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Leatherbiz Market Intelligence executive summary: • • • • • • • •
Last year was extremely challenging for the global leather industry, with weak demand and high uncertainty across the value chain Global leather demand fell, sharply in automotive and furniture, while demand in footwear stayed largely flat Leather is now discretionary, making demand highly sensitive to economic uncertainty and cautious consumers Oversupply of raw hides pushed prices down, redirecting raw material to proteins, collagen and gelatine Europe’s leather sector suffered from falling prices and rising labour, energy, regulatory and logistics costs Market gaps widened: mass production faced margin collapse, while top luxury brands remained resilient Geopolitical tensions and unpredictable policies disrupted trade and supply chains In 2026, high inventories and price pressure mean slow recovery; longterm growth will require better communication and collaboration with manufacturers.
MARKET INTELLIGENCE
W
e extend our best wishes to all readers and business partners for a healthy, peaceful, and successful new year. Owing to the pause over the Christmas period, we are covering a slightly longer time span in this Market Intelligence report. We will look back at 2025 as well as at the key parameters and framework conditions at the beginning of 2026 along the leather pipeline. In retrospect, 2025 will likely be remembered as one of the most eventful and most difficult years in the leather industry’s recent history. Political decisions, geopolitical tensions and extraordinary events shaped the market environment to such an extent that reliable planning was significantly impeded for long stretches of the year. In particular, the trade policy of the US and the ongoing military confrontations dominated the year and will most likely continue to have an impact in 2026. As in previous years, it once again became clear that political decisions and extraordinary events remain unpredictable. Year-end outlooks work with probabilities and assumptions. Reality, however, has repeatedly shown that decisive developments often occur outside these corridors. We can only hope that there will at least be no further escalation of military confrontations. From a broader perspective, 2025 confirmed that global demand for leather as a material came under further pressure. The decline was particularly evident in the
automotive sector in Europe, but the furniture industry also recorded noticeably weaker demand. In the footwear segment, the overall picture was one of stagnation. While production volumes for classic leather dress shoes declined in particular, the growing use of leather in the sneaker segment acted as a stabilising factor for overall leather consumption in the footwear industry. In the luxury goods industry, the factors mentioned at the beginning of this report had a pronounced impact in 2025. On the one hand, inventories resulting from 2024 planning continued to weigh on the market; on the other hand, overall demand momentum weakened. In addition, further factors came increasingly to the fore and should not be underestimated. Consumers placed greater and greater emphasis on the relationship between quality and price. Some brands implemented price increases that, from the buyers’ perspective, were no longer in an appropriate ratio to the qualities delivered. This effect was further reinforced by the fact that social media commentary increasingly questioned the price-to-quality relationship and garnered a lot of attention in China. As a result, certain brands came under considerable pressure. The very top end of the luxury segment remained largely unaffected by this. In this part of the market, the question of quality is beyond doubt for certain brands, but at the same time it is about far more than the product itself. Unique selling points play a central role. By purchasing a luxury product,
one acquires not only a material product, but also a feeling, an experience, an expression of distinctiveness and differentiation, or a mixture of all these factors. Ultimately, the only brands that will remain successful will be those that are able to deliver these intangible values. For all other brands, price inevitably becomes a significant factor again. When highly positioned brands attempt to move toward mass production in order to drive higher revenues without adjusting their price positioning accordingly, the model reaches its limits. This has also affected demand for leather in the production of these goods. Raw material availability remained relatively high and stable overall in 2025, even though there were regional shifts. Overall, developments in beef production, and thus the availability of bovine hides, played a smaller role than in earlier market cycles, because demand was the constraining factor. What became increasingly apparent, however, was a stronger segmentation of markets. On the one hand, there was mass production, where margins suffered under a difficult consumer environment and sustained price pressure. This pressure was directly reflected in leather prices as well. The European leather industry was particularly affected, facing not only falling selling prices but also significantly rising costs at the same time. Higher labour costs, energy prices, EU policy, the limited availability of qualified workers, and logistical challenges further intensified the situation. No longer competitive in the low-priced mass segment, European tanners were hit hardest by the decline in the middle- and higher-price segments. Overall, 2025 proved exceptionally challenging for the European leather industry, a situation that is unlikely to ease fundamentally in 2026. In Asia’s traditional producing markets, increasing pressure was also noticeable. Tradepolicy measures and tariff regulations by the US government played an important role in this context. In the meantime, the situation surrounding US tariff policy appears to have eased somewhat. Not that tariffs have disappeared, but agreements have been reached with numerous countries that at least restore a certain degree of planning security. Nevertheless, it must be noted that almost every producer who still wants to supply the US market is affected by tariffs, either directly or through necessary price adjustments. What is often overlooked is the basic economic fact that tariffs are not paid by foreign countries or by the supplier, but by the US importer and ultimately by the US consumer. Even if tariffs can lead to intensified
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price competition in the short term, the financial burden remains within the US market itself. The widespread impression that this represents a net inflow into the US state budget financed by overseas countries does not reflect this reality. So far the good news for suppliers was the decision to suspend an increase in tariffs for furniture for another year. Perhaps sense has prevailed; North Carolina furniture factories cannot just reopen, find qualified workers and start supplying cheap furniture at the drop of a hat. It remains the case that leather is no longer a strictly necessary product, but rather a classic discretionary product. In phases of economic uncertainty, rising costs and subdued consumer sentiment, demand and prices react, which further increases volatility across the entire value chain. In summary, it can be stated that the global total volume of collected bovine hides in production and usage, after the peak years between 2010 and 2020, was noticeably
corrected in 2025. This decline in leather demand resulted in a raw material supply that was no longer covered by demand and reacted with correspondingly falling prices. At the same time, rising production costs meant that leather increasingly struggled to hold its ground in the competition among materials. Against this backdrop, a stronger focus on alternative uses of the animal raw material became inevitable. With the decline in leather demand, many beef producers began to look for alternative sales channels. This development was already visible during 2024, when demand for animal proteins increased noticeably, particularly in the dietary supplement sector. Corresponding investments became visible through the expansion of existing production capacities, as well as in the strategic plans of major groups in South America. In recent years, substantial capacities have been built for processing bovine hides into proteins, collagen and gelatines. At present, there are no indications
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that this trend will reverse. On the contrary, one increasingly hears of new projects in various countries that are not primarily perceived today as beef producers. However, capacity expansion does not yet automatically imply an equally rising demand that could fully compensate for the decline in the traditional use of bovine hides in leather production. Nevertheless, these developments must be monitored very closely in the coming months and years, as they will be of central importance for the long-term balance of supply and demand for the raw material serving the leather industry. What can be clearly stated is that the increasing use of bovine hides in the animal protein sector in 2025 had a stabilising and balancing market effect. Without this additional outlet, the situation regarding the utilisation and processing of bovine hides would have been significantly more strained. For the leather industry, 2025 will certainly be remembered as a year marking the beginning of profound changes. With this assessment, we conclude the review of 2025 and turn in the following section to the current framework conditions and the outlook for 2026. We are in a phase of major political uncertainty. It is clear from events in the first days of 2026 that tensions and military activity in different parts of the world show no sign of easing. If one considers global supply chains, the consequences of the continuation and even the escalation of these tensions will be so far-reaching and complex that they would surely exceed the scope of our publication. Besides the availability of raw materials, questions of production capacities, access to necessary materials and the role of leather as a material would all have to be reassessed entirely. A further disturbance of world peace would, in the first stage, represent another major problem for the leather industry. Production security would be endangered, and consumers would initially forgo treating themselves to many products that are still made of leather today. If, however, everything were to remain as is, and there were a return to a generally more stable political situation over the course of 2026, then the fundamental parameters would come to the fore again. It would then be reasonable to assume that the availability of bovine hides worldwide would not change significantly. Even declines in slaughter could easily be offset by resources that are currently not being used. This would, however, require that prices for bovine hides rise again, so that the economic rationale for collection and processing in many regions of the world could return. If leather were to experience significantly rising demand again as a material, then many other resources such as sheep, goats, kangaroos and so on would also immediately become sought after, although such a situation seems unlikely. At the moment, this remains wishful thinking and a matter for the distant future, because we still have large volumes of semifinished material sitting in stocks, waiting for
