Find Leather before trying to manufacture it. A sewer chest is a reported early source; once the Workbench is available, 2 Animal Hides make 1 Leather.
Your route at a glance
- Find first Leather
- Reserve Workbench materials
- Build Workbench
- 2 Animal Hides → 1 Leather
Progression schematic, not a geographic map. Detailed steps and version limits below.
Break the crafting loop
- Check sewer chests for the first Leather. One published route reports two pieces with a Bone Club; treat it as a lead, not a guaranteed loot table.
- Gather 3 Planks, 2 Iron Rods and 1 Leather for the Workbench.
- Use the Workbench to turn Animal Hides into more Leather.
A hide source
Processing a Rat into Raw Meat can also yield hide. A Rat Trap is another useful route for gathering; its reported recipe is 3 Sticks.
Recipe missing in co-op?
Have the player who needs the recipe pick up Leather themselves. Community coverage reports that discovery can be player-specific. Check the item and station requirements again before spending the remaining rods.
Sources & version notes
The early chest is a reported location, not a promise that every save has identical contents. The Steam discovery report predates release.
Banner: official Steam promotional screenshot, used as general illustration. It does not depict the exact solution.