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TUESDAY, JUNE 24 2025
Leatherbiz Market Intelligence executive summary:
• There is a need to build an information bridge to the consumer to put across the message that leather is a good choice
• Too little information has been made public, for example about the long history of the leather industry
• What seems self-evident to us does not exist at all in the consciousness of urban society
• This is not intentional; it is simply a lack of knowledge
• Artificial intelligence (AI) could help put the message across, but AI has too little access to the really important information and resources in the leather supply chain.
MARKET INTELLIGENCE
I
t remains difficult to keep the focus on a relatively small and unimportant area such as our leather supply chain and the production of leather and leather products. We have war in various parts of the world, and the risk of them spreading remains realistic. A spiral of violence can be difficult to stop and if those responsible are old and feel little danger to life and limb for themselves, then the risk of justifying further violence is always relatively high.
Whatever the motives and justifications, death and destruction from war remain great evils.
It is also true that for the vast majority of people on this earth, life continues quite normally at the moment. They are more concerned with their daily routines, just observing the possible effect on energy prices and other consequences of political action for their own lives. Leather is still a material that can be used, but does not have to be used. For a product made of leather, it is still true that it is not perceived as an essential need. You may need shoes, but they do not necessarily have to be made of leather. There is a need to convey the really good reasons why shoes should be made of leather. This has been a problem in the leather industry for a long time and it still is today.
Members of the industry explain to each other at all levels how wonderful and important the material leather is. The bridge to the consumer and the message that leather is still the best choice in terms of quality, properties and, of course, durability and sustainability, is still not being built. At the moment, large producers are once again decorating themselves with the term ‘sustainability’ in their presentations. Whatever is right or wrong about this, the leather sector remains in a deep crisis. The demand for and use of leather as a material remains inadequate. It is also known for some
time now that even some of the icons of leathergoods are now having difficulties. However, this is not so much due to the use of the material, but more to the fact that the assessment that the wealthy and rich people of this earth have an insatiable appetite for any kind of so called luxury goods is simply not true.
Luxury alone does not mean that you are riding the wave of a successful brand, but that you produce something special, exceptional in quality and, in the best of all cases, largely unique. The group of those who are then willing and able to pay the corresponding prices for the product is not growing as much as many had imagined. In addition, even for those who are willing to buy these products, it is in the end unattractive to be able to afford any number of them. This also kills the extraordinary. True luxury is that you only sell what you want without pushing towards the maximum market potential. It is not all about price.
The current news and developments from the luxury goods groups prove this very clearly and the various changes in the executive positions prove that they are neither satisfied with current results and strategies, nor that they believe that they can continue to operate unchanged in the coming years. The different and new is still the answer to these difficulties. There will always be individual successes, and these are of course also exceptionally important for the leather industry and the material. But finding the right balance between exclusivity and quantity will probably be the main task for the dominant companies in the coming years.
Success and growing sales are also extremely important for the rest of the leather supply chain. Of course, it is much easier to present a material that can be used successfully in the luxury sector to the mass markets too. It would be absurd to have doubts about the material when it is appreciated by a group of buyers who, at least, are assumed to have very good reasons and understanding for why they surround themselves with these products. The
fact that mass brands repeatedly fail to take advantage of this option is something they may need to ask themselves about. They have allowed a small group and the supposed mainstream to dictate their decisions against the potential of leather.
For the moment, we will disregard the economic reasons that are indisputably associated with the use and production of leather products. This is always the next step, that the higher costs could be justified with the higher prices for the products with longer use and better quality. It also brings us back to the question of whether one is willing and able to think about ways to bring these facts directly into the consciousness of consumers. Unfortunately, this is not happening at the moment.
In the absence of much activity along the leather supply chain and the fact that we are now in the quietest period until the end of August, the opportunity gives us the opportunity to think a little more about more of the leather industry’s situation again.
First of all, many people are currently dealing with the European Union Deforestation Regulation and its importance for hides and skins and the production of leather. The EU Commission has once again manoeuvred itself into a dead-end here. The problem remains that Brussels simply cannot reconcile it with its selfimage that it has simply issued nonsensical or, in the best case, erroneous regulations. Normally, a person is expected to see a mistake and simply correct it. In the case of the EUDR for Europe, it would simply be the decision not to apply EUDR to the leather supply chain in the EU. So: cancelled without replacement.