TUESDAY, JANUARY 06 2025 LEATHERBIZ 3
customers. This means that the probability of a short-term change in the supply-demand balance, even under stable and favourable market conditions, can hardly be expected for the early part of 2026. One should also bear in mind that the current price pressure in the markets has by no means eased, and this already sets the cost-based pricing targets for the coming months. Why are we not completely pessimistic despite all of these negative conditions? If the world and the leather industry can once again calmly focus on the future, we are still dealing with a raw material whose final product is not only an upcycling product, but also continues to offer superior properties. The fundamental failure of the leather industry to concentrate on the strengths and special characteristics of the material is a sad story, but it can still be changed. When one considers the effort consumer goods manufacturers go to to make alternative materials sound attractive to customers, it remains a mystery that the leather industry expends enormous energy and money on all kinds of non-productive certifications with little value in terms of external market impact, yet loses sight of the decisive objective and, as a result, has missed it for years. In fairness to the leather industry, it must be said that in most cases it was effectively forced into this pursuit of certifications of one kind or another. It was not part of the industry’s own hopes and strategies. Even so, there is still an attempt to justify the mistakes of the past, even today, without the results being convincing in any way. In 2025, we discussed these issues several times, and thus for the outlook for 2026 a question arises about what actually needs to be done. Without doubt, associations and institutions can have a supportive role, but they do not have a direct effect on consumer decisions. No consumer and no manufacturer of leather products is truly influenced in their decisions by the activities of these institutions. From whichever angle one looks at it, a genuine success in bringing leather back as a material cannot be achieved by the leather industry alone. Without support, without persuasion, without mutual and intense cooperation with manufacturers of end products, and without open communication toward consumers, no material can actually achieve market success. Even for successful brands for whom leather is part of their DNA real active communication about why they use leather as their preferred material is mostly limited to fine print. Even for products whose performance depends on leather (for protection, comfort, utility, durability, wear properties, and so on) a truly comprehensive explanation of leather as an important material choice is rarely provided. This makes it clear once again that communication toward the consumer is the key, while it is also clear that the strength and resources of the leather industry are not sufficient to give leather globally the necessary attention again. One will therefore have to take detours through various
communication channels. We also doubt that a joint and coordinated campaign will ever become reality. Ultimately, only the initiative of individual players remains. In discussions on this topic with the leather industry, however, the objection always arises that customers would not be ready for this. We strongly doubt that. Even producers of consumer goods need, especially in times when business is difficult and competition for market share is intense, arguments and innovations to gain attention and attract new customers or to win old ones back. What is obviously missing is simply persuasive power on the side of the leather industry and trust and courage on the side of manufacturers. Arguments for using leather are more than sufficient, and more than adequately known. A brand manufacturer that makes use today of this incredibly large reservoir of facts and arguments would certainly have far greater chances of success than risk of failure. One could certainly find some additional
positive statements for a more successful 2026 for the leather industry, but in the end all thoughts in that direction lead to the same conclusions and required efforts described above. We also have very good reasons to assume that such thoughts may already exist among certain consumer goods manufacturers. Examples of how leather can be used successfully are increasing, and presumably only the last remnants of factions that have solidified over the years against leather within many companies still need to be removed. The more difficult business becomes, the greater the chance for change. However, this change must then truly be initiated proactively by the leather industry and not only awaited but also intensively supported. We are quite positive about this, even though we know there will be no shortterm successes. What the leather industry definitely needs again are strong salespeople who have both the knowledge and the talent to reach those
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places where decisions are ultimately made. The barriers that have become cemented in many companies and departments must— and can—be overcome. Waiting and hoping for these thoughts to develop on their own and for the customer to come to you will certainly not be sufficient. Otherwise, very little—or almost nothing— has happened in the markets over the past weeks. In the western world, people took a very long break, and we hope it was used for intensive reflection. In Asia, many are now approaching holiday interruptions as well, and in the coming weeks it will become clear what decisions have been made, or will be made, for the time after the Chinese New Year celebrations in February. Essentially, caution and waiting remain the current motto almost everywhere. However, since this condition has also persisted in Asia for quite some time, there is at least a realistic hope that there could be certain catch-up effects in the first half of 2026.
Actual Slaughter Under Federal Inspection
Cattle Calves Hogs Sheep Goats
Week ending 13.12.25
Week ending 14.12.24
595,972
609,630
-2.2
2,288
3,569
-35.9
2,732,915
2,560,497
+6.7
40,155
40,271
-0.3
10,762
10,827
-0.6
For the coming weeks, we still do not see any real impulses for an improvement in the overall situation along the leather pipeline. If no positive impulses can be identified in the first quarter, 2026 could once again become very problematic. The time window in which many companies now need planning security and orders is narrowing daily, and it may simply no longer be enough if recovery sets in too late. We will therefore monitor the situation very closely over the next three months and very much hope that, along the
% difference
leather pipeline, attention returns to what matters most: focusing on the advantages of the product, using existing competence, and shifting from a generally defensive, passive posture to an active, forward-looking stance.
US PERSPECTIVE
S
ales of cured cattle hides for the period ending December 25 were 188,500 pieces. The figure for exports of wet blue was 100,400 pieces. The most recent reports on hide prices showed Colorado branded steer hides weighing 63-65 pounds at $12 each, and heavy Texas steers weighing 60-62 pounds at $12.50 per piece. Cow hide prices had northern dairy cows at $8.50, south-west dairy cows at $8, northern branded cows at $3.50 and south-west branded cows at $3, with weights of 50-52 pounds in each case. The source of all these figures is the US Department of Agriculture. Please note that the prices quoted represent ‘ballpark’ figures.
Cattle markets USA
S
upplies of fed cattle will remain tight, but later this month one Tyson plant will close and another will move to one shift. The remaining plants will change their slaughter volumes to match beef demand. Plant utility rates are likely to rise allowing most plants to operate more efficiently. Taking costs out of the beef chain will benefit consumers. The volatility in futures prices has caused more interest from cattle owners in forward contracting. During the past two or three years, fewer cattle have been forward-sold as most producers anticipate higher prices in the future months. Some owners are now willing to set the price for future deliveries with basis levels to the futures varying by region. Large discounts in the deferred month usually discourages forward contracting. Box prices were higher to close the week last week. The choice-select spread continued to narrow as it does seasonally each year. Because of improved quality grade, more prime cuts will be on the shelf this holiday season. One casualty of the beef marketing efforts has been the highest end products. The Wagu and branded “all natural” specialty items often seen on the meat counter, but always carrying a hefty price tag. These include the USDA Prime cuts and have become more prevalent as quality grade on all cattle continues to break new
TUESDAY, JANUARY 06 2026 LEATHERBIZ 5
LATEST HIDE AND SKIN PRICES FROM GERMANY TYPE
WEIGHT RANGE
AVG. GREEN WEIGHT
SALTED WEIGHT
AVG. WEIGHT SALTED PRICE PER KG GREEN WEIGHT
TREND
15/24.5 kg
22.0/23.5 kg
13/22 kg
20/21 kg
€ 0.80
Weakish
25/29.5 kg
27.5/28.5 kg
22/27 kg
25/26 kg
€ 0.60
Stable
15/24.5 kg
22.5/23.5 kg
13/22 kg
20/21 kg
€ 0.40
Stable
25/29.5 kg
27.5/28.5 kg
22/27 kg
25/26 kg
€ 0.50
Stable
30/+ kg
33.5/35.5 kg
27/+ kg
29/31 kg
€ 0.50
Stable
25/29.5 kg
27.5/28.5 kg
22/27 kg
25/26 kg
€ 0.80
Weakish
30/39.5 kg
36.0/37.0 kg
24/34 kg
31/33 kg
€ 0.80
Pressure
40/+ kg
45.0/48.0 kg
34/+kg
38/40 kg
€ 0.85
Pressure
Thirds
15/+ kg
25.0/27.5 kg
13/+ kg
24/26 kg
€ 0.40
Stable
Thirds bulls
30/+ kg
38.0/40.0 kg
24/+ kg
33/36 kg
€ 0.45
Stable
Ox/heifers
Dairy cows
Bulls
records. It is not unusual to see packages carrying a discount sticker. They must be sold like all perishables, but unlike most perishables, the consumer experience eating the discounted cuts is not diminished. The feeder market has been mostly shut down for the holidays and will resume trading next week. Supply shortages have created intense competition for a small supply of cattle and all buyers are wary. Placement numbers are falling in some cases rapidly. Corn prices are lower as traders begin assessing the reduction in corn usage from the nation’s cattle feeding industry. Corn basis levels in Guymon, Oklahoma, are at +$0.50, basis the March contract.
