Red rot

Red rot is a degradation process found in vegetable-tanned leather.

The bookbinding process can cause red rot when acids and bases are used when coloring the leather.

[3] The decay manifests as a characteristic powdering of the leather's surface, along with structural weakness through loss, delamination, and a felt-like consistency.

However, its spread, if caused by environmental factors, may be retarded by an application of a consolidant (such as Klucel G) coated with a sealer (such as Renaissance Wax).

[4] The progress of red rot can be stopped or slowed with a treatment of aluminium alkoxide solution, which increases the pH value and becomes (in the presence of water) a buffering inorganic aluminium salt in the leather.