• The ongoing tensions between the US and China continues to weigh heavily on many value chains
• The leather sector is highly globally integrated and this translates into higher transport costs, longer lead times and rising risk premiums
• Many companies are responding with caution and postponing investment decisions
• Demand for leather products is weak, yet the supply of raw materials is shrinking
• Instead of securing high-quality raw material, Chinese tanneries have focused increasingly on cheaper grades, not for leather production, but for protein production
• This illustrates how severely leather manufacturing is under strain
• The few positive reports are coming from brands that manage to strike the right balance of quality, classic design, brand strength and reasonable pricing.
MARKET INTELLIGENCE
The first weeks of September 2025 have been marked by growing uncertainty in international financial markets. After a relatively stable summer, the overall environment has deteriorated noticeably. A mixture of geopolitical tensions, restrictive monetary policy and weak economic data from China is shaping sentiment. Markets are nervous, and institutional investors are increasingly shying away from riskier commitments.
While the major stock markets in the US and Europe did not suffer dramatic declines, the bond market shows clear signs of scepticism. Yields on long-dated government bonds remain elevated, pushing up financing costs for companies. As a result, capital is being directed more cautiously toward resource-related industries, a development that indirectly affects the market for hides and skins.
Geopolitical conditions remain fraught with uncertainty. The ongoing tensions between the US and China continues to weigh heavily on many value chains. New export controls on high-tech products and machinery are putting additional strain on the automotive sector, traditionally one of the most important buyers of leather. In Europe, ongoing conflicts in Eastern Europe and tensions in the Middle East are depressing business confidence further.
For the leather sector, which is highly globally integrated, this translates into higher transport costs, longer lead times and rising risk premiums. Many companies are
responding with caution and postponing investment decisions.
Particular attention is focused on China, where deflationary tendencies have become entrenched. Several times this year, consumer price indices turned negative, pointing to weak domestic demand. Industrial overcapacity and a struggling construction sector are weighing heavily on sentiment.
For the leather industry, this is doubly problematic. On the one hand, the purchasing power of Chinese consumers is falling, leading to weaker sales of shoes, bags, and furniture. On the other, Chinese tanneries themselves are under pressure: they are forced to sell at shrinking prices while facing high fixed costs.
In parallel, developments in the livestock and meat sector are weighing on the industry. For 2025, agricultural economists are forecasting a decline in global beef production. The main reasons are rising feed costs, tighter environmental regulations, and shifting consumer habits.
Climatic factors are exacerbating the situation. In South America, prolonged droughts have resulted in poor grazing yields. In North America, spring floods and summer heatwaves have reduced cattle herds. In Australia, a combination of wildfires and drought has severely impacted production. These developments are leading to lower slaughter numbers and, as a consequence, to a tighter supply of hides and skins.
The situation is paradoxical: demand for leather products is weak, yet the supply of raw materials is shrinking. For tanneries, this creates a difficult balancing act. Rising procurement costs can hardly be passed on
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 2025
in a weak market environment. The result is thinner margins and growing pressure on already strained businesses.
This year’s All China Leather Exhibition (ACLE) in Shanghai failed to meet the industry’s expectations. It was clear beforehand that fewer international visitors and exhibitors would attend – and this forecast was confirmed. In particular, foreign tanneries and international raw material suppliers either stayed away entirely or participated with a much smaller footprint.
Organisers tried to paint a positive picture of the market situation. But inside the exhibition halls it was evident that these optimistic statements did not resonate. The pressure on the industry was too apparent. Many discussions focused less on new products or technologies and more on how to survive the difficult market conditions.
One striking development was the purchasing behaviour of Chinese tanneries: instead of securing high-quality raw material, they have focused increasingly on cheaper grades, not for leather production, but for protein production. This illustrates how severely traditional leather manufacturing is under strain.
Global demand for leather continues to fall. This is most visible in China, where leather production fell in the first half of 2025. This represents a continuation of a trend already evident last year. However, the consequences in the number of tanneries have not yet been seen. Travelling in China and visiting the various tannery clusters shows that many tanneries are closed or idle.
A similar statement could be made for Italy. In Italy, one of the world’s most important centres for leather processing, the mood is equally subdued. After losses in recent years, industry representatives expect further declines. Small and medium-sized companies in particular are struggling with falling orders and higher production costs.
One sector remains relatively stable: leather use in the Chinese automotive industry. Yet this stability is deceptive. It is less the result of robust demand and more a consequence of overcapacity in vehicle production. European carmakers, meanwhile, are already reporting declining call-offs for the coming months.
The leathergoods industry is also offering little in the way of positive news. More brands are reporting declining sales than growth. Particularly in the premium segment, a clear shift is emerging: the “bling-bling era” seems to be coming to an end. Flashy designs and inflated brand premiums are losing appeal and approved quality, traditional
manufacturing and the trend for ‘genuine things for my money’ gains momentum.
In a way, this has also been evident in the clothing sector for some time now, with workwear increasingly becoming a lifestyle in many markets and gaining ground, especially in men’s fashion. Masculine boots have also gained ground. Boots and other items that require thicker materials are not ideal products for the use of plastic, the wearability and usability of which are inadequate.
The few positive reports are coming from brands that manage to strike the right balance of quality, classic design, brand strength and reasonable pricing. These companies are able to retain customers even in difficult times. But the number of winners remains small, while the majority of the sector is shrinking.
The split market shows little momentum in late summer. The sharply reduced production of bovine leather has led to a corresponding decline in supply, for further leather processing and for raw material supply in the
collagen and gelatine industries. While potential solutions are clear, they have so far only been implemented to a limited extent. Splits traditionally serve as a cost-effective substitute for full-grain leather. Considering the price structure of lower-grade hides, these are actually better suited as a replacement for lime-split. In some applications, the properties of full-grain leather are superior. However, the creative and competent solutions that tanners could offer often remain unused. The main reason lies less with production than with buyers: their rigid specifications, product standards and certification requirements leave little room for flexible approaches. Today, it is no longer the production experts who decide on the use of leather, but increasingly less knowledgeable purchasers. These buyers strictly adhere to written guidelines, often blocking the manufacturers’ innovative potential. In short, the best solutions are no longer negotiated; paperwork dictates the process.
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In lime-split for the protein industry, part of the livestock sector, particularly in South America, has already acted and built factories that process the entire hide directly. This has two consequences: raw material is now missing in other regions, and the supply of protein from the new producers is increasing. With globally stable or slightly rising demand for proteins, this supports demand for lime-split among producers in other regions and could, in the medium term, intensify competition in finished product markets. How this development will ultimately unfold remains to be seen. In the best-case scenario, protein demand continues to rise, which would also positively affect the value of hides. At present, it primarily helps reduce disposal of raw material.