GERMAN PERSPECTIVE This week: At the beginning of the new year, we would like to extend our best wishes to all readers and business partners for a successful, healthy and, above all, peaceful year in 2026. Market activity during the past week was predictably subdued. The holiday period resulted in fewer transactions and overall restrained business activity. Nevertheless, considering the time of year, interest levels and inquiries were slightly higher than initially anticipated. Following a very challenging year 2025, marked by generally declining prices and additional pressure on revenues owing to the weakness of the US dollar, the market is entering a highly uncertain new year. Geopolitical tensions, political decisions and the actions of individual government leaders continue to have a significant impact on global markets, making planning increasingly difficult for market participants. Leather consumption has not yet shown a sustainable recovery in its traditional end-use sectors such as footwear, furniture, and automotive. Consequently, no major change in the overall supply-demand balance is expected in the short term.
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Global protein production also remains relatively stable, suggesting that raw material and by-product availability is unlikely to tighten significantly in the coming months. At the same time, individual strategic decisions at company level are becoming increasingly important. In particular, the question remains how European tanneries will cope with the ongoing crisis and whether existing capacities can be maintained in full over the medium term. Overseas, much will depend on economic developments and consumer sentiment in China, while the south Asian subcontinent continues to gain market share in leather production and processing. During the past week, inquiries from China and the south Asian subcontinent stood out in particular. However, price negotiations proved difficult. Especially from China, there was a clear impression that buyers were primarily searching for low-priced opportunities, hoping that some suppliers might be willing to make concessions during the holiday period.
As a result, actual business remained limited, although some transactions did take place. The main focus of demand once again lay on hides for the footwear industry. Prices and currency conditions showed little movement, a situation that is likely to persist over the next one to two weeks. We now look to the start of the new year with great interest and hope that Chinese buyers will use their Lunar New Year holidays to engage more actively in business. The kill: There is little to report on slaughter activity for the past week. Due to the very limited number of production days during the holiday period, slaughter volumes remained extremely low. Consequently, feedback and returns from slaughterhouses were minimal. Against this backdrop, the volume of the kill is currently of limited relevance. Greater attention will be placed on how slaughter levels and beef production develop in the first weeks of the new year and whether production activity returns to normal levels.
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What we expect: We assume that the new year will start at a relatively slow pace. In Europe, there is a clear impression that many tanneries have already finalised their planning and requirements for the first weeks of the year, meaning that only limited activity is expected from this region. At the same time, uncertainty remains regarding the form and extent to which European tanneries will be able to maintain production and employment levels in the new year. As a result, attention is increasingly turning to overseas markets. It would not be surprising if Chinese customers in particular use the next two weeks to secure raw materials at favourable prices for production following the Chinese New Year (February 17). However, expectations for higher prices should remain tempered. Leather prices are still under pressure, and tanneries are unlikely to be able to push through price increases in the near term. In addition, buyers can still select from a relatively ample supply. Overall, we hope that available production volumes can be placed smoothly and that sales will not face any exceptional difficulties in the weeks ahead.
LONG READ Leather Leaders: Dr Joan Carles Castell
Time for disruptive ideas The outgoing president of the International Union of Leather Technologists and Chemists Societies (IULTCS) reflects on a long career in the leather industry and shares his hopes for sector’s future.
What are the memories that you will take with you after two years as president of IULTCS? Becoming president of IULTCS was the pinnacle of what has been a long career, but I don’t want to remember just these two years. I was an active member of the Spanish leather chemists’ association (AQEIC) for many years and I became part of the IULTCS leadership team in 2018 when I became head of its chemicals commission, the IUC. Of course, it has been a source of great pride to bring my professional career to a close by becoming president. It has made it possible for me to meet a large number of scientists, from all parts of the world, who are completely committed to the leather sector. And I am happy to say I have been able to form great friendships with many of these people. The thing is that, in IULTCS, working as part of a team is essential. It is a union of associations. It is a network in which people share not only their scientific and technical knowledge, but also their passion for this industry and their commitment to passing on the science behind it. They are people who love their work and love taking on new
TUESDAY, JANUARY 06 2026 LEATHERBIZ 7
challenges. Benefits I have taken from this include a broadening of my own horizons, in terms of my knowledge of leather technology, the chemistry we apply to it, the way we use water, the importance of the environment and sustainability. When you take part in debates and discussions with your colleagues, it opens you up to perspectives that are beyond your day-to-day work tasks. This is supremely enriching as a technician and, much more than that, in a personal capacity.
What would be a summary of your career in the leather industry? Well, it has been 51 years. It started in 1974. When I left school, I joined Ciba-Geigy in Barcelona. I was only 17, but I was able to complete my studies with the company and even do military service, which was obligatory then. When I went back to the company, I took up a role that involved looking after its customers in Spain. Then, in 1992, the company asked me to move to its headquarters in Basel to take up a global product manager role for leather dyeing. I did that for three years and was there when the work started on setting up TFL. The leather division of Ciba-Geigy was an important part of this, merging with the leather businesses of Röhm and Stockhausen, bringing them ‘together for leather’ (TFL) in 1996. My role was to go to Mexico and establish TFL’s business there, in León, Guanajuato. I went in 1995 to set things up and we launched in 1996. I was there for around five years. In 2000, the company asked me to go back to Basel, or to be more exact to Weil am Rhein on the German side of the border. I took up a vice-president role, with responsibility for the whole of the Americas, from the US to Argentina. Then, in 2004, when the ownership of TFL changed, I asked for a change, mostly for family reasons. I thought it would be best to be based in the US. Instead, the company suggested a move to Spain to carry out my existing role from there and to run TFL’s business in Spain too. I did this for two years before taking up a research role in Igualada at a centre called AIICA. While I was involved at AIICA, I became chairman of the IUC, the chemicals commission of IULTCS. The whole sector in Spain went into something of a crisis after the global financial crash of 2008 and 2009. In 2012, AIICA closed, making way for what is now Igualada’s A3 Leather Innovation Centre. What came up for me at that time was a proposal to work on a project with US biotech company Proviera. The Proviera team had decided to start making products for the leather industry and needed someone to advise them. In the end, I stayed with the company until retiring around three years ago. This included the period from 2016 to 2022 when Stahl had the distribution rights for Proviera’s Probiotics for Leather range, so during those years I was officially working for Stahl, but still on the Proviera project. Following my retirement I have continued to do some consultancy for Proviera and I also have some contact with students in different parts of the world.
What has this work with students prompted you to think about the relationship between the leather industry and education, about how to bring new generations of professionals into the industry? I think I am probably at an age now at which it is difficult for me to understand the values that drive the professional aspirations of young people. What I do understand is that leather was, is and always will be leather. Students I have been working with include young people at the University of Jiaxing in China, as well as students on the Green Leather Managers course that runs in Arzignano. I have also given presentations in Colombia and Mexico. I often start by asking them what they think leather is. Bear in mind that they have all set out already to learn about leather with a view to working in the industry. Practically every student gives a different answer. All of these answers are correct, but I would say they fall into three categories: leather as a material, leather as a
science and leather as a concept.
Please explain these three categories in more detail. The first one is based on the dictionary definition of leather: the hide or skin of an animal that undergoes treatment to make it resistant, flexible and long-lasting. Some of the students say this. Others describe leather as a material for making shoes or bags and so on. Those who talk of leather as a science refer to specific technologies or specific properties of leather: its resistance, biodegradability, compostability, its biogenic carbon content, its chemical composition and everything else that companies might list among their research and development objectives. Then, those that talk about leather as a concept mention lots of things: passion, nobility, art, fashion, history, economy, the circular economy, jobs and the environment. It seems to me that our efforts to help young people to understand the industry and persuade them to join it should include a
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combination of all three of these dimensions. We need all three to be able to define what leather is. This is the way to project the past towards a future in which there is a place for innovative and even disruptive visions.
What is the best way to encourage younger leather science professionals to take an interest in IULTCS and commit to the organisation? If the new generations understand leather, they will realise how important it is to share their knowledge and experience. They can do this first through their local industry associations and, then, by being open to international collaboration, for which IULTCS is such a solid platform. But IULTCS has to carry out its role working hand in hand with the organisations that represent leather manufacturers. It seems to me that in recent years there has been a lack of clarity on this. IULTCS and its member organisations do not exist to represent leather chemists and technologists the way a trade union might.
