All of sudden allergic to leather, WTH!

[tjsowhat]

I bought a side of 100% veg tan leather, stuffed with oils and tallow, per the website. I've made a few wallets, keychains etc. I recently made myself a watch strap and matching bracelet. Last few days my watch strap wrist was getting red and itchy. Last night I was charging the lume on my watch with a UV led keychain. By accident I noticed a strong yellow glow on my wrist. Took my watch off and my wrist was glowing yellow marking the strap. Even the little hairs glow. Is something wrong with the leather? Maybe it's chrome tanned?

https://ibb.co/iJ4yXk
https://ibb.co/ckKAdQ

Edited June 17, 2017 by tjsowhat

[RockyAussie]

Wow I've never seen anything like that before. Can you post any pics of the watchband showing the lining in particular? Do you use any sort of body lotion that might be reacting with the leather chemicals and did you put any sort of a finish on the lining?

[cjartist]

Yep, sounds like some of those oils and tallow the hide is stuffed with (according to the website).  Perhaps they fed it some synthetic crap too.  Or something left over from the tanning process was allowed to be preserved by the over saturation.  Really strange though.

[TonyRV2]

Likely a reaction to some product used in the tanning or finishing process.  Allergies can come on sudden like that.  Try getting leather from a different source and see if you still have a reaction.  Try just to eliminate one thing at a time in trying to narrow it down.  Good luck.

[tjsowhat]

8 hours ago, RockyAussie said:

Wow I've never seen anything like that before. Can you post any pics of the watchband showing the lining in particular? Do you use any sort of body lotion that might be reacting with the leather chemicals and did you put any sort of a finish on the lining?

No lining used. I figured since it was 100% veg tan no problem. I've had leather bracelets with no rashes ever. No lotion used either. 

[tjsowhat]

4 hours ago, cjartist said:

Yep, sounds like some of those oils and tallow the hide is stuffed with (according to the website).  Perhaps they fed it some synthetic crap too.  Or something left over from the tanning process was allowed to be preserved by the over saturation.  Really strange though.

The leather is really beautiful. I made a few wallets that I've routinely carried for the last 3 months. I rubbed the wallet with my finger and no reaction. Something about the sweat causing a reaction. 

[tjsowhat]

3 hours ago, TonyRV2 said:

Likely a reaction to some product used in the tanning or finishing process.  Allergies can come on sudden like that.  Try getting leather from a different source and see if you still have a reaction.  Try just to eliminate one thing at a time in trying to narrow it down.  Good luck.

I bought a small piece of veg tan, no oils or tallow on this one. Made a watch strap last night. I'll see how it goes in a couple of days. I don't mind a small rash, what really worries me is that it glows like that, definitely not natural. Even the little hairs glow from skin to tip, scary.

[tjsowhat]

[tjsowhat]

Here is the leather.

[alpha2]

Where did the leather come from?

And nice touch to match the stitching to the watch face!

Edited June 17, 2017 by alpha2

[OLDNSLOW]

I noticed that you are from the Baja area, so the question I have is where did  the leather come from, I understand that a lot of the tanneries below the border us some questionable chemicals in the tanning process?  Not sure if that might have something to do with it, I understand that the chajine (not sure on spelling) tannery is the better of all those in that area, might try and get some leather from there.

[alpha2]

that's why I asked. I had a jacket from Tijuana. If it got even slightly wet, you didn't want to be in the same building with that thing.

[JerseyFirefighter]

Have you checked for super powers yet?

Kidding aside that's really weird to have happen. 

[tjsowhat]

1 hour ago, alpha2 said:

Where did the leather come from?

And nice touch to match the stitching to the watch face!

 

44 minutes ago, OLDNSLOW said:

I noticed that you are from the Baja area, so the question I have is where did  the leather come from, I understand that a lot of the tanneries below the border us some questionable chemicals in the tanning process?  Not sure if that might have something to do with it, I understand that the chajine (not sure on spelling) tannery is the better of all those in that area, might try and get some leather from there.

I'd hate to blame the place of purchase. I'm sure they probably don't know either. I am calling them on Monday to verify the description of being 100% veg tan stuffed with oils and tallow. Maybe it's good that it's brought to their attention and be safe. Leather is New Haven Veg Tan bought from Tasman Leathergroup, it's part of Thoroughbred Leather in Kentucky.

[tjsowhat]

7 minutes ago, JerseyFirefighter said:

Have you checked for super powers yet?

Kidding aside that's really weird to have happen. 

No, but I will lol. Someone grab me some milk haha

[tjsowhat]

More reference pics. Front and back of leather. It's a beautiful leather, of many leathers that I have, this one tops them all.

Edited June 18, 2017 by tjsowhat
Update

[tjsowhat]

And lastly. Again, I love this specific leather. I hope to clear the issue soon. I did make myself a watch strap and bracelet from veg tan with no add ons. I'll see how that reacts tonight.

 

[JD62]

I'm just wondering, what you do for a living, or where you've been visiting the last couple days before you spotted this? Could be something you picked up there?

[tjsowhat]

11 minutes ago, JD62 said:

I'm just wondering, what you do for a living, or where you've been visiting the last couple days before you spotted this? Could be something you picked up there?

I'm a local Southern California native. Nothing out of the ordinary as far as health or lifestyle. 

[JD62]

Just curious because the place I use to work, we used a penetrant that glowed like that under uv but if you haven't been around any metal testing labs that won't be it.

I hope you get to the bottom of it soon.

[RockyAussie]

I would say it is a vegetable tanned leather but like most things it may highly suitable for some uses and sometimes not others. Mimosa tanning agent is one of the most common and has a tendancy to go a light yellowy tan colour by itself and mixed with some oils this can affect the colour further and also these oils generally migrate to the surface of the leather and eventually dry out and need to be replaced. Most of the tooling type leather are not loaded with as much of these oils and fats and and will normally give no problems.The chemicals are probably helping in creating the rash but I would make sure that the knots of your thread are not giving you a problem. I notice they do not look well pushed in and I know the thread can create agitation as it does on myself. I have never used this type of leather onto a watch band lining before and I don't think I would now having seen this.

[tjsowhat]

1 hour ago, JD62 said:

Just curious because the place I use to work, we used a penetrant that glowed like that under uv but if you haven't been around any metal testing labs that won't be it.

I hope you get to the bottom of it soon.

Thanks for the heads up. I'm thinking of getting a physical done and asking for any special test available regarding this. 

[tjsowhat]

1 hour ago, RockyAussie said:

I would say it is a vegetable tanned leather but like most things it may highly suitable for some uses and sometimes not others. Mimosa tanning agent is one of the most common and has a tendancy to go a light yellowy tan colour by itself and mixed with some oils this can affect the colour further and also these oils generally migrate to the surface of the leather and eventually dry out and need to be replaced. Most of the tooling type leather are not loaded with as much of these oils and fats and and will normally give no problems.The chemicals are probably helping in creating the rash but I would make sure that the knots of your thread are not giving you a problem. I notice they do not look well pushed in and I know the thread can create agitation as it does on myself. I have never used this type of leather onto a watch band lining before and I don't think I would now having seen this.

Wow, thanks for all the info. The leather does have a darker yellowish glow under the UV light when it's cut, noticed this too. I tested rubbing my finger on both sides, no glow so far. Seems that sweat triggers the reaction. The rash on wrist was even, strap is 22mm width. The bracelet is also 22mm with same thread pattern. No rash on my right wrist, but the glow is definitely there as well. I'll read into that mimosa tree powder.