There is still little new to report in the market for sheep and goat leather. Here too, the industry is waiting for the upcoming trade fairs to see whether “the original” can regain market share, whether technical innovations might make leather more attractive again in apparel, and whether new niches for leather can be created. The difficulties in the leathergoods and luxury segments currently leave considerable room for this, as can already be seen in demand: leather that does not come from the standard and mass reservoir of raw materials is drawing more attention. In China, many initiatives continue to focus on fur substitutes made from sheepskins. In the bag segment, some brands are already experimenting with unusual leathers based on sheepskins.
For the coming weeks, industry participants expect little change. The sector appears to have adopted a wait-and-see attitude. All eyes are now on Lineapelle in Milan (September 23-25), scheduled for the near future. From this fair, companies hope to receive clearer signals. Which trends will prevail? Which orders can be secured for the next season in the footwear and bag industries? Only then are more concrete indications of market direction in the coming months expected.
Until then, the mood remains characterised by caution, scepticism and the hope that the bottom of the cycle may at least be approaching.
Looking further ahead, three possible scenarios emerge. In the best-case recovery scenario, global growth stabilises, central banks ease monetary policy and consumption picks up again, allowing leather to benefit from renewed focus on quality. In a stagnation scenario, persistent geopolitical uncertainty and alternative materials weigh on demand, as well as deflationary tendencies in China. Finally, in a transformation scenario, the industry diversifies more aggressively, invests in sustainable processes and, through innovation, secures new growth paths. For companies this implies the need to remain flexible and invest in sustainability, digitalisation, and partnerships to
competitive.
Actual Slaughter Under Federal Inspection
Export sales of cured cattle hides for the period ending September 4 were 347,800 pieces. The figure for exports of wet blue was 14,900 pieces.
The most recent reports on hide prices showed heavy Texas steers weighing 60-62 pounds at $11 per piece.
Cow hide prices were unchanged, with northern dairy cows at $13, south-west dairy cows at $12.50, northern branded cows at $5 and south-west branded cows at $4.50, 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
Rumours and misinformation continue as the driver for volatility in the futures markets. Asking prices are higher. Show lists are down in Texas and Nebraska, but up in Kansas.
Prices last week in the south at $240 moved slightly premium to northern prices that were mainly $238-$240, which was $35 lower. Dressed sales ranged at $375-$378 were $5-7 lower.
Throughout the industry there is a feeling that replacement prices have reached a level presenting an imminent danger to operating margins. Many operations are paring back and dropping out. Feedlot occupancy is in decline and some will close before reaching the low point of available replacement supplies. This is the first week when declining futures were accompanied by declining replacement prices and some prices fell materially.
As summer turns to fall, buying protocols change for many operations. The desirability of purchasing high-risk sale-barn cattle requires unusually large discounts. Health risks for newly weaned calves, some that have never had any protective shots, shoots upwards. Death loss rates for newly arrived calves moves sharply higher. There are many contributing factors but included are variable temperatures, with the spread between daily high temperatures and daily lows reaching the highest spread of the year. Those daily changes produce high stress in newly weaned calves.
The drought monitor continues to favour herd expansion. The pressures to move cattle off summer grasses because of dry periods has not been a feature of this year’s grazing season. Timely summer rains have kept grass and crop conditions favourable and they will remain so into fall and winter. Chances are good that the slow rebuilding of the nation’s cattle herd is now morphing into full-throttle rebuilding, and those forecasting recovery several years away will find it happening sooner rather than later.
Corn prices were lower. Corn acres were increased to 98.7 million acres. Elevators are lowering the fall basis in anticipation of a large corn crop. Corn basis levels in Guymon, Oklahoma, are at +$0.60, basis the
December contract. The corn basis has lost 25 cents in the past week.
GERMAN PERSPECTIVE
This week: Without any major positive surprises, we will still have to deal with the issue of reorganising the marketing of hides, which will probably not happen without structural changes. So we expect another week of perceived boredom with few changes. It is probably even more difficult at
the moment than it has been since the beginning of the summer to publish anything meaningful about our market for cattle hides. This September is no exception, as usually people return from holiday and immediately expect big new orders or new insights into the business. This has rarely happened before and this year is not much different. It is very easy to see that hide prices have remained almost completely unchanged for a long time. If there have been any influences, they have tended to arise from
circumstances that have less to do with supply and demand and more to do with events in global politics. The only cause for concern in this respect is the April announcements on customs policy from the US or the continuous fall in the US dollar, which has a correspondingly negative impact on revenues in euros for all overseas export transactions.
We are now dealing with distortions in our market that also have nothing to do with the question of supply and demand. There are market participants who already in August and now in September are falling back into the old pattern that volume is the important factor for market position. They may or may not share this view, but higher purchase prices at the slaughterhouses do not reflect the actual situation on the world markets. This week, too, we were unable to find any real and convincing information and arguments that would justify higher hide prices in the short term. It is rather the case
that we have to assume increasing price pressure on finished leather prices and this does not make calculations in the leather industry any easier, especially when you consider that there are still considerable stocks of semi-finished goods waiting for orders. It will probably be some time before we see how these Gordian knots can be cut.
In business terms, there was fortunately some interest and movement this week. Buyers from China in particular continued to try to purchase goods on the basis of the deals concluded during the All China Leather Exhibition in Shanghai at the start of September. In principle, this is only ever about female hides, which are probably initially only bought exclusively for the lime splits and to keep production running.
Of course, you also need a certain amount of confidence and hope that the grains can be successfully turned into leather at some point and will find a home in finished products. Seen in this light, this is often a
hope for the future that is not really backed up by facts. Prices have changed only marginally, if at all, and the influence of currency sometimes plays a greater role than the price changes themselves.
The kill: Livestock prices remain very high. Otherwise, little has changed. Even the end of the holidays has not yet been reflected in a significant change in the kill. The feedlots either do not yet have enough cattle that are ready for slaughter or they are banking on prices rising even further. The demand for beef and the need for meat processing is apparently still allowing relatively high prices to prevail and the weather conditions are also supporting this overall environment. It does not appear that anything fundamental will change in the coming weeks and only a significant change in the weather to autumnal conditions could be a trigger for a change in the market.
What we expect: Any major movement and change in the market this week would be a big surprise. In the following week, most people will make the pilgrimage to Milan for Lineapelle and there, or in the week after, it will slowly become clear what can be expected for the leather business for the winter season.