Now, on the political stage, this cannot be reconciled with the expectations that have been created and the demands that have been made on producing countries worldwide. The only question that remains is whether the situation that you have ultimately created yourself justifies what you are demanding.
Even if there is a continuous effort to convey to the public the impression that the bureaucratic effort for companies is negligible and that the conditions for easy implementation can be created, this is not correct. Nor does it bring any additional benefit to local supply chains within the EU.
In any case, one can be sure of one thing: attempts will be made with a crowbar and by all means to implement EUDR by 1 January 2026, no matter what it means or what it costs.
This is not particularly good news for anyone operating in the EU. However, we very much doubt that orderly compliance and implementation will be possible. Anyone who looks at the conditions in the various member
states and is familiar with the topic knows that uniform, orderly implementation throughout the EU is only a dream and that the information requirements that the leather industry expects will not be met by the end of 2025. Individual companies and sectors may be able to promise and implement this, but we certainly do not see this for the entirety of those involved. Again, we leave aside the sense and nonsense of the regulation for the supply chain within the EU and ask whether there is room in this day and age for cost- and bureaucracy-driving regulations that do not create value or benefit. Possibly the worst thing about the whole story remains that the large corporations along the chain now have an interest in the implementation of the project. Not because they are convinced of it or because they think it makes sense, but because they have already made promises about it over which they have no influence. They simply have to impose the solution on their upstream and downstream suppliers and customers.
Of course, the evaluation of individual products and origins will also be of particular interest in this context. Think about coffee or rubber for example. As we know, meat, hides and skins and thus also leather are certainly not at the top of the public scale of importance and popularity. Unfortunately, the farmers’ associations, the meat industry, the collagen and gelatine manufacturers and the luxury goods companies have obviously not yet fully realised the importance and the possible risks. Artificial intelligence is another topic on everyone’s lips at the moment. It is a bit like the concept of sustainability. Everyone wants to decorate themselves with it. However, if you look at the leather supply chain, there are of course companies that deal with the topic in order to use it for individual projects, but you can still find very little for the big picture.
If you take a closer look at the topic, you will quickly realise that artificial intelligence simply has too little access to the really important information and resources in the leather supply
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chain. Information and data exist, but in general artificial intelligence tools have no access to it at the moment. In many areas, far too little information has been made public, for example about the long history of the leather industry. Many of documents have not even been digitised yet, and therefore are not accessible. The real treasure trove of data lies in cupboards, on private computers and in the minds of individuals. It is in the DNA of this supply chain that information and knowledge has always been seen as a competitive advantage, not to be shared with others. Whether there is a common interest in this at all, or whether the opportunities that artificial intelligence could offer for the leather industry remain unused, should be clarified as quickly as possible before much of the information is lost.
If you really want to convince consumers to use leather again, then you have to take them back to where leather came from and what leather can do. Let us not forget that until the 1920s, humans could not afford the luxury of wasting hides and skins, because there was no other material for many needs. The arrogance of prejudice against leather as a product was not an option then. However, what seems selfevident to us does not exist at all in the consciousness of urban society. This is not intentional; it is simply a lack of knowledge.
In order to impart this knowledge again, to reawaken interest and awareness, the possibilities of artificial intelligence are essential, because AI will be able to present information in the way consumers can absorb. Making currently unused data available for this will be a prerequisite.
We can only recommend our readers to challenge artificial intelligence and check how far and how deeply you can actually go today. On raw material, the most significant thing at the moment probably remains the availability of limed splits in Europe. On the one hand, this is a supply issue, but on the other hand, it is of course also very important for the use of full cattle hides at the moment. But here, too, we are heading towards summer time, and therefore the opportunity to take a break will not be missed in this area either.
The geopolitical situation and the unresolved trade disputes continue to be the shackles that surround the markets. It is less about the direct influence on the supply and demand situation for leather than about the burden of the decisions and the delays.
