IFLMEA Chairman KR Vijayan Shares Leather Industry Trends & Tamil Nadu CM Lays Foundation for Shoe Factory

Piyush Goyal Urges Indian Leather Industry to Achieve Zero Pollution & more in this week's global leather industry news

Author

Arshad Leathernews.org
December 22, 2024

Good Morning & Welcome to our weekly newsletter! Here, we bring you the entire week's global news, insights, market research & analysis, expert insights and facts from the "leather, footwear, and leather goods" industry.

In a simplified and easy-to-understand manner, saving you time while keeping you informed and updated.

In case you missed it, here’s a look at what happened in the Global Leather & Footwear Industry last week.

LEATHER INDUSTRY NEWS

Md. Sadiq, Former Chief Scientist, CSIR-CLRI, shared insights from his meeting with KR Vijayan, Chairman of IFLMEA. The discussion highlighted rising demand for cow and goat suede leather, growing travel goods market, and robust orders for cowboy boots as production shifts to India and more

On December 18, 2024, the leather industry was recognized at the National Export Excellence Awards 2023-24 for contributing USD 5 billion annually in exports and creating opportunities for women and economically weaker sections. Union Minister Piyush Goyal applauded exporters for their dedication, urging them to focus on sustainability and large-scale production to boost global competitiveness.

WINNERS IN THE OVERALL CATEGORY FOR 2023-24

  • 1st Place: Apache Footwear India Pvt Ltd, Andhra Pradesh

  • 2nd Place: Mirza International Limited, Kanpur

  • 3rd Place: Superhouse Limited, Kanpur

Vanessa Podmore, LWG’s Executive Director, shares her first six months’ journey, highlighting milestones like a 60% reduction in leather’s environmental impact, new sustainability systems, and a detailed lifecycle assessment report. With over 2,000 certified suppliers in 60+ countries, LWG leads the charge in sustainable leather practices.

R. Kumar, Chairman and Managing Director of Arkay Leathers Private Ltd, has emphasized the urgent need for policy reforms to protect and grow India’s leather industry.

Kumar proposed three key reforms to strengthen India’s position:

  1. Scrapping import duties on raw materials for both exporters and domestic manufacturers.

  2. Allowing free export of wet blues and crust leather to tap into global demand.

  3. Simplify port procedures such as eliminating time-consuming inspections, to enhance efficiency.

Dr. Kerry Senior, Director of Leather UK since 2013, joins Leather Naturally's Management Board after a unanimous member vote. Known for championing leather's sustainability and challenging misconceptions, he has led impactful initiatives, including a UK consumer survey with Leather Naturally and the Institute for Creative Leather Technology.

FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY NEWS

Tamil Nadu is set to become India’s footwear capital! The Chief Minister inaugurated a massive Rs.1,500 crore (~US$180M) non-leather footwear facility by Hong Fu Industrial Group at Sipcot Industrial Park. Spanning 200 acres, the project will create 25,000 jobs—85% for women. With partners like Nike and Adidas, this investment solidifies Tamil Nadu’s global footwear hub status.

Kickers, the iconic French footwear brand, opened its first store in Chennai at V R Mall yesterday. The launch, officiated by Etienne Rolland-Piegue, the French Consul General, kicks off a 30-year partnership between Chennai-based Kothari Industrial Corporation Limited (KICL) and France’s Royer Group.

Highlights:

  • Kickers will manufacture footwear in India under the "Make in India" initiative.

  • Plans include exports to eight neighboring countries, from Sri Lanka to Saudi Arabia.

  • The Chennai store offers a diverse collection of sandals, sneakers, and boots.

The Government of India is establishing a leather fashion training centre and design studio in Kanpur, supported by Exim Bank under the District Export Hub Scheme. Equipped with cutting-edge tools like 3D printers and scanners, the initiative aims to upskill Kanpur’s youth through specialized courses with NIFT.

LEATHER GOODS INDUSTRY NEWS

Natuzzi Group, the luxury furniture leader, reported €243.9 million in net sales for the first nine months of 2024, a slight dip of 0.3% from 2023. Branded sales, making up 93% of the total, rose by 0.3% year-over-year, reflecting the strength of its core segment. Directly operated stores (DOS) saw a solid 6.3% sales increase, largely driven by the U.S. market. Despite rising finance costs and deeper operating losses, the company made strategic moves, including store expansions and plant relocations. For more details

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS & ANALYSIS

I recently wrote an article title "How Is Leather Made? A Step by Step Guide to the Leather Production Process" (IT TOOK ME 4 HOURS TO WRITE IT) & Do you know WHY IT MATTERS?

Ever wondered how the leather in your favorite shoe, bag, jacket or sofa is made?

I would say It’s a fascinating blend of 3 things

▪️ Craftsmanship,

▪️ Science &

▪️ Tradition.

A Month ago I wrote a detailed article on Leather News titled "How Is Leather Made? A Step-by-Step Guide to the Leather Production Process".

As an engineer specializing in leather technology, I combined my academic expertise & brief professional experience to present the process in a fun & a conversational style.

I tried my best to write it in layman language & kept it brief & also made sure the sentences were just in a few lines to make sure its easy to read.

It took me a solid 4 hours to write, edit, & publish haha, but it was totally worth it.

You know WHY?

The next time when someone asks me or searches online "how leather is made", I am confident this article will be the only reliable source they will need.

The article covers everything from what leather is to the step-by-step process, including

- Sourcing,

- Pre-tanning,

- Tanning,

- Post-tanning &

- Finishing.

Here’s the table of content that you can expect:

[1] What is Leather?

[2] The Leather Making Process: A Step-by-Step Guide

[3] Sourcing Raw Materials

[4] Preparing the Hides/Skins (Curing)

[5] Step 01 Pre-Tanning Process: What Happens During Pre-Tanning?

[6] Step 02 Tanning: What Is Tanning and Why Is It Important?

[6.1] Types of Tanning Processes

[7] Step 3: Post-Tanning – The Art of Refining Leather

[7.1] What Is Post-Tanning?

[8] Step 4 Finishing: The Final Stage of leather Making

[8.1] What Is Finishing?

[8.2] The Importance of Finishing

[9] Conclusion – Bringing It All Together

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So, If you are curious or just want to understand the process behind your favorite leather products

I invite you to read the full article here

Thanks for reading our Newsletter today.

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Written & Published by Arshad | Leathernews.org

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