LONG READ
Leather and the Circular Economy: Circular Stories
Brands must buy better
After falls in the volume and value of the leather that Italian tanners produced in 2024, the president of national industry body UNIC, Fabrizio Nuti, has offered his colleagues reasons for sticking with their long-term vision.
The president of UNIC, Italy’s national tanning industry association, Fabrizio Nuti, has told member companies that patience and long-sightedness are the characteristics that will help them overcome current challenges. Fortunately, these are qualities tanners have in abundance, he insists.
Fabrizio Nuti has been president of UNIC since the end of 2020. Based in Santa Croce sull’Arno in Tuscany, he runs the business founded by his father, Ivo Nuti, in 1955. It now comprises the Nuti Ivo, Lloyd, Everest, Papete and Deluxe tanneries in Italy and also has partnerships in Paraguay, Morocco and Hong Kong. In 2023, luxury group LVMH became the majority shareholder of the Nuti Ivo Group.
His comments come at a time when UNIC has reported revenues of ¤4.1 billion for Italy’s leather manufacturers in 2024. This is a fall of 4.5% compared to the previous year. The value of exports was ¤2.8 billion, down by 3.6% year on year. In terms of volume, they produced 95.4 million square-metres of finished leather, and 6.7 million tonnes of soling leather, figures that mean falls of 4.1%
Ox/heifers
LATEST HIDE AND SKIN PRICES FROM GERMANY
and 6.3% respectively compared to 2023.
The number of businesses in the Italian leather sector is down too, falling by 5.7% year on year to reach 1,074, and the total number of people these businesses employ has also fallen, coming down by 3.6% to reach 17,230.
Ahead of the times
“I don’t need to explain to you the importance of taking a long-term view,” Fabrizio Nuti told his colleagues at the UNIC 2025 general assembly in Milan in July. “Tanners in Italy have always been able to stay ahead of the times, anticipating changes in the market and investing when and where we needed to. We haven’t found a magic formula because there is no magic formula. We have instead taken a long-term view and not allowed it to be altered by emotion or by difficult situations.”
When it comes to difficult situations, though, he accepts that the current picture is particularly challenging and is putting the patience and staying power of Italy’s leatherindustry entrepreneurs severely to the test. “Uncertainty reigns supreme,” he says, “and we are having to cope with a severe economic crisis that has been going on for far too long now.”
Sources of encouragement
It is only natural, in times of crisis to look to the past, he says, pointing out that this can be an important source of encouragement. He is proud of a project in which UNIC had intensive involvement: the restoration of an ancient tannery at the archaeological site of Pompeii, in southern Italy’s Campania region. Excavation of the site unearthed 15 cylindrical tanks that tanners used for the turning hides and skins into leather. These tanks had been buried under four metres of pumice and ash since the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. The restoration project reached a successful conclusion in 2023 and the successors of those first-century leather makers have just
published a book about it, with ‘The Tannery of Pompeii’ as the title. “We wanted to reiterate that this industry is a part of history, part of the tradition of Italy,” the president insists. “This helps explain how we became, and remain, undisputed world leaders in making leather.”
Mr Nuti says the book is already making its way all around the world; UNIC has sent copies to customers, to people in the industry, to Italian embassies and cultural institutions in different countries. The book has also gone on show at Expo 2025 in Osaka. He pays tribute to a predecessor as president of UNIC, Gianni Russo, saying it was Mr Russo’s vision that brought about the organisation’s involvement in the project. The current UNIC president continues: “Gianni Russo had the foresight to understand how important it was for us, as part of our efforts to promote the industry, to honour what he called ‘these most ancient roots of our profession’.”
On receiving his copy, fashion designer Brunello Cuccinelli sent a note of thanks to
UNIC, saying he viewed the book as “a testimony to the value of beauty, of memory and of dialogue between business and culture”.
Regulation frustration
But dialogue becomes difficult in times of trouble. In all, Fabrizio Nuti puts the number of conflicts currently under way in different parts of the world at 60. He points to political and economic changes that are affecting the two biggest economies in the world, China and the US, with serious repercussions for all of their trading partners around the world. Last in his list of major challenges is what he calls Europe’s “regulatory bulimia”. He calculates that around 1,000 European Union regulations have brought concerns to the industry in the last five years, with more on the way.
Of these, the one he speaks of with greatest disdain is Regulation 2023/1115, better known as the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). The UNIC president says
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he has been working on EUDR since November 2021 and that, for four years, the regulation has absorbed “almost all my energy”. He told his colleagues in Milan that he had done this in the knowledge that, as the regulation stands, unless leather can be excluded from its scope at the eleventh hour or, at least, the bureaucratic burden EUDR imposes can be reduced, “it will have a devastating effect on our industry”.
Large companies will have to comply with EUDR from December 31 this year. Small and medium companies will face the same burden from the end of June, 2026. It will impose strict traceability obligations on companies in the European Union that use products from seven commodity groups. The EU says its aim is to make sure there is no link to deforestation from consumption in the EU of materials from the seven commodity groups. These include bovine leather and hides.
In response, Mr Nuti makes it clear that leather manufacturers support actions to combat deforestation, to protect the environment, and the health and safety of workers and communities. On EUDR specifically, he says he has written numerous letters, met with many members of the European Parliament from a wide variety of political parties, and sat down with European Commission officials, technical experts and lobby groups. UNIC has engaged specialist law firms to advise on EUDR. It has organised 18 seminars on this subject and sent more than 50 communications to member companies. Liaising closely with Italy’s wood industry, and “with a significant financial commitment”, UNIC has worked with an IT provider to prepare a platform to help member companies meet the requirements of EUDR.
It is planning to unveil and demonstrate the new platform at the Lineapelle exhibition in Milan in September. After this, there will be a pilot phase of use, with modifications still possible. UNIC insists the platform will be ready for use by the end of 2025.
Scope for hope
One recent meeting with a politician gave Fabrizio Nuti hope. He travelled to Rome in mid-June to present UNIC’s case on EUDR to Antonio Tajani, deputy prime minister of Italy. Mr Tajani is also a former president of the European Parliament and former European Commissioner for industry and entrepreneurship. “He understood the gravity of the situation,” the UNIC president says, “and took immediate action. That same day he wrote to the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and to the European Commissioner for trade and economic security, Maroš Šefčovič to make sure the Italian position on EUDR was being heard. This was something we desperately needed.”