In the northern hemisphere, the holiday season is currently an opportunity to evade decisions and you can try to gain time. This is all in the hope that demand will increase again, and that more planning security will finally be available again. However, we do not expect this to happen in the next few weeks.
US PERSPECTIVE
Sales of cured cattle hides for the period ending June 12 were 354,000 pieces. The figure for exports of wet blue was 106,800 pieces.
The most recent reports on hide prices showed branded steer hides weighing 66-68
pounds at $15.50 each, and heavy Texas steers weighing 60-62 pounds up slightly at $10.50 per piece.
Cow hide prices still had northern dairy cows at $12, south-west dairy cows at $11.50, northern branded cows at $4 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
In the south cattle traded in extremely light volume in a range between $228 and $234. Futures fell when some cattle owners accepted $228 in Texas. In the north, trade occurred at $236 to $237 with some of the sales for two-week delivery. Dressed sales of $376 or $377 continued. These prices were $5 lower in the north and $7 lower in the south.
Some complaints were lodged when only 1,000 head traded in Texas at $228 last week setting a poor base price. Show lists this week were down in Texas, which was strange considering only 1,000 head sold last week in the cash markets, meaning many more traded by more obscure methods. Show list also were down in Nebraska but up in Kansas. The June futures are trading dollars under cash and early asking prices are higher.
The box prices have posted large gains. Continuing small slaughter numbers are pressuring retail inventories. Retailers are anticipating pricing challenges at the meat counter, but still recognise the importance of keeping beef stocks available. Packers are limiting current pricing to immediate shipment indicating anticipation of more increases in box prices.
Grains opened the week on a weak note. Favourable growing conditions are reported in most areas. Expect summer heat and moisture pockets to begin to influence prices moving through the summer. Corn basis levels in Guymon, Oklahoma, are at $0.90, basis the July contract.
GERMAN PERSPECTIVE
This week: the political course in the US continued unabated. If it didn’t have such farreaching consequences for the world, TrumpMusk would be a marvellous soap opera that would guarantee fantastic viewing figures. Sales and trading activity this week can best be described as uneventful. In Europe, companies are already busy planning for the holiday season and beyond. To date, we have not encountered anyone who gives the impression that they could still deliver positive surprises in terms of their raw material requirements. In other words, leather demand and the general mood are focused solely on managing and maintaining the status quo, and certainly not on the question of whether additional raw materials will be needed before the summer holidays.
The question of how long individual businesses will actually close for this summer
Actual Slaughter Under Federal Inspection
is much more exciting. The official holiday dates are known in almost all cases, but that does not necessarily mean that stable raw materials will be used during or around this period. It is possible that the re-tanning and finishing departments will continue to work , but the processing of raw materials in the beamhouses may be reduced earlier or for longer. However, the latest information has not yet been released and, as always, hope dies last.
In terms of overseas business, the situation in China remains problematic for us because the Chinese authorities are still not commenting in any way on whether and when they are prepared to lift the ban on raw materials from Germany due to a foot-andmouth disease case in January.
Fortunately, this problem does not currently exist in almost all other significant sales markets. Unfortunately, in the absence of reliable information, it is not possible to say
whether recent cases of African swine fever in western Germany may also play a role here. The fact is, however, that the difficulties in exporting to China mean that some of the usual export opportunities over the summer are currently closed.
Of course, this does not apply to our colleagues in neighbouring countries, which gives them a current advantage. The main problem here is, of course, cow hides, which simply cannot be sold in their entirety without the Chinese market. There were rumours this week about very low bids for cow hides from Italy, but it is very difficult to say whether these can be interpreted as genuine buying interest.
Supplier bullying can, of course, also be carried out via the price, or to put it more simply, if you do not need or want any goods in July and August, then ultimately any price offer is justifiable.
The situation for bull hides and heifers remains somewhat more stable overall,
although we continue to believe that it will be difficult to defend the current prices in the long term without a significant change in leather demand. However, here too, most planning has already been done for the summer holidays, and therefore, even with major changes in demand and kill, major price changes are unlikely.
What this means for discussions and indications for the holiday season and the weeks that follow will probably only become clear in the coming weeks. In terms of business, it was another quiet week, with sales limited to renewals of regular programmes and isolated sales to the Indian subcontinent.
