminate research and developments essential to advancing the conservation and care of objects made from leather, skin and related materials.

In October 2025, the interim meeting will be held in the UK for the first time in many decades, bringing together an international cohort of conservation professionals working across a wide span of museum collections, including, Natural History, World Cultures, Fashion, Automotive, Decorative Arts and Book and Archive, to share new research and techniques relating to the conservation of leather, parchment and other skin materials.

The conference will be held at De Montfort University over the course of Thursday 30th and Friday 31st October 2025, with optional technical visits on Wednesday 29th and a number of social/networking events. There will be a hybrid element, with presentations broadcast live via Microsoft Teams for those joining remotely.

Join us at DMU campus in Leicester, UK, for the 13th Interim Meeting of the ICOM CC Leather and Related Materials Working group

Register now (In-person)
Register now (Online)

Leather Conservation

The theme of the conference is “Leather Conservation for Today.” With this topic, we aim to explore key issues facing the specialism today, exploring new and innovative treatments, techniques and perspectives across the wide category of leather and skin materials

Presentations and posters will cover much ground, including conservation techniques, repair materials, education, analytical techniques, and art historical aspects across leather, parchment and other skin materials.

Conference location

The conference will be held on the De Montfort University campus in Leicester in the Castle Hall in the Leicester Castle Business School.

Hotel offers

Gresham Apart Hotel

Offer a 20% discount for people staying with this event, the code they will need to enter on our direct website is ICOM20.
Customers are more than welcome to call us directly on 0116 243 7666 or email on reservations@thegreshamaparthotel.com to book on this code too.

Conference Programme

The conference programme will consist of a mix of formal, informal and social events. Posters will be able to view throughout duration of the conference. Attendees will receive free admission to various heritage sites throughout Leicester, including the Leather Conservation Centre.

Wednesday 29 October

  • Daytime: Optional Technical Visits to conservation, heritage and manufacturing sites across the Midlands. Prebooking necessary – details to be released after registration opens.

Thursday 30 October

  • 10am – 12pm: Registration
  • 12pm-12.45pm: Lunch (provided)
  • 12.45pm-1pm: Welcome
  • 1pm - 3pm: Paper presentations
  • 3pm-3.30pm: Break
  • 3.30pm-5pm: Paper presentations
  • 5pm-5.15pm: Break
  • 5.15pm-6.15pm: Paper presentations
  • 7pm: Social event: Dinner and Entertainment at Leicester Cathedral (free for in-person conference participants)

Friday 31 October

  • 10am – 11am: SLTC (Society for Leather Technologists and Chemists) guest slot
  • 11am-12pm: Poster presentations
  • 12pm-1pm: Lunch (provided)
  • 1pm - 3pm: Paper presentations
  • 3pm-3.30pm: Break
  • 3.30pm-5pm: Paper presentations
  • 5pm-5.15pm: Break
  • 5.15pm-6.15pm: Paper presentations
  • 6.15pm: Conference close
  • Evening: A Halloween Ghost Walk of Leicester’s Medieval buildings will be provided by DeMontfort University Museums – please note there is very limited capacity for this event.

Recommendations will be provided for conference participants who wish to experience local Halloween celebrations and other external social events.

 