He says he still does not know if this meeting and Mr Tajani’s reaction will be enough to change the fate of EUDR. “We’ll see,” he concludes. “But at least we now know that the Italian government has taken a clear
Best option for brands
For customers that are working hard to lower their environmental impact while continuing to be successful, the UNIC president says the best option they have is not to invest in less material (because, otherwise, how will they grow their businesses?), nor to invest in synthetic alternatives to leather. “We have seen some brands moving towards fossil-based synthetic materials,” Mr Nuti says. “And if you rely on poor data, you can make this look like a better environmental option than using leather. Some of the international data sets that our customers work with present synthetics as being 10 or even 15 times better, in terms of environmental impact, than leather. This is because they allocate a large share of the whole-life impact of an animal to the hide, plus an economic allocation that is based on a value that is more than three times higher than current market rates.”
The fact remains that almost all of the animal’s environmental footprint should rest with the determining products, in this case milk and meat. Leather is a non-determining by-product, Fabrizio Nuti insists, with an economic value of around 1.5% of the total value of the animal. Demand for hides and leather has no influence on the numbers of animals farmers raise. To argue otherwise is to present what he calls “an absurd and unfair position”. He adds: “We will continue to work to dismantle this position. This will help us convince customers that, instead of buying less leather or moving towards synthetic alternatives, what they ought to do is invest in better leather.”
EUROPE
Arzignano model tannery will bring industry-wide benefits Assomac says the president of Assomac, Italy’s national association for tanning technology developers, Mauro Bergozza, has revealed that member companies are preparing to join forces to set up a new model tannery in Arzignano.
Working with local tanners and suppliers of leather chemicals, Assomac members will have the opportunity to join up the entire production chain for making leather, “from one machine to the next”.
He said that, in this way, the technology providers will be able to gather “all possible data” on leather production. “We will then be able to hand that data over for the tanners to carry out their own analysis of the process,” Mr Bergozza said. “This will help them to be as cost-efficient as possible and to keep making improvements in aspects such as energy use, but while still carefully controlling product quality.”
Mr Bergozza said “a technological leap forward” had happened in tanning machinery since the covid-19 pandemic. He argued that, when it became difficult and, at times, impossible for people to communicate faceto-face with one another, it became important
for them to be able to share information through technology.
As a result of this, there is now a high level of technology in the machines that Assomac members are developing.
Adidas launches ostrich print leather Italia
Adidas has introduced a new version of its Italia model, this time in ostrich-print leather.
Originally released in 1959 for the Rome Olympics, the Italia was designed as a versatile multi-sport shoe with a soft leather upper and rubber outsole.
The company revived the silhouette earlier this year with a “Made in Italy” edition in core white and green. The latest release keeps the lightweight, minimalist design but uses embossed cowhide to replicate the distinctive texture of ostrich leather.
Adidas maintains a strict policy against the use of exotic leathers, including hides from reptiles and other non-domesticated species.
QUAKER COLOR A STEP
AHEAD
IN AUTOMOTIVE FINISHING
The company says it sources leather exclusively from suppliers that meet its animal welfare and sustainability standards, ensuring the Italia stays aligned with its material sourcing commitments.
Leather to be officially recognised as bio-based material
Presenting
at the 38th IULTCS congress, scientific director of CTC ARS Tinctoria, Gustavo Adrian Defeo, announced that, following four years of work to combat greenwashing, leather will be officially registered as a bio-based material under the CEN/TC 411 standards by the end of the year. These European standards provide a harmonised framework for defining and certifying bio-based products, improving transparency and trust in the market. Key references include EN 16575 (terminology for bio-based products), EN 16751 (sustainability criteria), EN 16640 (determination of biobased carbon content) and EN 16848 (business - to - business communication
Supplying innovative
Quaker Color is a division of McAdoo & Allen, with roots in the leather industry for over a century
requirements). Together, they are designed to prevent misleading claims, support EU bioeconomy and circular economy goals, and give manufacturers a way to verify and communicate renewable content.
With this recognition, leather now has the official right to be considered a bio-based material, a move that strengthens its position in sustainability discussions and gives tanners and the wider supply chain a clearer framework for making and defending environmental claims.
Shared opportunities with agrifood come ‘at a critical time’, COTANCE says
The leather industry’s main representative body in the European Union (EU), COTANCE, has launched a new project, Symbios.
The project will run with the support of the Erasmus+ programme. This EU-wide programme of support for education and training projects began in 2021 and will run until 2027.
As the name suggests, the aim of Symbios will be to encourage mutually beneficial connections between the leather industry and the agri-food sector. It will seek to identify models of good practice between food producers and leather manufacturers that can be replicated in different parts of Europe. Project partners will conduct research on how these models can work across the two sectors. This will include examining the regulatory framework, finding out what current practices are, and assessing future potential.
COTANCE said at a launch event in Porto that one of the main outcomes of Symbios will be a digital platform for informing, training and supporting professional development in the circular economy. This platform will also connect companies and encourage them to work together “through symbiotic practices”.
It will work with Milan-based consultancy Spin360 to lead the leather sector’s involvement in the project. This will involve setting up two focus groups to bring together
stakeholders from across the leather supply chain.
Their work will also involve conducting surveys, interviews and a literature review to identify practices that offer “real opportunities for synergies”.
At the launch event in Porto, COTANCE secretary general, Gustavo González-Quijano said the project was starting at a critical time for the leather industry. He said it had the potential “to turn sustainability into a shared opportunity”, with agri-food and leather moving forward together.
He concluded that practical solutions and strong connections would come out of Symbios, helping leather to continue to be “a leader in Europe’s circular economy”.
38th IULTCS Congress closes in Lyon
The
38th congress of the International Union of Leather Technologists and Chemists Societies (IULTCS) came to a close in Lyon on September 11, with more than 200 delegates attending two and a half days of presentations.
The programme reflected the theme, “Beyond leather tradition, innovation and sustainability”, covering topics from traceability and beamhouse operations to chemical compliance, finishing, waste and water management, life cycle assessment and regulatory developments, as well as the growing focus on valorisation of tannery wastes and by-products, all aimed at reducing environmental impact while maintaining leather’s value.
Closing the congress, IULTCS president Dr Juan Carles Castell told participants: “In the end, solutions must be based on natural materials, be value-based, and have minimal environmental impact. Your knowledge and your passion ensure the sustainability of the leather industry.”
He also took the opportunity to welcome the incoming president, Dr Geoff Holmes, who will begin his term on January 1.
The next IULTCS congress will take place in 2027 in León, Mexico.
Assomac prepares for the fiftyfirst Simac-Tanning Tech
Tanning and footwear machinery Assomac has confirmed that 312 exhibitors will take part in the 2025 edition of Simac-Tanning Tech.
The exhibition will take place in Milan from September 23-25. This will be the fifty-first edition of the event.
Assomac said an official delegation of almost 100 buyers will be in attendance with the support of Italy’s ministry of overseas affairs, and of export promotions agency ITA.