This week, too, price changes were rather marginal for the relatively manageable quantities. To be honest, what is not attracting interest at the moment can hardly be made more attractive by changing the price.
The kill: The kill in our region did not decline further; on the contrary, the numbers of male animals were even slightly higher than
we had expected. However, it should be noted that Thursday was a public holiday in central and southern Germany, but not in the north. It is possible that some farmers are taking advantage of the high prices for livestock and the approaching holidays to secure good prices. In any case, prices for live cattle have calmed down and stabilised somewhat. The holiday season will begin in the first federal states in the coming weeks, and depending on the geographical location, this will also be reflected in slaughter numbers.
What we expect: The global situation has not changed this week, and there has been no real news from the negotiations with the US on tariffs. Everyone is expressing hope and optimism, but no one knows what this will ultimately mean, which means that uncertainty dictates the markets. In the next eight weeks, we can hardly expect any stimulus in the markets, and at least in Europe, the focus will be on how to deal with the production of cattle hides over the summer and holiday season. Without salting good quantities, it will be difficult to make it to September.
LONG READ
Leather and the Circular Economy: Circular Stories
Fast-fashion thinking damages durability debate
A group that has led lengthy discussions on what constitutes product durability has chosen to ignore fact-based arguments for favouring leather and other natural materials.
The leather industry’s main representative body in the European Union, COTANCE, has withdrawn from a group that is working on product environmental footprint category rules (PEFCR) for footwear.
For some time now, COTANCE has been an active member of the technical secretariat that is working to establish category rules for calculating the environmental impact of footwear and apparel products. As part of the group, COTANCE argued that the technical secretariat’s proposed parameters for describing footwear products as durable were far too lax and that this was to the detriment of the leather industry.
Suggestions are that the technical secretariat is seeking to present as “longlasting” any shoe that can withstand just 100 wears. This has caused alarm in the leather footwear sector because leather shoes are often made to last for thousands of wears. These shoes’ genuine longevity is an important factor in convincing consumers that it is worth paying extra for leather. Leather shoes cost more up front, but if you keep them and wear them for years, they are much better value for money, and far better for the environment in the long run.
LATEST HIDE AND SKIN PRICES FROM GERMANY
Tests to pass
Less than two years ago, then European Commission vice- president for the environment, Virginijus Sinkevicius, told the Global Fashion Summit in Copenhagen: “Waste generation is growing, fuelled by fast fashion. The average European consumes 12 kilos of clothing and footwear per year. A quarter of that gets exported after use. Most of the rest ends up in landfills or incineration.” He said the Commission wants to have “minimum requirements” for products sold in the EU market, with footwear one of the priority categories. “The key tests to pass are durability, reusability, and repairability,” Mr Sinkevicius continued. Passing these tests is all about encouraging recyclability, closing the loop and preventing the release of microplastics, he insisted, and, crucially, going “from fast fashion to a more long-term, sustainable relationship” with the products we buy and use.
Now COTANCE has said that, despite its efforts to present fact-based arguments in favour taking truly long-lasting materials into consideration as a means of building these sustainable relationships, the technical secretariat has refused to alter its position. As a result, COTANCE, which worked on this with “a global coalition of natural material stakeholders”, has formally announced its withdrawal from the group.
Wholly inadequate
The apparel and footwear PEFCR is now almost certain to include wholly inadequate durability values. “They disproportionately impact slow-fashion products made with natural material such as leather, wool, and cotton,” COTANCE says, “ultimately encouraging brands to deselect these in favour of less sustainable alternatives.” It has also asked for there to be no reference to COTANCE or its representatives on the updated PEFCR documentation so that no one viewing the written material will think there is support from the European leather industry for a methodology it does not endorse.
Secretary-general, Gustavo GonzalezQuijano, says COTANCE joined the process in good faith to help build “a fair and sciencebased environmental framework for fashion”. He adds: “Instead, we’ve witnessed a system that punishes durable, natural materials like leather, exactly the kind of products the circular economy should be encouraging. We cannot stand behind a methodology that promotes fast fashion over long-lasting quality.”