We are purely scientific organisations. We are there to work for the leather manufacturers. I reminded delegates about this at the recent XXXVIII IULTCS Congress in Lyon. Tanners have to make use of us and take benefit from our work. That’s why this co-ordination is so important. This is how you achieve synergy. Benefits are almost guaranteed when we work together.
One of your predecessors as IULTCS president, Dr Luis Zugno, said recently that if the leather industry were to give up on what he called “basic research”, the industry’s days would be over. What do you think he meant by “basic research”? I cannot help but share Dr Zugno’s concerns. He is still the secretary of IULTCS and we have regular discussions about ideas and worries that we share. What I would say is that “basic research” is research that our people carry out separately from the interests of the industry, away from the day-to-day
pressures. Its purpose is to build up our knowledge, based on science, and in an across-the-board way. What I mean is it includes advances in new sciences. Last century, chemistry, biology and physics were the basis for the development of the leather industry. Now, nanotechnology, biotechnology and many others, are a regular part of research and development projects in universities and technology centres too.
Do you understand why Dr Zugno fears that those practices may be lost? What is happening inside our companies that is holding people back or preventing them from carrying out “basic research”? My fear is not that these practices will come to an end, but that they will become disconnected from the business side. Now more than ever, businesses seem to focus on the short term. There is no shortage of “basic research”. Companies should make sure they bring technicians and scientists into the business to integrate new knowledge into the value chain. This will help companies continue to make progress in the face of the continuous challenges that will come their way. The success of this industry has always been based not just on the business side, but also on our ability to apply the knowledge we have been able to build up through this “basic research”. It is important not to lose this.
Perhaps the point about there being no shortage of research is borne out by the programme at the XXXVIII IULTCS Congress in September, with 50 oral presentations and 70 poster presentations. What were the common themes that seemed to you to come out of all the research that had gone into these papers? Which are the themes that you hope learn more and hear more about in the next few years? I would divide them into three categories, but without putting them into any sort of hierarchy of importance. Each of them offers its own solutions to the challenges that the industry faces at this time. We heard presentations that you could put into a ‘process improvement’ category. These addressed restricted chemical substances, alternative tanning methods, environmental and sustainability questions. Some of these papers described new alternative products, ones with fewer contaminants, ones that recover waste material and recycle it. A second category we could call ‘innovation’. I would put alternatives to current leather production processes in this category, from the beamhouse to finishing, and also effluent treatment. The other category is ‘disruptive technology’. Here, the ideas that we heard at the congress had the aim of helping tanners open up new markets. They can be not only suppliers of leather, but also of protein products such as collagen and keratin,
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transforming them from waste material into sub-products of the leather manufacturing process that can have a high commercial value. The success of the XXXVIII IULTCS Congress was that it was able to address these questions at these three levels with wellfounded proposals presented by great experts from universities, technology and research centres, leather chemicals and tanning machinery developers, and tanners.
Taking on board entirely that you don’t want to put these three categories into any order of preference, it seems that ‘disruptive technology’ may be one that attracts the greatest attention of leather manufacturers. Dr Dietrich Tegtmeyer devoted his contribution to the congress to this in the prestigious Heinemann Lecture. What reaction has IULTCS had to what Dr Tegtmeyer said and to the idea of ‘disruptive technology’ in general? Yes, what Dietrich and a number of other speakers said at the congress was in line with what I am talking about. Disruptive could mean carrying out new activities or finding new business streams. This is a mission I have been working on for some time, actually. Let’s leave lifecycle assessment aside for now because it would make my explanation more complicated. But we could use mass balance as a starting point. Let’s say we reuse a byproduct, for example a tonne of hides produced by the meat industry, but are only able to produce 250 kilos of leather from it, and this only after adding half a tonne of chemicals. This would mean that, to save one tonne of material from going to waste, we would be generating 1.25 tonnes of waste ourselves. You can see from this that this argument leaves us with plenty of work to do. How can we reduce this volume of waste? It is material that is rich in protein; proteins such as collagen are in demand in the market. We need to rethink this and treat this material not as waste but as a by-product. The idea that I think Dietrich was driving at is that, yes, tanners produce leather. Fine. But they can also become involved in other lines of business, such as the collagen business or the manufacture of capsules for prescription drugs. Dietrich even suggested that tanners could become involved in the manufacture of prosthesis products from collagen, which would be another interesting medical application. We have seen some very interesting ideas along these lines in research published in the journal Collagen and Leather, co-sponsored by Sichuan University and the China Leather Industry Association. We have to open up our horizons. We have to tear up the old ways of thinking and look for other lines of business.
What have the tanners that you know said to you in response to this? Well, there is certainly movement in the
market. If you go to China, and I have been going there for many years now, you notice now that everyone who is running a beamhouse operation there is putting collagen to one side in a pile. They already view it as a secondary product. In Colombia it is very common for leather manufacturers also to produce pet toys from leftover materials. These are markets that tanners can and must make more of. In the first place, this is because the need to reduce waste from the tanning process is real. At the same time, there is, clearly, real commercial value in putting that material to use. The market for leather has always suffered ups and downs. This last period has certainly been one in which the market has not been very buoyant. But, in 51 years in this industry, I would have to say, jokingly, that I have yet to see a year in which the leather industry was not “in crisis”, according to tanners. I think this is something that is in tanners’ DNA. Business cycles today are much shorter than they were 50 years ago. Fifty years ago, we would see
three very good years, then a middling one, then three bad years. Cycles now are much shorter. But tanners should not be wholly dependent on the ups and downs of the leather market. They have to develop these new markets, too, with a material that we can extract from our raw material.
Do you think the IULTCS congress format should include more digital or online elements to make it easier for members to take part? What pros and cons do you see in that? What I envisage is that in-person events should continue to be the priority. The IULTCS Congress is about more than listening to presentations or viewing poster displays that explain new research ideas. It is also about strengthening our personal ties to one another. In this way, we open up possibilities for new discussions and new collaborations. The social aspect of an event like the IULTCS Congress is fundamental. It is also a good
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thing to use digital media tools to widen access to the content afterwards. Many of the presentations from the XXXVIII congress were available on the IULTCS website within a few weeks. This is important. But it does not take away from the importance of the social contact that an in-person event makes possible. It might just be an exchange of business cards. It might be sitting down to have dinner together. These are the things that bring about the best type of collaboration.
What are the main reasons to be optimistic about the next IULTCS Congress, which will take place in 2027 in León, Mexico? I strongly encourage people from all parts of the industry to travel to León to take part. It is a place I know well, having worked there for five years. I was very much in favour of having León as the host city. We have already had one IULTCS Congress in Mexico, in 2003,
but it took place in Cancún. I said to the organisers that it should be in León this time, first because venues like Cancún are very expensive. Secondly, though, I want the leather technology community to see León. I want them to have the opportunity to visit the technology centre there and to spend time in some of the highly developed, modern tanneries that are operating in León. They will be able to hear interesting presentations, enjoy the social contact and, in addition, spend time in a city in which you breathe in leather with the air.
Going back to Lyon, you spoke at the congress there about the importance of greater recognition of the sustainability credentials of leather among authorities, NGOs, influencers, consumers and so on. Nevertheless, even in recent weeks we have, once again, had to see and put up with comments
on LinkedIn that do the opposite. In this case, the comments were from a brand of expensive, vegan accessories based in Bergamo. The founder included a photo of the notorious tanning pits in Morocco with her post. We assume this was to show leather in the worst possible light in comparison to the synthetic materials she uses in her products. It often looks as if there is no way to convince some people of the positive qualities of leather, in spite of all the effort that has gone into forming coherent, science-based arguments to demonstrate those qualities. What effect does this have on the scientific community that dedicates itself to working in the leather sector? What would you say to the brand in Bergamo? In the first place, I must mention that around 15 years ago, while I was working at AIICA in Igualada, the European Union invited us to take part in a project with Morocco’s industry ministry to help improve the conditions at the tanneries in Fez. But the ministry of tourism intervened immediately to make it clear that we were absolutely forbidden from making any changes to those famous tanning pits. They are a very popular and valuable tourist attraction, you see. It is clear that some commentators and advertisers are confusing pure tourism with what the industry really looks like. That aside, the only thing I would say is that the only good alternative to a piece of leather is a different piece of leather.
Don’t scientists become disappointed if science-based arguments fail to convince people, though?