“In a particularly difficult year, with a 12.8% decline in exports in the first five months of 2025, our sector is showing solid resilience,” said Assomac president, Mauro Bergozza, at a press conference in Rome on September 11.
“Simac-Tanning Tech is a place where Italian excellence is on show, promoting technology transfer and collaboration on a global level,” Mr Bergozza said.
Checked leather for Burberry autumn-winter 2025
Luxury brand Burberry’s autumn-winter collection includes a new range of Highlander bags in intarsia check leather (pictured) and a Bridle bag that fuses saddle shapes with bridle-inspired hardware.
In shoes, shapes synonymous with the countryside come in weaves and embossed leathers. Cavalier and Ledger boots are cut in embossed and intarsia leather.
Last year, new CEO Joshua Schulman insisted the brand needed to go back to its heritage lines to revive flagging sales, focusing on outerwear and trench coats, and pulling back from leathergoods.
In July, it reported first quarter revenues falling 6% to £433 million. Despite this, Schulman noted “strength in core categories” and that there had also been “an uptick in brand desirability”.
In the new collection, raincoats take centre stage in viscose blends, corduroy and cropped embossed leathers. There are quilted jackets in geranium print, while scarves with chunky fringes are integrated into jackets in shearling and alpaca blends.
First Micro Tanners Conference announced for June 2026
Cotmarsh Tannery, the UK’s first micro-scale vegetable tannery for hides, has announced the launch of the first Micro Tanners Conference, taking place on June 15–17, 2026, at Great Cotmarsh Farm in Wiltshire.
The three-day event will bring together artisan and craft tanners, micro tanneries and others interested in vegetable tanning for talks, panel discussions and a tour of Cotmarsh Tannery CIC.
The focus will be on reviving the heritage craft of vegetable tanning, developing commercial viability for small-scale operations, strengthening traceability and connecting with the local fibre movement.
Confirmed speakers include Dr Kerry Senior, Jack Millington, Karl Flower, James Allen, Jane Robertson, Alice Robinson, Nina Conrad, Claire Beaumont, Jessie Watson Brown, Hanna Nore and Andrew Rumming, with more to be announced.
Mipel and Micam close after three successful
days
Leathergoods fair Mipel and its footwear counterpart Micam closed on September 9 after three successful days in Milan.
This was the 100th edition of Micam and the 128th Mipel.
Organisers Assopelletieri and Assocalzaturifici, Italy’s national industry associations for, respectively, leathergoods manufacturers and footwear manufacturers, said a combined total of 20,362 visitors had come through the shows’ turnstiles over the three days. Of these, 57% were from outside Italy, with 126 countries represented among the buyers.
The two industry associations said Micam and Mipel would continue “to move forward together, confirming themselves as strategic
reference points for their respective sectors”. They said this was despite uncertainties linked to the current economic and political environment.
They also said that when the events next take place, from February 22-24, 2026, their “traditional synergy” with other Milan events linked to the fashion industry, including Lineapelle, would return.
Oeko-Tex publishes 2024/2025 report
In
the 2024/2025 financial year, certificate and testing institute Oeko-Tex issued more than 57,000 certificates, an 8% increase on the previous year.
Most of these, 36,500, were for Oeko-Tex Standard 100, but there was also growth in the leather certification business, with 126 facilities undergoing certification, a 4% increase on the previous year.
In its newly published annual report, the company said enhanced mutual recognition with Cradle to Cradle simplified processes,
while joint initiatives with the Global Nature Fund deepened the commitment to biodiversity and water stewardship.
Dr Alfred Beerli, CEO of Oeko-Tex, said: “The progress made in 2024/2025 reflects the shared efforts of testing institutes, licence holders, partner organisations and stakeholders from industry and civil society.
"Their input has been essential in adapting tools to current and future needs. We invite all stakeholders to read the report, join the dialogue and help shape the next steps together.”
Heidemann lecture focuses on collagen and upcycling – IULTCS Congress
TheXXXVIII IULTCS Congress opened in Lyon on September 9 with the keynote Heidemann lecture delivered by Dr Dietrich Tegtmeyer.
Dr Tegtmeyer explored the fundamental role of collagen in leather making and urged the industry to broaden its focus beyond
makes it natural
traditional production processes. He said the theoretical market potential for upcycled byproducts from leather production could be worth as much as $680 million per year.
He argued that the scope of the modern tannery must include upcycling activities as part of a strategy to achieve zero waste. To achieve this, he suggested that tanners adopt new steps to separate fats from proteins and integrate upcycling into routine operations.
Dr Tegtmeyer encouraged the industry to look to the meat and rendering sectors, which have already moved towards zero-waste models, as a source of inspiration. He expressed hope that a comprehensive upcycling concept could be implemented across the leather sector within the next decade.
Growth
for German shoe and leathergoods producers ‘surprises’ HDS Germany’s national footwear and leathergoods association, HDS, has
reported sales of ¤1.6 billion for the industry in the first six months of 2025, an increase of 1.3% year on year.
Deputy managing director, Torben Schütz, said the increase had been unexpected. At a press conference at the Micam exhibition in Milan on September 8, Mr Schütz said: “It was surprising, if you talk to our companies.”
He explained that footwear companies had exported 190 million pairs in the first half of the year, an increase in volume of 3.7%, adding that “functional footwear”, including safety shoes and products for the military, had been in particular demand.
However, across the board, he said the situation for Germany’s manufacturers of footwear and leathergoods was difficult.
“There is a structural crisis,” he said. “Ours is an energy-intensive industry and energy costs, as well as labour costs are very high. At the same time, consumers are spending less than before. This makes things difficult for retailers, especially as they have to compete with
online platforms based in Asia. Times are good for us when times are good for retailers. Our industry is successful when retailers are successful.”
HDS has calculated that production costs have increased for manufacturers by 25% in the last ten years. Over the same timeframe, though, the price consumers have to pay has gone up by only 10%.
“The problem is explaining to consumers the value of our products,” Torben Schütz said.
Micam celebrates its 100th edition
Footwear
exhibition Micam opened the doors on its 100th edition on September 7.
This time, the twice-yearly event attracted 870 brands to Milan to showcase their springsummer 2026 collections.
There was a solemn start to a day of celebrations of the show’s reaching this milestone because president of Italy’s national footwear industry association Assocalzaturifici, Giovanna Ceolini, led attendees in a minute’s silence for Milan-based designer Giorgio Armani, who died on September 4.
She went on to say that reaching the onehundredth edition of the exhibition was a testament to “50 years of history, sacrifice and technological innovation” on the part of Italy’s shoe manufacturers and their suppliers. “In Italy we have companies involved in the whole supply chain,” she insisted. “No part of the supply chain is missing.”