Make the link
Work to establish PEF category rules for footwear and apparel in the European Union started in 2019. The new technical secretariat began its work the following year. COTANCE was an ideal organisation to involve in the group because it had already worked on PEFCR for leather. This took many hours of effort over the period spanning 2013 to 2018, before securing official support from the European Commission for the new rules for calculating the carbon footprint of leather.
A first public consultation on how best to define the rules for calculating the environmental footprint of finished fashion products such as footwear and apparel began in 2021, attracting almost 1,000 comments. Tests to see how some of the technical secretariat’s ideas would work on real products in the real world followed. As far as footwear is concerned, these products included boots as well as open-toed and closed-toe shoes.
The secretariat said early on that it would not seek to address Mr Sinkevicius’s concerns about microplastics, explaining that the methodologies to assess microplastic pollution and plastic leakage “are still under development”. But, at least on paper, it did make durability one of its priorities. “Durability is key to extending the life of apparel and footwear products and thus improving their environmental impacts,” it said. It added that it was taking into account the properties of different materials, for example the abrasion of footwear soles. It also said repairability was
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important to it, saying that making products easy to repair “promotes reusability and ecodesign practices”. But it has not made the link between leather and these two critical characteristics.
Gustavo Gonzalez-Quijano says COTANCE remains committed to dialogue and hopes still to convince the European Commission to take a more serious stance on durability in forthcoming formal reviews of the PEFCR.
NEWS ROUND-UP
EUROPE
Playing ‘to a system’ will be the key for Assomac to come back
Italy’s industry body for manufacturers of machinery for leather and footwear, Assomac, has reported revenues for the sector of €575 million in 2024. This figure, which is still preliminary, represents a fall of 12% compared to the previous year.
Assomac described this as a significant contraction. It said the domestic market had suffered because of “a slowdown in investments in the fashion supply chain”.
In parallel, revenues from outside Italy suffered because of what Assomac called “a global context characterised by geopolitical instability, inflation, shrinking consumption and tightening trade barriers”.
The president of Assomac, Mauro Bergozza (pictured), acknowledged that the tanning and footwear machinery sector was going through “a phase of deep suffering”, but he insisted it was not irreversible.
He said the quality of the technology that Assomac members produce, with Italian knowhow and what he called “a distinctive push for innovation”, must become again a driver of competitiveness.
“To achieve this, we need investment in digitalisation, automation, sustainability and, above all, a vision that companies, institutions, and education and research providers can all share,” he continued. “We must be ready to play to a system, otherwise we will remain on the margins of the global market.”
He explained that playing to a system meant building a set-up in which companies receive support, not only in terms of technology, but also in terms of infrastructure, industrial policies and international relations. He said cohesion, investment and a long-term vision were essential.
“Joining forces to be more competitive is no longer an option,” Mr Bergozza concluded, “but a necessity.”
Joint winners named in 2025 Cordwainers Footwear Awards
The Worshipful Company of Cordwainers has revealed the winners of the 2025 Cordwainers Footwear Awards, which recognise emerging talent in UK footwear design.
The main prize was awarded jointly to Dexter Liang from De Montfort University and Meriem El Ouarrad from the London College of Fashion, who each received £3,000 for their
sneaker designs.
Additional awards included the Sustainable Development Award, presented to Geun Ko of Central Saint Martins for a modular basketball shoe concept, and the Sneaker/Athleisure Award, won by China Blackstock-Brown from the University of Northampton. Each received £1,500.
A new Stuart Weitzman Award for Best MA Entry went to Akina Tsutsumi from the Royal College of Art, also earning £1,500.
The inaugural Craft of Shoemaking Award, sponsored by Carréducker, was presented to Caleb Smyth for his handsewn ‘Misfits’ boots. Smyth’s prize includes specialist training in bespoke shoemaking. Runners-up were Elizabeth Dugmore and Zachariah Webb.
The Sue Saunders Award for Excellence was given to designer Jimmy Choo in recognition of his contribution to the footwear industry.
Italy to launch leather-specific IT platform for EUDR
Italian tanning industry association UNIC is working with an IT provider to prepare a platform to help member companies meet the requirements of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (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 insisted the platform would be ready for use by the end of 2025, when EUDR comes into effect for larger operators.