  1. Paper topics

    • A Comparative Study of Fillers for the Conservation Treatment of Chrome-Tanned Leather, Minseo Kim Department of Cultural Properties, The Graduate School of Chung-Ang University, South Korea
    • Ancient Craft meets Conservation Science: Developing an Improved Fish Parchment Making Process for a new Conservation Repair Material, Aurelia Sedlmair, West Dean College, UK
    • Biocompatible conservation: The Potential of Hyaluronic Acid and Collagen in Preserving Archaeological Leather, Saana Koivisto1, Liisa Näsänen2 1. Formerly of Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Helsinki, Finland, 2. National Museum of Finland, Helsinki, Finland
    • Controlled Environment Neutron Radiography of Vegetable Tanned Leather treated with Nano-based preparations, M.Odlyha 1, E.Badea2,3, C.Pearce1, G. Burca 4, C. Carsote 5, N.Proietti 6 ,V. Di Tullio 6 and L.Bozec7 1. School of Natural Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, United Kingdom, 2. University of Craiova, Romania 3. The Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania 4. Diamond Light Source Ltd, United Kingdom, 5. National Museum of Romanian History, Romania, 6. Institute of Heritage Science (ISPC), The National Research Council (CNR), Italy, 7. University of Toronto, Canada
    • Evaluating the effectiveness of alum-tawed parchment as a repair material for bindings and manuscripts, Gwen dePolo1, Kathryn Kenney2, Jesse Meyer3, Kelli Stoneburner1, Eric Monroe1, Renate Mesmer2, Fenella France1 1.Preservation Research and Testing Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., USA, 2. Conservation and Preservation Department, Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C. USA, 3 Pergamena, Montgomery, NY, USA
    • Filling the gap : New materials for leather repairs, Daniëlle Stobbe, Stichting Restauratie Atelier Limburg, The Netherlands
    • ‘Gilt Leather, made in the old way’. The work of Jan Mensing, a talented Dutch 20th century artisan, Eloy Koldeweij 1, Daniëlle Stobbe2, 1. Cultural Heritage Agency, the Netherlands, 2. Stichting Restauratie Atelier Limburg, The Netherlands
    • Introduction to analysis of deteriorated vegetable tanned leather based on changes in the morphology of fibres in wet condition, René Larsen1, Dorte V.P. Sommer1, Kathleen Mühlen Axelsson1, 1. Conservation Zealand - Knowledge Center for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage, Denmark; 2. Lund University Library, Lund University, Sweden
    • Multi-Technique Analysis of the Green Pigment-Coated Leather from Royal Peking Opera Boots of the Qing dynasty in the Palace Museum, Li Zhao, Conservation Science Department, The Palace Museum, Beijing, China
    • Oh Baby!: The Treatment of an Early 20th C. Airship Skin, Anna Robinson1, Geoffrey Major 2, 1. University of Lincoln, UK 2. Zenzie Tinker Conservation, UK
    • On skins of instruments: conservation of objects from the Music National Museum of Portugal , Lina Falcão, Margarida Cavaco, Diogo Sanches, Ana Machado, Luís Piorro, José de Figueiredo Laboratory (LJF) of Museums and Monuments of Portugal (MMP),Portugal
    • Reinventing gilt leather in the nineteenth century interior in Britain, Clare Taylor, The Open University, UK
    • Research on the Preservation and Innovation of Chinese Leather Craftsmanship: An Observational Study on Sustainable Development, Miao Wang, Robert Chen, Carolyn Hardaker, Ruth Jindal, De Montfort University, UK
    • Study on Collagen/Epicatechin Composites for Reinforcing and Protecting Leather Heritage, Qijue Chen 1,2, Fang Wang1, Jie Liua2, Yong Lei3, Jie Liu1,2, Keyong Tang1,2 1.School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, China, 2. Archeology Innovation Center, Zhengzhou University, China, 3. Palace Museum, Beijing China
    • The International Revival of Gilt Leather, Eloy Koldeweij, Cultural Heritage Agency, The Netherlands
    • The GreenBOOK Project: Eco-Friendly Bioleather for Book Conservation, Elodie Lévêque1, Theanne Schiros2 ,Romare Antrobus2, Elias Dolton-Thornton2, Simon Raffin1, Anne-Laurence Dupont3, Laurianne Robinet 3, Sabrina Paris3, 1.Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, Paris, France, 2. Fashion Institute of Technology, NYC, USA, 3. CRC, MNHN, Paris, France
    • The use of cutting machine and sulfur-free conservation leather for the restoration of lacunae on gilt leather, Céline Bonnot-Diconne1, Pablo Londero2, Jérôme Farigoule2, - Elsa Bourguignon2, Georgina Garrett2, 1.2CRC, France 2. Louvre Abu Dhabi museum, UAE
    • The Use of Gilded Mediums (Bronzine) for the Restoration of Gilded Leathers: Consequences and Cleaning Methods – A Case Study of a French Gilded Leather from the Rhône Valley (17th Century) Preserved at the Historical Museum of Lausanne. (this title is still subject to change), Océane da Silva Henriques, Haute École Arc in conservation-restoration, Neuchâtel, Switzerland