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We cannot control what people see or say on social media. We have to focus on what we can do. Leather, if we make it well, can stand up to any criticism. The peptide bond, which is to say the bond between two proteins, combined with the structure of collagen, delivers levels of resistance and breathability that make leather unique as a material. And it is a material that nature gives to us; we could not have created it. Which other material can deliver the same versatility or the amazing light weights that you can achieve? Obviously you can look back now at the way things used to work and see that some of the practices would no longer be acceptable today. You can look at the reports we have of the first IULTCS congresses and see that a majority of the presentations prioritised productivity gains, without any consideration for environmental impact, clean working conditions, worker or consumer safety. This wasn’t by mistake or by omission. It is just that science, technology and society in general have come up with new knowledge and new practices, some out of necessity, others as a consequence of research and development.
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New materials, whether synthetic or not, whether they are labelled as ‘vegan’ or have some other special marketing label to attract consumers, are not a threat, it seems to me, but a challenge, an incentive to show that leather is a material beyond compare. For the scientific community working in the leather sector, all of this is an incentive to keep finding ways to improve leather production processes. This includes finding ways to improve waste management and to reduce environmental impact. We have to have the conviction that we have done things well, and continue to do so, but also that we can still do even more to improve.
If, on leaving the presidency of IULTCS, you now regain some time, to what will you devote it? Thank you for making the last question the easiest to answer. Family has always been my biggest priority, in spite of time pressures, work concerns and time away because of business travel commitments. I am happy to have been able to contribute to this industry for 51 years. The industry made it possible for me to look after my family and provide them with a good education, good healthcare and so on. No matter how much or how little time I have, this is my main vocation. Nevertheless, for as long as I am able to, I still intend to dedicate some time to the leather industry. My hope is that the knowledge and experience I have built up over all these years can still bring some benefits to others.
NEWS EUROPE Native American leader links EUDR to colonialism
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senior representative of native American peoples has described the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) as “a new spin on colonialism”. Tribal chair of the Cow Creek band of the Umpqua people, Carla Keene, recently shared her views on EUDR in an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal. She welcomed the December announcement confirming a new one-year delay in the implementation of EUDR, but said the delay laid bare the truth that EU lawmakers “understand that the law is flawed”. According to Ms Keene, EUDR’s “complex traceability rules are incompatible with realworld supply chains”. She expressed hope that the review of EUDR that the European Commission must complete by April will identify “avenues for simplification” and provide “an opportunity to correct course”. She said this was important to her because her people have been managing forests in what is now Oregon for many generations. The main focus of her criticism, though, was that EUDR was an example of what she called the European Union “over-reaching”. She said the EU was using its global influence to exert control over other people’s lands and to
“project its values, assumptions and expectations on the rest of the world”. She said EUDR was based on “the flawed premise that Europeans know what’s best for the rest of us”.
fall of 4% year on year. Finished bovine leather accounted for €70.8 million of the total, up by 2% compared to the same period the year before. Exports of calf leather were worth €40.6 million, an increase of 24%.
EUDR delay confirmed
Adolfo Domínguez embraces leather in sustainability shift
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he proposed delay on the implementation of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) has cleared the final hurdle. On December 18, the Council of the European Union, which is made up of senior ministers from each of the member states, agreed to a targeted revision of EUDR. The aim of this revision is to simplify its implementation and to make sure operators, traders and authorities are adequately prepared. This will include streamlining due diligence requirements and the postponement of the application of the regulation for all operators until December 30, 2026, with “an extra sixmonth cushion” for smaller companies. The Council said this was in response to concerns raised by member states and stakeholders regarding the administrative burden and the readiness of the IT system necessary for EUDR to work. The revision also introduces the obligation for the European Commission to conduct a simplification review of the regulation and present a report by April 30, 2026.
Yuzefi slides into footwear
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ondon-based leathergoods brand Yuzefi has extended its offering from bags to footwear. The Mochi Slides are made from bovine leather and finished with the signature Mochi knot. Yuzefi was founded by designer Naza Yousefi, who is originally from Iran. She studied at Central Saint Martins in London until 2008 and has worked in the studios of Christopher Kane and Richard Nicoll. For her bags, she sources leather from Italy and works with manufacturers in the Spanish town of Ubrique.
France: leather exports down slightly
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igures for the first ten months of 2025 show that exports of leathergoods from factories in France had a total value of €10.3 billion. This is 4% less than these exports generated in the same months in 2024. Over the same period, exports of hides and skins from France had a value of €170.2 million, flat with the figure for the first ten months of 2024. Bovine hides accounted for €103.2 million, down by 1% year on year. Calfskins contributed €31.3 million, down by 16% compared to the January-October period in the previous year. There were increases in exports of exotic skins and sheepskins. These brought in €20.9 million and €12.8 million, respectively, increases of 15% and of 25% year on year. Exports of finished leather in the first ten months of 2025 brought in €179.3 million, a
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panish fashion brand Adolfo Domínguez has announced a return to using leather in its collections, presenting the move as part of its sustainability strategy. On its LinkedIn account, the company stated: “Returning to the use of leather is one of them. In contrast to petroleum-derived materials, we choose a natural, durable material that develops character over time.” The brand emphasised that all leather used is a by-product of the meat industry, with no additional animal slaughter, and is sourced through tanneries certified by the Leather Working Group to ensure environmentally responsible processes. It added: “Because the way we dress also speaks to how we relate to materials, resources, and the future.” Adolfo Domínguez largely stepped away from using leather in 2010, introducing a policy favouring animal-free alternatives. The recent decision marks the first significant reintroduction of leather into its main collections in roughly 15 years, reflecting a shift in its sustainability approach, which also includes B Corp certification and ongoing responsible sourcing initiatives.
Global economies show growing emissions decoupling
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new analysis marking ten years since the Paris climate agreement shows that a growing share of the world economy is now expanding while reducing or slowing carbon emissions, signalling a shift in how economic growth and climate impact interact. The 10 Years Post-Paris: How emissions decoupling has progressed globally report finds that countries responsible for 92?% of global GDP and 89?% of CO2 emissions have achieved either relative or absolute decoupling of emissions from growth, up from around 77?% before the Paris agreement. Absolute decoupling, where emissions fall as economies expand, now characterises a larger number of countries than in the preParis decade. The analysis uses the latest 2025 Global Carbon Budget data covering 113 economies and highlights that while global CO2 emissions continue to rise overall, the decoupling trend is becoming more widespread. Dr Kerry Senior, secretary of the International Council of Tanners, noted that “while consumption and emissions are still rising, there is clearly a will for change. Leather must play its part in the circular bioeconomy, innovating to minimise waste, replace outdated chemistry, and demonstrate its value as a renewable, biodegradable product.” The findings suggest that structural shifts in energy and industry may help align economic development with climate targets in the years ahead.
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Scottish Leather Group nears net-zero targets
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cottish Leather Group (SLG) has added a 33,000m2 solar panel ‘farm’ – which will provide a quarter of its electricity – at its production facility in Bridge of Weir. The photovoltaic array will provide energy for all SLG companies, including Bridge of Weir Leather and Muirhead, helping to reduce their environmental impact. SLG’s manufacturing of leather is set to be net zero (Scope 1 and 2) by the end of this year, achieving a target set in 2018 – 20 years ahead of Scotland’s net-zero ambitions. Its leather has a carbon footprint of just 8kg CO2e/m2 on average, helping its customers reduce their carbon impact without offsetting. Dr Warren Bowden, head of innovation and sustainability at SLG, said: “Over the last two decades, Scottish Leather Group has continuously invested in strategic initiatives designed to optimise and improve the sustainability and circularity of our leather production. With our new solar PV array, we are taking a step forward in the selfgeneration of on-site clean power, removing grid reliance, which further supports us as we rapidly accelerate towards achieving our target of 100% zero greenhouse gas emissions for our operations.” Bridge of Weir Leather celebrated its 120th anniversary this year while Muirhead marked its 185th.
Leather projects among the winners at first LVMH Life 360 Awards
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uxury group LVMH has introduced a new internal awards programme to celebrate “the environmental transformation” that has taken place at the 41 brands that make up the group. This first edition of the programme, the Life 360 Awards, recognised 13 initiatives across the group from a total entry list of 187 projects that brands submitted. Winning entries included a programme at Louis Vuitton to encourage regenerative livestock practices. In particular, the aim of this project was to restore biodiversity, rebuild water cycles and reduce the carbon footprint of the leather supply chain, while ensuring animal welfare. Louis Vuitton also won for a reuse programme through which it has made unused materials from its inventory available for other brands to use.