But she later said that recruiting and training new generations of workers for these companies is a persistent worry for her. She told leatherbiz that Italy’s ITS technical high schools were not delivering for the industry.
She said that while, in theory, an ITS high school option should prepare students for work in manufacturing, there was a distinct lack of support from parents in all parts of Italy for the model.
Leather Naturally has published its 2024 annual report, showing higher membership, stronger digital performance and new educational resources aimed at a worldwide audience.
Membership rose from 166 to 172 companies, including 128 industry members and 44 associate members from across Europe, Asia and the Americas. Three targeted Google Ads campaigns generated 592,000 impressions and 34,135 clicks, with a conversion rate of 85%. Organic social media followers grew by 11% to 9,070, with the USA, UK and India leading audience reach. April’s World Leather Day campaign produced a 175% rise in reposts and 24,815 impressions on its best-performing post.
Chairman Luis Zugno said: “Leather Naturally now has strong resources to communicate scientific data that support the sustainability of leather and its role in a circular economy.”
Key 2024 initiatives included the launch of a guide to life cycle assessments (LCAs), a sixlanguage guide to tanning methods and the acceptance of Leather Naturally’s global bovine leather LCA study by Discover Sustainability journal. The group also hosted its Members Breakfast and an open panel discussion during APLF in Hong Kong, which drew a full room and “overwhelmingly positive” feedback.
Tough first half of 2025 for Italy’s shoe manufacturers
Italy’s
national footwear industry association
Assocalzaturifici has published an update on the sector’s performance on the eve of the 100th edition of the Micam exhibition in Milan.
Assocalzaturifici said that, based on suveys it carries out of its own member companies, Italy’s shoe industry experienced a fall in revenues of 5.6% in the first half of 2025, compared to the same period the previous year.
In terms of production, shoe manufacturers’ output was down by 9.5% year on year.
On a more positive note, exports were up by 3.2% in volume in the first five months of 2025, but down by 2.7% in value, “dragged down” by a fall of sales in Asia, Assocalzaturifici said.
In contrast, it said there was important growth in the United Arab Emirates, where sales were up by 26.6% in value.
It said exports have historically been the driving force of the Italian footwear industry, with 85% of shoes produced in Italy go to overseas markets. In the first five months of 2025, export revenues for the Italian shoe industry were just under ¤4.9 billion.
The volume shipped was 84.5 million pairs. The average price per pair exported was ¤57.82, down by 5.7% year on year.
SMEP to hold sustainability side event at Lineapelle
The Sustainable Manufacturing and Environmental Pollution (SMEP) Programme will host an official side event on sustainability during the Lineapelle International Leather Exhibition.
The sessions will present pilot projects from Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Pakistan, exploring approaches such as traceability systems, cleaner production methods and waste valorisation. These initiatives aim to address environmental and social impacts in leather manufacturing while supporting access to international markets.
The event will feature two panels. The first will highlight SMEP-supported solutions in practice, with speakers including Adeel Younas from WWF Pakistan, Dr Ebenezer Laryea of Aston University’s Leathertrace project in Bangladesh, and Palanivel Saravanan from CSIR-India’s Green Tannery Initiative in Ethiopia. The second panel will examine how policy, standards and procurement can support the adoption of innovative approaches, with contributions from the Leather Working Group, the Ethical Trading
Initiative and the Sustainable Leather Foundation.
The SMEP Programme is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and implemented in partnership with UNCTAD. It supports producers, manufacturers and institutions in enhancing traceability, reducing pollution and implementing circular economy practices in line with international trade requirements. Participation in the side event requires prior registration for Lineapelle.
Giorgio Armani dies at 91
Theworld of fashion is mourning the death of Giorgio Armani. He died at his home in Milan on September 4.
The brand that bears his name confirmed that, even at 91, Mr Armani had worked until his final days, “dedicating himself to the company, its collections, and many ongoing and future projects”.
He said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal last year that he regarded this disciplined work ethic as the secret of his success.
He founded the business in 1975 and remained its sole shareholder at the time of his death. The business reported revenues of $2.6 billion in 2023.
SLF and Weev expand digital tools for sustainable leather sourcing
TheSustainable Leather Foundation (SLF) and digital platform provider Weev have strengthened their collaboration to improve data integration and traceability in the leather industry, linking material selection with ESG compliance and sustainable sourcing.
Building on a Memorandum of Understanding signed in March 2024, the agreement allows SLF partners to trial Weev’s platform at no cost. The system combines product directories with verified sustainability data and uses a tiered model for ongoing accessibility.
The integration links SLF’s Transparency Dashboards with Weev’s digital tools, enabling brands and suppliers to manage material sourcing, compliance, and reporting in a single interface. This streamlines design decisions while supporting traceable and responsible supply chains.
SLF will present its dashboard solutions at Lineapelle in September, while Weev will showcase its platform at Micam.
JLR hit by cyber-attack
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has confirmed that a cyber-attack has “severely disrupted” both vehicle production and retail operations.
The company, owned by India’s Tata Motors, said it shut down IT systems as a precaution after detecting the attack on September 1 and is working to restart global applications “in a controlled manner.” It stressed there is no evidence that customer data has been stolen.
Production at the Halewood plant in Merseyside was halted, with workers told not
to come in. The incident comes during a key period for UK car sales as new registration plates became available this week.
The disruption adds to recent challenges for Jaguar Land Rover, which has reported falling profits linked to rising costs from US tariffs.
Deadline extended for LWG consultation process
Multistakeholder body the Leather Working Group (LWG) has extended the deadline for public consultation on the core environmental sections of its Leather Production Standard until September 12.
LWG said collaboration is a cornerstone of its work and encouraged stakeholders to share their feedback.
The consultation, which opened on June 26, has seen the document downloaded more than 400 times across 29 countries.
Leather sector can add more than 5000% value to cattle hides
Anew article in World Leather reveals that the value tanners and leathergoods manufacturers can add to raw cattle hides now far exceeds the 2000% figure that the magazine reported five years ago.
With hide prices remaining cheap and the price of high-end leathergoods increasing substantially in the last five years, the percentage figure that the value that the leather sector can add to cattle hides is now almost 5500%.
For an article in World Leather AugustSeptember 2025, the magazine worked with colleagues at Alliance France Cuir to calculate the investment that French tanners made in bovine hides at ¤232.7 million last year. From this, the tanners produced finished leather worth ¤424 million, a valueadd of 82%.