  2. Poster topics

    • Adhesives used on vegetable tanned leather: A survey review, Arianne Panton, The Leather Conservation Centre, UK
    • Conservation of leather (skin), and related materials: Reflections on developments in the field since the publication of the 2006 handbook, Arianne Panton and Rosie Bolton, The Leather Conservation Centre, UK
    • HACC/GA-Based Microencapsulation of Oregano Essential Oil via Complex Coacervation: A Sustainable Strategy for Antimicrobial Protection of Leather Artifacts, Haojian Shao1, Mingrui Zhang1,2, Jie Liua2, Keyong Tang1,2,1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, China 2. Archeology Innovation Center, Zhengzhou University, China
    • Iron Age Fur Skin Tanning – a Sustainable Practice?, René Larsen¹, Anne Lisbeth Schmidt2, Martin N. Mortensen3, Yvonne Shashoua3, Dorte Vestergaard Poulsen Sommer1, Jane Richter4,1. Fonden Bevaring Sjælland, Videncenter for Bevaring af Kulturarven, Denmark, 2. National Museum of Denmark, Conservation and Restoration, Denmark, 3. National Museum of Denmark, Environmental Archaeology and Materials Science, Denmark,4. Royal Danish Academy, Conservation, Denmark
    • Long-term Antioxidant and UV-blocking Gelatine Films for the Preservation of Leather Artifacts, Suchi Liu1, Mingrui Zhang1, Jie Liu1,2, Yong Lei3, Mǎdǎlina Georgiana Albu Kaya4, Keyong Tanga2,1.School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, China, 2. Archeology Innovation Center, Zhengzhou University, China, 3. Department of Conservation Science, Palace Museum, Beijing, China, 4. Collagen Department, INCDTP-Leather and Footwear Research Institute, Bucharest, Romania
    • Multi-dimensional Analysis and Innovative Protection: Identification, Deterioration Assessment, and Protection Strategies for Leather Artifacts, Mingrui Zhang1,2, Suchi Liu1,2, Jie Liu1,2, Yong Lei3, Mǎdǎlina Georgiana Albu Kaya4, Keyong Tang1,2, 1.School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, China, 2. Archeology Innovation Center, Zhengzhou University, China, 3. Department of Conservation Science, Palace Museum, Beijing, China, 4. Collagen Department, INCDTP-Leather and Footwear Research Institute, Bucharest, Romania
    • Non-Destructive Analysis of Vegetable Leather Tannins: Viable or Fallible?, Miriam-Helene Rudd1, Lara Kaplan2,3, Dr. Rosie Grayburn2,3, 1. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC, USA, 2. Winterthur Museum, Delaware, USA, 3. University of Delaware, Delaware, USA
    • The Consolidation of Powdery Leather Surfaces : Evaluation of the Penetration Capability of Klucel® by Fluorescence Colouring, Barbara Nydegger, Atelier Verso, Switzerland
    • The Fast and the Furriers: a rapid, inexpensive method for identifying source animal, Lu Allington-Jones, The Natural History Museum, London, UK

  3. Video topics

    • Jigsaw teaching: understanding book conservation through clear video tutorials, Andrea Pataki-Hundt, Maike Linden, Marlen Börngen, University of Applied Sciences Cologne, Cologne Institute of Conservation Sciences (CICS), Köln, Germany