Commercial director role at Pulcra Group for Claus Reineking
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hemicals group Pulcra has confirmed Claus Reineking as its new global commercial director for leather. He has taken over the role from Ramón Segura, who retired this autumn after more than 40 years at the group. Claus Reineking joins Pulcra from LangroChemie, where he had been managing director. His career in the leather industry spans more than 35 years, starting with an apprenticeship in his native Chile before he
travelled to Europe at the end of the 1980s to complete the course at the Lederinstitut Geberschule in Reutlingen. After this, he worked for short spells at Smit & Zoon and Ecco Leather before spending 14 years at Clariant. He transferred to Stahl in 2014 after the Netherlands-based group acquired Clariant’s leather services business. He went on to become Stahl’s global technical director for leather before his move to Langro in 2021. Pulcra Group’s chief executive, Bernd Schalk, said Claus Reineking’s technical expertise, global outlook and executive leadership made him “the perfect fit” for this new role. For his part, Mr Reineking said his experience in the global leather sector so far had helped him form a high level of understanding of the industry from a technical and commercial perspective. “I am excited to bring this insight to Pulcra,” he said.
Tannery exports increase in Portugal during 2025
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ortuguese tannery exports increased by 5.8% year on year up to September 2025, reaching €81 million, according to figures from the APICCAPS research office. Spain remained the largest destination despite a 4.6% decline to €17 million, while exports to Italy rose by 8.7% to €13 million and shipments to France increased by 31.2% to €11 million. APICCAPS said the results reflect recovering external demand and continued efforts by the sector to modernise production and meet international quality and sustainability requirements. Commenting on the role of leather, president Luís Onofre said: “Leather is undoubtedly the best raw material on the market.” The association added that export growth supports the wider production chain by helping to secure the supply of high-quality raw materials for domestic manufacturers.
AllSaints: Long live leather
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ondon-headquartered retailer AllSaints' latest campaign, Long Live Leather, offers insight into the design processes that go into its leather jackets, bags and shoes. Through interviews with senior designer Solène Fabios, head of bags Christina Rumm and head of footwear Roger Smith, the brand explains how it works with tanneries in India and Turkey, using “premium soft leather”. Ms Fabios explained they were among the first brands to wash leather, in the 90s, creating distressed looks using rubber tubes and rubber beads. “Leather has fit into the brand’s DNA from day one,” she said. “We still have our strong DNA, but we’ve also diversified our leather to tick different boxes, and that can be more feminine or more directional. We sell a luxury product at a fraction of the price that most luxury brands do.” The team ensures the shoes feel as good as they look, added Mr Rogers. “We often wash styles or hand-finish uppers to give them that tough lived-in feel. We also use a lot of studs and metalwork – as found on our biker jackets
– to give them that rock 'n' roll feel.” Ms Rumm said she attends leather fairs to prolong her fascination with the material as tanning evolves. “We mix methods of tanning: I love pull-up veg tan lamb, naturally shrunken grains and super-fine, cracked-paper techniques. We mix traditional tanning methods with modern techniques.” AllSaints is a member of the Leather Working Group.
COTANCE supports updated action plan for the European tanning industry
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OTANCE and industriAll Europe have adopted a Joint Work Programme for 2026 to 2030, alongside an action plan for 2026 to 2027, after meeting with the European Commission in Brussels. With most EU industrial sectors under pressure, the partners said the leather industry needs coordinated action to strengthen resilience, investment and competitiveness. The programme is built around three themes - People, Planet and Prosperity. Under People, the partners will work on protecting leather authenticity, improving training pathways, promoting health and safety and supporting social dialogue in all Member States. The Planet section focuses on allocation rules for hides and skins, recognition of leather’s durability, supply chain traceability and preparing the industry for ecodesign and Digital Product Passport obligations. Prosperity covers competitiveness, fair trade, green investment frameworks and measures to counter misleading environmental claims. The action plan sets practical steps for the next two years, including contributions to the review of the Textile Labelling Regulation, joint work on skills needs, updates to safety tools, preparation for new due diligence rules and support for EU research opportunities. COTANCE said the programme provides a clear framework for close cooperation with industriAll Europe and the European Commission through to 2030.
EU ‘Environmental Omnibus’ package still too vague, VDA says
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erman car industry association VDA, Andreas Rade, has welcomed the European Commission’s aim of reducing bureaucracy in its new ‘Environmental Omnibus’. The Commission published the ‘Environment Omnibus’ on December 10, describing it as a legislative package that will simplify changes to environmental regulations and cut red tape. VDA managing director, Andreas Rade, reacted by saying the aim of reducing “excessive bureaucracy” was welcome. He explained: “While European environmental regulations often have important objectives, their practical implementation requirements lead to considerable bureaucratic costs, time expenditure and administrative overload, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises.”
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But according to Mr Rade, some points in the package “remain too vague”. He offered the future digital product passports regulation and a revision of the REACH regulation on chemicals as examples. He said there needed to be clear guidelines and what he called a consistent focus on real simplification. “The goal must be to increase transparency and promote the circular economy,” the VDA managing director said. “The Circular Economy Act, which will be presented next year, must set the right course in this regard.”
‘Made in Paris’ honour for leathergoods brand
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eathergoods brand Archipel is one of 15 companies singled out for a special ‘Made in Paris’ award. Since 2017, the French capital’s official agency for design, fashion and crafts, the Bureau du Design, de la Mode et des Métiers d’art (BDMMA) has given companies across a range of categories official ‘Made in Paris’ status. For 2026, BDMMA has given this recognition to no fewer than 575 products, but it singled out 15 of them as winners of its special ‘Lauréat’ honour. Archipel was among these. Founded by designer Sébastien Cordoleani, Archipel specialises in bags in full-grain, vegetable-tanned leather.
Teesside University leads Roman leather economy study
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eesside University has launched a three year research project to investigate how leather was made, traded, and used across the Roman Empire. Associate professor Dr Gillian Taylor is leading the work with partners from University College London, Western University in Canada, and North Carolina State University. The £1.3m (€1.5m) UKRI AHRC funded project will combine scientific analysis, ancient DNA sequencing, and archaeological research to study material from sites in Britain, the Netherlands, and Syria. Key collections include Vindolanda near Hadrian’s Wall, along with material from Trimontium, Valkenburg, and Vechten. The team is working with the Vindolanda Trust, the National Museum of Scotland, and the National Museum of Antiquities in the Netherlands. Dr Taylor said the study will help build a clearer picture of Roman supply networks and daily life, while also supporting future policies for managing organic archaeological material at risk from climate change.
Biker jacket “softened down” in new Loewe interpretation
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ithout name-checking Jensen Huang, Madrid-based brand Loewe has included a new biker-style jacket in its spring-summer 2026 collection. Mr Huang, the chief executive of chip manufacturer Nvidia, is probably the most famous wearer of leather jackets in the
world at the moment. He plays his stylishness down, frequently saying he dislikes clothes shopping and put together his biker jacket and T-shirt look years ago on the advice of his wife and daughter. In keeping with other Silicon Valley technology company leaders, he has said that he likes having an established look because it means having to spend little or no time thinking about what to wear each day. In terms of preferred brands, Mr Huang has famously played this down too, frequently quoted as saying he prefers not to answer questions about the source of his leather jackets. Fashion and business media have identified Tom Ford jackets in his collection. Earlier in 2025, Fortune magazine said it had received confirmation from fashion experts in New York of the link to Tom Ford. Loewe says its new biker jacket is in a classic style, but “softened down in a new interpretation”. It has put “multiple, zipped pockets” into the lamb nappa jacket along with “pronounced lapels” and a buckle belt at the hem.
Modern leathers conservation project seeks industry contributions
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he Leather Conservation Centre (LCC) and the Society of Leather Technologists and Chemists have launched a joint project to address emerging conservation challenges linked to modern leathers. The term refers to leathers produced from around the 1920s onwards using new industrial materials and techniques. These materials are appearing more frequently in heritage collections, but their chemistry, ageing behaviour and manufacturing history are not yet well understood. Current conservation approaches often draw on plastics research and do not fully account for the leather component, creating potential long-term risks. The project will document key developments affecting modern leathers, including new tannages, surface finishes, raw material quality and market trends. A reference library of modern leather samples will also be created to support research into degradation, environmental vulnerability and future conservation strategies. The Society of Leather Technologists and Chemists is setting up a volunteer working group to support the initiative. The partners are also inviting tanneries to contribute leather samples with composition recipes for reference and recording. Any proprietary information will be protected.