But the real economic multiplier came when France’s 387 leathergoods manufacturing companies used the leather to make handbags and other finished products. Their work produced a staggering ¤13 billion in exports in 2024. Based on the value of the raw hides, this represents a value-add of 5486%.
According to World Leather, these findings underscore the economic imperative for making sure hides stay in the circular economy rather than go to waste. In the right hands, they are an extremely valuable asset.
Polene’s
first German store evokes ‘tannery
experience’
French leathergoods brand Polene has taken inspiration from a tannery in the design of its latest store.
The Hamburg store is its first in Germany and was designed by Simon Stanislawski.
Overlooking the canal, the ‘Craft at Work experience’ (pictured) brings a “tannery to life”, said the company.
Polene was founded in 2016 by three siblings and sources leather from Spanish and Italian tanneries.
All production is entrusted to the craftsmen
of Ubrique, a Spanish town which specialises in luxury leathergoods.
Micam prepares for edition 100
Milan is preparing to host the 100th edition of the Micam exhibition from September 7-9.
A total of 870 brands will take part this time, 401 from Italy and 469 from other countries, with the biggest representations coming from Spain, Turkey, Brazil, Germany and Portugal. These companies will have their spring-summer 2026 collections on show.
Organiser, Assocalzaturifici, said it expected 30,000 buyers from 150 different countries to take part.
The roots of Micam go back to exhibitions that Italian shoemakers began to run in Vigevano in the 1930s. Under its previous name, ANCI, Assocalzaturifici took over the management of the exhibition in 1974, moving it to Milan in the early 2000s and establishing two editions per year, in February and September.
Emblem of spring features in new Rolls-Royce range
High-end automotive brand Rolls-Royce Motors has made spring the theme of an autumn launch.
It has named a new special-edition of its Spectre two-door electric coupé Primavera, after the Italian, Spanish and Portuguese word for spring.
One eye-catching detail is a cherry-blossom motif, which appears on the body and in the interior of the car. A bough of flowering cherry blossom is engraved onto head-rests upholstered in white leather.
This motif was originally sketched by one of the designers in the Rolls-Royce Bespoke team and then digitised for use in the Spectre Primavera range. The company said cherry blossom was “an evocative emblem of spring”.
Billy Tannery teases Cheaney tie-up
UK-based leather producer Billy Tannery has revealed details of a partnership with footwear manufacturer Joseph Cheaney & Sons.
Launching this winter, the boots will be made of deer leather.
Interested parties have been asked to submit their shoe sizes to Billy, so enough leather can be produced.
ASIA
Special guest at Micam celebrates Indonesia-Italy ties
Indonesian designer Poppy Dharsono was a guest of honour at Micam in Milan in September.
In addition to designing for her own fashion label, Ms Dharsono is also president of Indonesia Fashion Week, which she founded in 2015. Earlier in her professional life, she was a model and film star.
She said she had been visiting Italy for
many years and had always admired the Italian fashion sector, including its producers of leather, shoes and handbags. “I realised a long time ago that Italy sets the global standard,” she remarked.
But she also spoke with pride about a shoes, bags and leather project she set up about three years ago in her home town, Garut, which is around 200 kilometres from Jakarta.
“It is a beautiful place,” she told leatherbiz. “It has hot springs and it used to attract very famous visitors. Members of several European royal families used to go there. So did Charlie Chaplin, the poet Pablo Neruda and lots of other famous people. It is still a beautiful place.”
During one visit from Jakarta, where she now lives, Ms Dharsono decided to set up the leather sector manufacturing project to help create employment and boost the local economy in Garut.
At the start of 2025, this project led to the opening of Piazza Firenze in Garut, a space for fashion, culture and tourism. It also hosts factory-outlet shops for the leathergoods and footwear manufacturers that have been operating there since the project began.
Poppy Dharsono’s strong ties to the industry in Europe have already brought other benefits to the small companies operating in Garut. At her invitation, former senior production experts from major brands in Italy and France have travelled to the Indonesian town in their own time to mentor and tutor the craftspeople there.
More recently, four of the Garut artisans had the chance to travel to Italy to spend several weeks advancing their pattern-cutting skills at course hosted by the Ars Sutoria training school.
“So many people have been kind to us,” Ms Dharsono said. “When we opened Piazza Firenze, we even received a message of congratulations from the mayor of the real Firenze, the city of Florence.”
She went on to say that Italian leathergoods and footwear brands should pay close attention to south-east Asia in general, and to Indonesia in particular, as potential growth markets for their products.
Japanese designer wins 2025 LVMH Young Fashion Designer Prize
Luxury group LVMH has announced the winners of the 2025 edition of its prize for young fashion designers. This is the twelfth time it has held the competition.
The winner of the main prize was Japanese designer Soshi Otsuki. He will receive a ¤400,000 endowment and will be mentored for one year by a team of LVMH experts.
A prize that commemorates German designer Karl Lagerfeld this year went to Steve O Smith from the UK. He wins ¤200,000, as well as a year’s mentorship from the group.
A special savoir-faire prize also forms part of the programme and this year went to Torishéju Dumi, also from the UK. She has
made a specialism of using deadstock material, including leather, to create garments. Her prize is ¤200,000 and a one-year mentorship with LVMH experts.
Each of the winners will also receive an allowance from the Nona Source platform, which upcycles deadstock materials from the LVMH’s leathergoods and fashion brands.
Soshi Otsuki will have access to ¤20,000 worth of deadstock material, while the other two designers will be able to use ¤10,000 worth of material each.
Room for growth in China’s ¤50 billion leather market
The director general of industry body Alliance France Cuir, Marc Brunel, said at the start of the All China Leather Exhibition in Shanghai that he was impressed by automotive’s strong showing in the Chinese leather market.
Speaking on the opening day of the event, September 3, Mr Brunel said his analysis showed that the Chinese leather industry is a market worth ¤50 billion per year. He said there had been declines in 2025 so far in the performance of some leather-using finishedproduct segments, but that automotive remained the main driver of the country’s leather manufacturing industry.
He said figures from the China Leather Industry Association suggest that 20% of all vehicles in China have leather interiors at the moment and that there is considerable room for growth.
In the first six months of 2025, Chinese car manufacturers produced more than 15.6 million vehicles of all kinds. This is an increase of 11.4% compared to the same period in 2024 and leaves the car industry in China on course to break last year’s record total of 31.4 million vehicles.
Steep falls in H1 revenues at Lanvin and Sergio Rossi
Leathergoods brand Lanvin has reported revenues of ¤27.9 million for the first half of 2025. This figure represents a fall of 42.2% year on year. Compared to the same period in 2023, the fall in revenue is more than 50%.
