Why Work With Us? 

C K International, Ltd. has over 20 years of export experience and currently ships product to 10 countries spanning 3 continents.  As an agent for Hormel midsection pigskin, CKI has access to +32,000 pcs/day, over 80% of the US butcher pigskin used in leather.

As an active member of the U.S. Hide, Skin and Leather Association, we pride ourselves on delivering quality US product consistent with USHSLA guidelines and standards.  Through our connections with USHSLA, the US Department of Commerce, and other contacts, we stay current on international trade issues and have a network to overcome unforeseen trade obstacles.

Our hands-on approach and expertise allow us to inspect the product each step of the way.  We treat our customer relationships as long-term, integrated partnerships.

We offer:

• Wet Salted Skins

• Wet Blue Skins

• Breathable Leather

Why Pigskin? 

Pigskin's natural structure promotes breathability, making it lighter while being more tear resistant.  As a natural by-product of the food industry, pigskin is ideal for shoe uppers, gloves, and linings.  Pigskin is economical and provides a cost-effective material for leather producers.  The finer nap creates a luxurious feel and is commonly used by name brand shoe manufacturers and tanners around the world.  

As an output the meat industry, leather is a more sustainable, environmentally conscious material than competing petroleum based synthetic alternatives.  Rather than discarding the skins after meat production, the excess material is processed into beautifully crafted and luxuriously comfortable leather products. While superior in consistency, synthetic materials rely on the exploitation of finite resources and harmful refinement processes, both detrimental to the environment.  Boasting natural character and improved quality with age, leather is a much more eco-friendly and logical choice. 

Pigskin vs. Cattle hide

Cattle hide occupies the leather market share and the consumer mind space.  It is the predominant leather material used in everything from automotive leather to garments, bags and shoes. Cattle are obviously much larger than pigs and the substrate and surface area of the hide is much larger and thicker.   However, there are a number of applications where pigskin can be used as an alternative (and sometimes preferred) raw material.  The most common overlap in uses is between pigskin nubuck or cattle split. 

Cattle hides are typically split into two to three layers for grain leathers.  The outside grain layer is very smooth gives the leather a lot of strength and some elasticity.  The internal split layer is characterized by a more open cellular structure giving it a more casual nap and hand feel.  Depending on thickness requirements, there may be a second split layer. 

Pigskin nubuck utilizes almost the full substrate of the pigskin to mirror the thickness of a cattle split.  The structures of the skin is strongest at the grain, followed by the corium.  Pigskin nubuck's finished surface is much closer to the grain of the skin, delivering higher tear strength, superior abrasion, and puncture resistance.  Further, pigskin's interwoven cellular structure further reinforces tear resistant qualities.  A secondary benefit of the pigskin nubuck is tighter nap because the finished surface is just under the grain.   Unlike cattle hide, where hair roots end just below the surface of the hide, Pigskin hair root structure often penetrates through the whole thickness of the hide.  This makes pigskin instantly recognizable, while creating natural breathability.

The US harvests ~450,000 hogs per day, however less than 10% of US skins harvested from pork production will be used for leather production.  The other +90% are designated for gelatin production or food consumption.  Typical US pigskins are machine pulled, machine fleshed, and drum cured prior to palletizing and shipping.  Depending on the supplier, the skins may be sorted by defects and weight grading.  Hormel remains the last large US packer supplying butcher pigskins for leather production.  

Hormel Wet Salted

Hormel processes healthy, USDA inspected hogs. All hog producers supplying to Hormel Foods must comply with Hormel's animal welfare requirements, including the National Pork Board's Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) Plus Program, the Transportation Quality Assurance (TQA) Program, and Hormel's Farm Animal Care and Treatment Specifications (FACTS). 

In the plant, Hormel and USDA inspectors certify that all carcasses are cleaned, de-haired, and washed before processing begins. Hormel pigskins are center section skins trimmed from the base of the front leg to the start of the tail.  In doing so, Hormel provides skins with uniform thickness that are ideal for shoe nubuck and garment suede.  Leading athletic footwear and luxury apparel brands alike use Hormel skins due to the large quantity and uniformity.  Boasting a more consistent pricing structure than other hair-on skins, Hormel skins provide a dependable model suitable for tanneries of all sizes.   

Hormel processes and salt cures skins used in leather production.   Wet salted skins are cured on site under the USDA inspected facility.  The salt curing process starts within an hour of harvesting the skin to quickly reduces moisture while stabilizing the quality of the skin.  Skins are packed in heat treated crates for shipping.

Wet blue pigskin is the interim process in making finished leather.  Tanneries that are limited by throughput or water restrictions can take advantage of wet blue pigskin to finish product quickly and consistently.  Also, because it is no longer considered a perishable product, it often falls under different country import regulations then salt cured skins.

Our US wet blue pigskin is processed in a LWG rated tannery.  Finished pigskin nubuck typically exceeds 60% US value, depending on finishing costs.  Our Wet Blue is processed in a temperature controlled, indoor environment with regulated ground water temperatures and machine fed chemicals.  These result in more consistent year-round production then many other tanneries.  Additionally, we treat all skins with 5+ month mold protection, prolonging the quality of skin before the tanning process. 

 The extended life-span of this commodity, combined with the light and durable structure, improves the overall shipping weight and storage capacity.   

CKI offers breathable, lightweight pigskin nubuck in a variety of textures, finishes, and colors.  Perfect for Men’s and Women’s shoes, our precise color matching process allows for customization and color matching based reference materials or Pantone Color Charts. 

Our global supply network spans tanneries in Asia, Europe, and North America.  The leather produced is utilized in applications such as shoe uppers, hand bags, garments, accessories and laces.  Purchased consistently by the world’s top footwear brands, our skin is recognized for its size and thickness uniformity, as well as our stable pricing structure.  We pride ourselves in customer satisfaction and use our industry contacts to establish lasting relationships between producers and manufacturers. 

Our dedicated, hands-on approach allows for unrivaled consistency in leather production.   Each step in the tanning process, from harvesting the skin to palletizing the finished leather, follows stringent protocol and is overseen by our team and partners.  The world’s top footwear brands, as well as associated business units and manufacturers, recognize the supreme quality of our leather.