Management shake-up continues at Burberry
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uxury brand Burberry has appointed Matteo Calonaci as chief operating and supply chain officer and Johnattan Leon as chief customer officer. Both will join the executive committee, reporting to CEO Joshua Schulman.
Matteo has been promoted from senior vice-president of strategy and transformation while Johnattan has been promoted from senior vice-president of commercial and chief of staff. Mr Schulman said: “Both Matteo and Johnattan have been instrumental in strengthening our focus on executional excellence and elevating our customer experience.” When he took the top role last July, Schulman vowed to shake up the business. He initiated a cost-savings programme and brought in new management.
Surplus leather event open to all this year
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a Grande Braderie, an annual event to sell surplus leather and other materials from LVMH brands, took place this year from December 2-6. But this year, for the first time, the event in Paris was open to the public, as well as to smaller design and manufacturing businesses. A materials platform called Nona Source organises the event. LVMH set Nona Source up in 2021. In 2024, Nona Source opened its services up to companies outside the LVMH group. This further opening up of the sale of surplus raw materials stock meant students, start-up designers and lovers of craft at all levels were able to source high-quality articles at the event.
Advisory Board chair hands over at SLF strategy meeting
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he Sustainable Leather Foundation (SLF) has confirmed the formal handover of the Advisory Board chair position from outgoing chair Hans van Haarst to incoming chair Reg Hankey following its end-of-year Strategy Meeting on December 3. Mr van Haarst, who has served as chair since 2021, is stepping down after more than four years in the role and more than five years of involvement with the foundation. SLF thanked him for his contribution to governance, industry engagement and the development of the foundation’s transparency and sustainability programmes. Commenting on his departure, he said he would continue to follow the organisation’s work from a distance. Mr Hankey takes over the chair position with immediate effect. SLF said he brings extensive industry experience and a strategic focus to the role as the organisation moves into its next phase of development. The Strategy Meeting also reviewed progress across SLF’s core programmes, including the Transparency Dashboard, international stakeholder engagement and new project development to support companies facing evolving sustainability requirements.
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ASIA Beijing opening for Dior celebrates LVMH’s ties to China
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arent group LVMH has said a major new Dior store in Beijing reaffirms its “rich affinities” with China. It opened the new store, which is in the Sanlitun district of the Chinese capital, in late December. It spans five floors, with women’s bags and shoes on the ground floor.
Changsha store redeveloped by Hermès
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uxury leathergoods brand Hermès reopened its store in Changsha in China’s Hunan province on December 18. This followed an expansion and refurbishment project. The store is in the city’s IFS mall. Leathergoods, equestrian products and shoes are all on the store’s second floor. Hermès first opened the Changsha store in 2018. In total, the company has 35 own-brand stores in mainland China.
Prada responds to backlash with Kolhapuri collaboration
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talian luxury fashion brand Prada has announced plans to launch a limited-edition footwear collection inspired by traditional Indian Kolhapuri sandals, following criticism earlier this year over the use of similar designs at a Milan fashion show. The group has signed a memorandum of understanding with state-backed leather development bodies in Maharashtra and Karnataka to produce 2,000 pairs of the sandals locally. The collection is scheduled to go on sale in February 2026 across around 40 Prada stores worldwide and online. Prada said the project will combine local Indian craftsmanship with its own manufacturing techniques and will include training programmes for artisans. Head of corporate social responsibility Lorenzo Bertelli said the initiative aims to support traditional manufacturing and raise awareness of Kolhapuri chappals. Each pair is expected to retail at about €800.
Falls in leather footwear imports continue in China
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he China Leather Industry Association (CLIA) has reported footwear exports of just over 7.4 billion pairs in the first ten months of 2025. These shipments generated $34.5 billion in revenues. CLIA said these figures represent a fall of 1.7% in volume and of 10% in value. Exports of leather shoes over the ten-month period reached 430 million pairs in volume, with revenues of $6 billion, down by 4.8% and 9.6%, respectively, year on year. In terms of imports, retailers and traders in China sourced 140 million shoes, boots and sandals between January and October 2025, paying $4.4 billion for them. These figures represent falls of 15.1% in volume and of 10.1% in value. Imports of leather shoes had a volume of
43.3 million pairs over the same period, with a total value of just under $2 billion, down by 23.9% and 18.8%.
Opportunities for ISA as alternative materials start-ups struggle
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he chief executive of leather manufacturing group ISA Nextgen, Uwe Hutzler, has said the group has had access to “new opportunities” in 2025 following the falling away of the production of certain alternative materials. In comments summarising the group’s activities in 2025, Mr Hutzler confirmed that it had been a challenging year owing to geopolitical uncertainty and trade tensions linked to tariffs. These challenges are unresolved. “We might see further disruptions in 2026,” he said. He went on to say that the group was committed to working out the best way to keep moving forward, adding that ISA had benefited in 2025 from paying “greater attention to sustainability and compliance in leather production”. Then he said another development that had provided ISA with new opportunities was “the struggles and disappearance of so-called plant-based start-ups”. In 2021, the ISA group set up a new division it called Creation Of Sustainable Materials (COSM) to focus is on bio-based materials that offer an alternative to plastic-based synthetics. It has said this business unit complements its leather manufacturing by making sustainable materials available to brands that want to offer non-leather shoes and bags.
No October relief for tanning sector in China
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igures from the China Leather Industry Association (CLIA) show that, in the first ten months of this year, major leather manufacturing companies across the country generated revenues of just over $6 billion. CLIA said this figure represented a fall of 10.4% compared to the same months in 2024. In the January-October period this year, tanners in China imported nearly 1.2 million tonnes of raw hides and skins, with a total value of $930, million. These figures mean a fall of 4.3% in volume and of 16.4% in value. Tanners also brought 487,000 tonnes of semi-finished leather into the country, with a value $710 million, down by 5.7% and 17.1%, respectively. Imports of finished leather reached a volume of 30,000 tonnes over the ten-month period, costing $470 million, declines of 15.6% in volume and of 16.5% in value.
Argentineans and Vietnamese pledge greater cooperation
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he Argentinean ambassador to Vietnam, Marcos Antonio Bednarski, met with officials from Da Nang in a bid to strengthen trade relations between the two. Local press reported that 90% of Argentina’s exports to the South East Asian
country are for the leather and agriculture sectors, while leather products are then exported back to Argentina. Last December, Argentinean tannery group Sadesa opened a $20 million LEED Gold certified facility in Ho Chi Mihn City, focusing on leather for the athletic footwear sector. At the meeting, the officials from Da Nang said they were speeding up the establishment of a first Free Trade Zone, which would open more opportunities for overseas partners.
China’s exports of new-energy passenger vehicles are up by 80%
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hinese consumers bought almost 11.5 million new-energy passenger cars in the first 11 months of 2025, according to new figures from the China Passenger Car Association. It said this figure represents an increase of 19.6% compared to the same period in 2024. The association also said automotive manufacturers in China exported more than 2.1 million new-energy passenger vehicles in the January-November period in 2025, an increase of more than 80% year on year. New-energy vehicles is a category that includes battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.
THE AMERICAS Argentina event at Expo Riva Schuh
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ndustry organisations CIC, which represents footwear manufacturers, and CIMA, which represents leathergoods producers, will be among the organisers of a special event on January 10. At the Expo Riva Schuh and Gardabags exhibitions in Italy, the two organisations will host a joint event to showcase shoes and leathergoods from Argentina. They have said the event will offer an opportunity to “connect, exchange ideas, and discover the design, quality and identity” of the footwear and leathergoods that Argentinean manufacturers produce.
China crisis leaves US beef exports at their lowest since 2020
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xports of beef from the US in September 2025 were the lowest the industry has recorded in more than five years. Reports of the figures for September were delayed by the US government shutdown. When the numbers came out in midDecember, they showed that exports of beef for the month reached 80,835 tonnes in volume. The US Meat Export Federation (USMEF) said this represented a fall of 22% year on year and was the lowest monthly total since June 2020. The value of September’s shipments this year was $660.9 million, also down by 22% and the lowest monthly figure since February 2021. In the first nine months of 2025, US beef exports reached a total volume of 856,023 tonnes, with a total value of just over $7 billion. These figures represent declines of
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11% and 10% respectively. USMEF expressed particular concern about exports of beef to China. It said shipments of US beef to China had “effectively halted” in September. The total volume was 556 tonnes, a fall of 96% year on year. In revenue terms, these exports brought in $2.5 million, down by 98%. The meat promotions organisation said there had been “tremendous benefits” for US beef from a trade agreement the US negotiated with China during the first Trump presidency. Thanks to this, it pointed out, the value of beef exports to China increased from $300 million in 2020 to $2.1 billion in 2022. China is no longer adhering to the terms of that agreement, USMEF said. It has refused to renew registrations for US beef plants and cold storage facilities, “effectively closing the China market for US beef”. Its estimate is that the US beef industry is losing the equivalent of $150 per head of slaughtered cattle from its lack of access to China.