Footwear brand Serio Rossi, part of the Lanvin Group since 2021, reported revenues of ¤15.3 million for the first six months of 2025, a fall of 25% year on year. The fall in revenues at Sergio Rossi was also greater than 50% compared to the same period in 2023.
Total group revenue for the six-month period was ¤133 million, a fall of 22%.
Chinese group Fosun International set up the Shanghai-based Lanvin Group in 2018 when it became Lanvin’s majority shareholder.
It said the fall in revenue at the Lanvin brand reflected “a transition period” because artistic director, Peter Copping, only took up the role in September 2024. It said the result also reflected a “generally cautious industry sentiment”.
At Sergio Rossi, the group said there had been “encouraging signs of recovery” in the second quarter of 2025.
Tapestry announces long-term growth strategy
Accessories group Tapestry has announced a new long-term strategy for growth, calling it Amplify.
It will have four pillars. First, Tapestry wants to build “emotional connections” with consumers, with a particular focus on GenZ consumers. It said this will help it increase its customer-base as younger consumers enter the market for higher-value goods. It aims to turn these connections into “brand love and lifetime value”.
The second pillar is to “fuel fashion innovation and product excellence”, leading with handbags and leathergoods, but also with “targeted lifestyle expansion in footwear”.
Also part of the Amplify strategy is the idea that if Tapestry can deliver “compelling experiences”, it will drive global growth. What it means by this is sustaining growth in its home market in North America, but accelerate momentum internationally, prioritising China and Europe.
Amplify’s fourth pillar is to “ignite the power” of the people who work at the group. The group said it wanted to continue to develop a culture that is agile, forward-looking and “consumer-obsessed”.
Chief executive, Joanne Crevoiserat, said the parent group of Coach and Kate Spade was launching the new programme from “a strong foundation”.
She said: “We are confident that our strengths are structural and that our innovation, creativity, and brand-building capabilities will deliver significant value for our customers, employees and shareholders for years to come.”
Tyson’s COO dismissed Tyson
Foods’ chief operating officer, Brady Stewart, has left the company after he violated the Code of Conduct.
Tyson has promoted its president of poultry and international, Devin Cole, to the role.
Donnie King, Tyson’s CEO, said: “We have strong momentum as we head into our new fiscal year, and we remain committed to executing our long-term strategy and operating the company guided by our culture and core values.
“I am confident that under Devin’s leadership, our business will continue to thrive.”
The company will share an update before September 28, the start of its 2026 fiscal year.
Mipel president prepares for Mercosur trip
President of leathergoods manufacturer Bric’s, Roberto Briccola, is to take part in a business delegation to Latin America in October.
He said at the Mipel exhibition in Milan in September that he was looking forward to the trip, which will take in a number of countries in the region.
This will be part of a series of visits that business groups from the European Union are making to South America. This is in the context of a partnership agreement that the two trade blocs have reached.
The trading pillar of the agreement has still to be ratified but Reuters has reported that it could lead to eliminating tariffs on 91% of EU exports to Mercosur, and 92% of Mercosur exports to the EU, phased in over time.
Mr Briccola (pictured), who is president of the Mipel event, said Mercosur, with around 270 million inhabitants, could be an important growth opportunity for European manufacturers. “If the tariffs really were to come down, it could be very interesting for us,” he said.
US tariffs fail to slow Brazil’s beef outlook
Reuters reports Brazil’s beef exports are expected to rise by 12% in 2025, citing Roberto Perosa, head of beef exporters’ association Abiec.
Speaking at a press conference on September 9, he said the outlook remains positive for companies such as JBS, Marfrig and Minerva despite a new 50% tariff on exports to the United States that took effect on August 6.
The US was Brazil’s second-largest beef market in the first half of 2025, taking 181,477 tons – 12.3% of total exports – mainly for hamburger production. Abiec said Brazilian sales benefited from tight US cattle supplies, but warned volumes will now fall as the higher tariff takes effect.
Perosa said Abiec is urging the government to negotiate tariff removal, with talks reportedly ongoing. He added that Brazilian exporters are also working to expand sales in Asia and Africa, and are in negotiations with Japan and Turkey.
Brazil exported 2.89 million tons of beef to around 150 countries in 2024, worth $12.9 billion. Abiec expects export value to increase by 14% this year.
Uruguay
plant
sale faces dispute
Brazilian meatpackers Minerva and Marfrig have issued conflicting statements regarding the termination of a contract for the sale of three beef plants in Uruguay, Reuters has reported.
Marfrig said in a September 1 securities filing that it had decided to terminate the agreement, signed in August 2023, because contractual conditions were not met within the agreed period.
In a separate filing, Minerva stated that it considers the contract to remain in force and will continue seeking competition clearance to complete the deal.
Marfrig confirmed that operations at the three plants are continuing as normal.
Former CICB president dies
The Centre for the Brazilian Tanning Industry (CICB) has announced the passing of Wolfgang Goerlich, former chairman of the board and executive president of CICB, and
former president of the International Council of Tanners (ICT).
Mr Goerlich held several leadership roles in the leather sector. He was elected president of ICT in 2010, while serving as president of CICB.
CICB noted his contribution to the Brazilian tanning industry and to the wider leather value chain.
AFRICA
South Africa: Handbag course could upskill shoemakers
TheeThekwini Footwear and Leather Cluster has hosted its first handbag-making course, supported by The South African Footwear and Leather Export Council (SAFLEC), describing it as “an exciting step towards product diversification and export growth”.
Over two weeks, representatives from 16 companies were taught “Italian bag-making techniques”, aiming to help footwear manufacturers create new leather products, and upskilling local leathergoods makers.
SAFLEC director Nerisha Jairaj commented in an editorial that the initiative supports the goal of creating a more resilient and versatile industry.
OCEANIA
Australian beef exports hit record August as sheepmeat falls
Australian beef exports reached 135,571 tonnes in August, up 11% year-on-year (YoY) and the largest August volume on record, according to MLA Global Supply Analyst Tim Jackson.
The US remained the top market at 40,754 tonnes, while China rose 47% to 22,323 tonnes and South Korea 22% to 21,495 tonnes. Canada saw the largest increase, up 145% to 6,001 tonnes.
Grassfed beef exports climbed 9% YoY to 97,286 tonnes, and grainfed rose 16% to 38,284 tonnes.
Sheepmeat exports fell, with lamb down 25% YoY to 22,471 tonnes and mutton down 33% to 12,642 tonnes. Lamb to China rose 30%, while mutton fell 62%.
Goatmeat exports rose 20% to 4,975 tonnes, with 2025 year-to-date volumes up 20% to a record 37,769 tonnes.
