
Cured Leather is still present in The Long Dark, but is only obtainable by Harvesting leather footwear, gloves, the Moose-Hide Satchel, and beachcombing.
In early builds of The Long Dark (alpha/beta), Deer Hides provided "Fresh Leather" when harvested this item could be converted into " Cured Leather" by curing it, and then used for repairing clothing. In The Long Dark, raw and cooked meat and fish cannot be cured or otherwise preserved, except by placing them outdoors which slows their decay rate by natural refrigeration. It is the process of preserving items or materials, often through desiccation (drying out) or treatment with a chemical/compound (such as salt). "Curing" is a real-world process which includes salting, drying and smoking. In-Game time is required to cure items, and is a fixed rate, not dependent on temperature. Many small caves can also be used for curing, but items should be placed as far as possible from the entrance if they are curing, the "Cure %" will appear on the item. Curing items placed inside a container indoors will also cure, but at a slower rate. Fresh items which are partially cured may be picked up, resuming their decay but retaining their "X% Cured", which is can progress as soon as they are dropped/placed indoor again. The item's remaining condition has no effect on item(s) created by it. Curing items fully prevents them from further decaying condition.
Fresh Hides and Guts decay their condition over time, becoming destroyed upon reaching 0% Condition ("Ruined").Curing takes place over in-game time, even if the player is not present (such as outside of a building, or in another region).This increases until the item is 100% cured, where the item will automatically become a fully cured and ready for crafting use. As these raw items continue to lay on the floor indoors, they will display a "X% Cured" progress by looking at the item, showing their current status till becoming fully cured.
These items may be cured by dropping them on the floor or otherwise placing them inside an 'indoors' location (most caves and artificial structures, including many without a Loading Transition, such as the Stone Church and Mountaineer's Hut). Some raw resources from plants and animals cannot be used for crafting in their initial state, and must first be cured: these include Birch Sapling and Maple Sapling, all types of Animal Pelts, and Fresh Guts from animals. Curing is a mechanic in The Long Dark, which converts raw resources into crafting items.