Relatively Iconic: Levi’s reissues Einstein’s Menlo Cossack jacket
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evi’s Vintage Clothing has released the third limited-edition reproduction of the Menlo Cossack Leather Jacket, famously worn by Albert Einstein. The jacket is a faithful recreation of the 1935 design, featuring a cropped, boxy fit, rounded collar, button front closure, and brass side buckles. Handcrafted in Italy from full-grain sheep leather, the jacket includes reinforced stitching, adjustable side tabs, and buttoned cuffs. The run is strictly limited to 800 handnumbered pieces, each packaged with a replica of the original Christie’s auction paddle and a photograph of Einstein wearing the garment. The original jacket, acquired by Levi Strauss & Co. at Christie’s in 2016, has already inspired two previous reproductions. The first, released in Spring 2018 in mid-brown leather, and the second in black with a limited-edition fragrance by Brooklyn perfumers D.S. & Durga, both sold out rapidly.
Kering raises another $690 million from property deal
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uxury group Kering has worked with Parisbased private investment group Ardian to close 2025 the way it started it, by raising hundreds of millions of euro through a property deal. In January 2025, Kering and Ardian set up a new joint venture with three properties (previously owned by Kering on its own) in the French capital as its assets. Ardian acquired 60% ownership of these properties, for which it will pay a total of €837 million. Kering will retain the remaining 40% of ownership. On December 16, Kering and Ardian today announced the execution of a similar deal in New York. A Kering property located on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan will now, similar to the
Paris deals, become an asset of the ArdianKering joint venture. The Manhattan property offers multi-level luxury retail spaces over a total area of nearly 11,000 square-metres. Through the joint venture, Ardian will now hold a 60% stake in the New York property, with Kering retaining 40%. This marks Ardian’s first real estate investment in the US. Kering will receive $690 million as a result of the deal. The luxury group’s chief operating officer, Jean-Marc Duplaix, said: “As we continue to execute our strategy regarding the management of our real estate portfolio, we are pursuing our successful partnership with Ardian. Like the investment agreement already signed in Paris, this transaction allows us to secure another long-term, highly prominent retail location for our houses while enhancing our financial flexibility.”
In terms of tonnes, leather exports show an increase for Brazil
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razil’s exports of hides, skins and leather in the first 11 months of 2025 brought in revenues of just over $1 billion, but this figure represents a fall of around 8.5% year on year. In terms of volume, packers, traders and tanners in Brazil shipped 171.9 million squaremetres of leather and raw material in the January-November 2025 period. This is a fall of 3.9%. This material reached a total weight of 575,750 tonnes and in terms of weight, the 2025 figure represents an increase. The total is up by 5.1%.
Nike’s ‘Techleather’ naming will conflict with leather labelling laws
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ike has launched the Tiempo Maestro football boot featuring an upper material branded as “Techleather”. However, the use of the word “leather” for a synthetic or engineered material will conflict with labelling laws in multiple EU Member States and key global markets. Countries with specific national legislation protecting the leather designation include Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain, where the term “leather” is legally restricted to materials derived from animal hide and processed through recognised tanning methods. Synthetic and composite materials fall outside that legal definition. Outside the EU, Brazil operates similarly strict leather protection rules, reserving the word “leather” exclusively for genuine animal derived material and prohibiting its use for synthetic or composite alternatives. Branding a non-hide material as “Techleather” will therefore place the product in direct breach of material description rules in these territories, exposing it to mandatory relabelling and regulatory enforcement.
Applications open for internships and apprenticeships at Tapestry
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ccessories group Tapestry has opened up applications for its 2026 internship and
apprenticeship programmes. Current college students and recent graduates have until January 12 to apply for the corporate internship programme. College students and early design professionals have until February 2 to apply to be part of Tapestry’s apprenticeship programme. An additional component for 2026 is a store-leadership internship for under-graduate and post-graduate students. Select Coach and Kate Spade stores across the US will help successful candidates to prepare for a future role in management. Applicants have until February 9 to apply for these posts.
Caleres concentrates on unlocking value in Weitzman
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hoe group Caleres is working on "cleaning up inventory" and “unlocking cost synergies” for recent purchase Stuart Weitzman, with a view of increasing its longterm profitability. The group – which also owns brands including Famous Footwear, Naturalizer, Sam Edelman, Allen Edmonds and Vionic - has reported a 7% increase in third-quarter sales to $790.1 million. Brand Portfolio sales increased 19%, with $45.8 million in contribution from Stuart Weitzman, which it bought in August for $108.9 million. Group CEO Jay Schmidt said: “As we expected, we experienced pressure on our earnings from tariffs and near-term acquisition dilution, however, the fundamentals of our business are improving. “For the balance of the year, we will be working to transition the Stuart Weitzman business to Caleres systems and clean up aged and excess inventory as we hone our strategies for long-term growth and profitability of the brand. In fiscal 2026, we will begin to unlock synergistic cost savings. “Through this integration process, we are sharpening our operating structure to better leverage our scale and strengthen our ability to build and grow powerful brands and consumer experiences.”
Focus on “full look” rather than just bags for Chanel
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uxury brand Chanel hosted its first New York fashion show in seven years at the start of December, with the emphasis firmly on ready-to-wear. President of Chanel fashion, Bruno Pavlovsky, told the Wall Street Journal that business was “better than ever”. Chanel posted full-year revenues of $18.7 billion in 2024, a fall of 4.3% compared to the previous year. It appointed Matthieu Blazy as its new artistic director. He took up the role, arriving from Bottega Veneta, in April. The New York presentation in December was his second runway collection for Chanel. Bruno Pavlosky said the arrival of the new artistic director had given Chanel “an incredible halo effect” and that, in 2025, the company had returned to growth. But he said clothes designed by Mr Blazy
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would now be more prominent in Chanel stores. Mr Pavlovsky said he wanted to promote a “full-look approach” and for readyto-wear to become easier for shoppers to find. “I do not need to sell more bags,” the president of Chanel fashion told the WSJ. “I am not trying to become a bag company. We are a fashion company.”
AFRICA Spanish backing gives Ethiopian leathergoods companies a boost
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he Africa Leather and Leather Products Institute, in partnership with the COMESA Federation of Women in Business, conducted a field visit to women-owned leathergoods companies in Addis Ababa. Part-funded by the Spanish government through African Union Development Agency, the Creating Opportunities for Youth and Women in Africa programme aims to empower women- and youth-owned SMEs in Ethiopia and Zimbabwe by providing advice, connections and technical support. ABKA Leather, LINU Leather and Kabana Leather were praised for the quality of their bags and shoes, and their feedback will inform the programme’s direction.
MLA’s general manager for international markets, Andrew Cox, said that, in spite of the imposition of tariffs on Australian beef, exports to that market were up by 17%. At the same time, shipments of beef to China are up by more than 40% year on year. Mr Cox also pointed to increases in the volume of beef exports to Japan and South Korea, by 2% and 10%, respectively. Also of note, he said, was an increase of 73% in exports of beef from Australia to Canada. Volumes of exports to that market will, this year, be above 50,000 tonnes for the first time.
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Prime Minister inspects revamped leather technology hub in Roubiki
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he Prime Minister of Egypt, Mostafa Madbouli, has inspected the rehabilitation of the leather tanning technology centre at Roubiki Leather City, under the Ministry of Industry. Deputy prime minister for industrial development and transport minister Kamel El Wazir said the centre will support small manufacturers with access to modern equipment and Italian supervised technical training. The upgrade aims to improve product quality, support exports and attract investment in finished leather goods. The project involved EGP50 million (€960,000) in investment, plus a €6 million grant from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation for equipment, training and brand development. Established in 2007, the centre will now operate under a public private partnership, managed by Al Robbeki for Tanning Technology.
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ven before 2025 has closed, Australia is reporting record beef exports. In a statement, red meat promotions body Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) said beef exports were on track to exceed 1.5 million tonnes.
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