Using spent coffee grounds oil in leather fatliquoring

This study explores the potential of using spent coffee grounds (SCGs) oil as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional fish-oil in leather fatliquoring. SCGs oil was extracted and converted into an aqueous grease then used at various concentrations (5%, 10%, 15%, 20%) for application to sheep wet-blues. A fish-oil group served as the control. The extracted SCGs oil (12.12% yield) exhibited a promising fatty acid profile (47% saturated, 52.8% unsaturated), suitable for leather fatliquoring. Analysis of the resulting leathers revealed comparable quality between SCGs and fish-oil at equivalent concentrations. Notably, SCGs leathers displayed a more homogeneous structure, potentially enhancing physical properties. The findings suggest that SCGs fatliquor offers good filling and mechanical properties, with an optimal concentration around 10% for maximizing overall leather quality. While chemical properties showed minimal differences between SCGs and fish-oil leathers, SCGs fatliquor emerged as a viable and sustainable alternative. This approach promotes economic and environmental benefits by utilizing waste materials in the leather tanning process.