Vice-director of the association, Luca Boltri, acknowledged that there are already several platforms available for managing EUDR, but said UNIC had decided to create its own platform to have something designed for, and tailored to, the bovine hide supply chain.
“Our supply chain is one of the most difficult for achieving traceability and geolocalistation [of raw material],” Mr Boltri said. “It has a complexity that must be taken into account.”
He explained that the Italian leather sector was working closely on this with the country’s wood industry, which has been tackling questions around deforestation for a number of years now.
Small fall in the value of France’s hides and skins exports
Alliance France Cuir has shared figures for the performance of the French leather sector in the first four months of 2025.
The value of the country’s January-April exports of raw hides and skins had a value of €69 million, a decline of 1% year on year.
Shipments of bovine hides contributed €44.4 million towards the total, also down by 1%.
For calfskins, the value of exports was €14.1 million, a fall of 11% compared to the same months in 2024.
There was also a fall in the value of exports of exotic skins, down by 16% to €4.2 million. But sheepskin shipments shot up in value, reaching €5.4 million, a rise of 42%.
Over the same months, French tanners
imported hides and skins worth €45.9 million, down by 9% year on year.
Final call for Only Natural 2025 Student Design Competition
The deadline is approaching for the Only Natural 2025 Student Design Competition, an international initiative encouraging young designers to create fashion and home products using exclusively sustainable, natural materials.
Supported by organisations including the Leather & Hide Council of America, American Wool Council and American Hardwood Export Council, the competition offers students the chance to gain industry recognition by showcasing their work at Material Matters London during this year’s London Design Festival.
Finalists will present their designs alongside more than 40 curated brands and emerging talents at Material Matters London, which will take place at Space House. Winners will be announced on September 16, 2025, during a preview evening event.
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FINISHING
Judges include industry experts such as Grant Gibson, founder of Material Matters (pictured), who will chair the panel, alongside designers and fashion professionals Adrien Roberts, Molly Wade, Ana Del Rio, Jens Laugesen and Alex Brownless. Home design judges include Joanna Knight OBE, Charlotte Kingsnorth and others.
Entrants must submit designs in either the Fashion (apparel, footwear, accessories) or Home (furniture, interiors) categories. Each entry must feature at least two natural materials such as wool, wood, cotton or hemp, with synthetic and plastic-based components strictly excluded.
Entries close on June 30, 2025.
Harrods opportunity for leathergoods brand
London-based leathergoods brand Swaine is to open a dedicated space in the city’s Harrods department store at the end of June. It said this would mark a significant milestone in a retail expansion programme.
The Swaine shop-in-shop will be in the Harrods menswear designer collections room.
Supplying innovative finishes to the automotive industry for over six decades
Quaker Color is a division of McAdoo & Allen, with roots in the leather industry for over a century
There, it will present “a curated edit” of signature products, each handmade using traditional techniques in the UK.
Styles on offer include the New Bond Attaché and Whitehall briefcases in Jaguar green and black ostrich. Swaine’s, Kensington briefcase is available in black and cognac, and the Mayfair briefcase is available in a colour the brand calls Havana.
“Opening at Harrods is an exciting milestone for Swaine and a continuation of our strategy to re-establish the brand across globally respected luxury destinations,” said Swaine’s chief executive, Carine de Koenigswarter.
Harrods’ buying manager, Yasmin Mehmet, said the department store was delighted to include Swaine among the brands on offer in its men’s designer collections room. “With its rich British heritage and dedication to craftsmanship, the brand is a natural addition for our customers, who appreciate timeless style and enduring quality,” she said.
Swaine has a flagship store on London’s New Bond Street and a smaller boutique in the nearby Burlington Arcade.
The brand was acquired by French holding company Chargeurs in 2021. The parent company went on to acquire The Cambridge Satchel Company in 2022. Both brands, Swaine and The Cambridge Satchel Company, now make up the Swaine Group.
IMS secretary general receives MBE for services to international trade
Dr Phil Hadley, secretary general of the International Meat Secretariat (IMS), has been made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours.
He received the award in recognition of his services to international trade in agriculture.
Before taking up his role at IMS, Dr Hadley was international market development director at the UK’s Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).
Speaking about the honour, he described it as “a tremendous honour” to have been recognised for his work in securing market access and creating export opportunities for UK farmers and food producers. He added that
exports were essential for balancing the carcass and supporting livestock values by opening high-value overseas markets.
Dr Hadley said he was pleased to have contributed to export growth over many years in collaboration with both industry and government.
New crosslinker technology developed by Stahl
Manufacturer of speciality coatings for flexible materials Stahl has introduced Syncros, a new carbodiimide-based crosslinker designed to offer an alternative to conventional products such as aziridines and isocyanates in leather finishing.
According to the company, the new technology eliminates some of the health and environmental risks associated with older crosslinker systems while maintaining durability, flexibility, and resistance to abrasion and chemicals.
The patented Syncros XR-55-400 is designed for use in aqueous topcoats and basecoats. It is free from substances classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic, or reprotoxic (CMR) and offers a pot-life of up to six hours. Other properties include non-yellowing performance and strong adhesion to coated surfaces.
Stahl said the development is part of a broader shift in the industry towards safer and more sustainable chemical solutions, driven by regulatory pressure and customer demand for lower-impact products.
Panos Mytaros announces his next move
Former chief executive of footwear group Ecco Panos Mytaros is to join another footwear group, Bata.
Mr Mytaros stepped down from his role at Ecco in December. He had been with the group for 30 years, serving first as director of its tannery in Indonesia, then as managing director of Ecco Leather. In 2021, he moved to Ecco headquarters in Denmark to become group chief executive.
He will take up the same role at Bata in September, replacing Sandeep Kataria.
“Bata is one of the most iconic and underrated brands in the world,” Mr Mytaros said, “selling 140 million pairs of shoes per year. It has more than 130 years of history, rooted in making good shoes for everyday life.”
Kering announces change of CEO
Luxury group Kering has announced Luca de Meo as its new chief executive officer in place of François-Henri Pinault. Mr Pinault will stay on as chairman. Until now, he held both roles.
The group said Mr Pinault had initiated the change and that it marked a decisive step in strengthening the group’s leadership as it enters “a new phase of its development”.
These changes will take effect in September, subject to shareholder approval.
Mr de Meo has spent 30 years in the automotive industry. He has been the chief executive of the Renault Group for the last five years. He said he would approach this new
professional challenge “with enthusiasm, eagerness and confidence”.
For his part, Mr Pinault said that, after spending 20 years “transforming Kering into a major global luxury player”, he thought the group was ready for a new stage in its development. He added that Luca de Meo’s experience at the helm of an international, listed group and his understanding of brands would “bring a new vision”.
LIFE project explores modified natural tannins for sustainable tanning
AEuropeanresearch project focused on improving the environmental footprint of vegetable leather tanning has concluded with positive technical and sustainability results.
Known as LIFE I’M TAN, the project received EU LIFE programme funding and was coordinated by Silvateam with support from Crossing, CRCF, Conceria Incas and the Aquarno Consortium.
The initiative aimed to develop a new generation of natural tannins, chemically modified to enhance performance in tanning and retanning processes while reducing water use, chemical inputs and wastewater emissions. Trial results show that the modified extracts reduced water consumption by up to 25%, organic matter in the tanning bath by up to 40%, and hazardous substances such as phenols and formaldehyde by more than 80%.
Application testing at Conceria Incas confirmed that the new tannins could deliver soft leathers with a wide colour range, including light and pastel shades not easily achievable with conventional vegetable tannins.
By-product recovery for use in animal nutrition, resins and fertilisers was also explored, supporting a broader circular economy approach. The partners now plan further industrial feasibility work to assess scaling potential.
LIFE I’M TAN was funded under project number LIFE20 ENV/IT/000759.
Hermès lays foundation stone for new leather goods workshop
Hermès has laid the foundation stone for its new leather goods workshop in CharlevilleMézières, in France’s Ardennes region.
The site, due to open in 2027, will be the luxury house’s twenty-sixth leather goods production facility and will eventually employ 250 artisans.
This will be Hermès’ third leather goods workshop in the Ardennes, alongside existing sites in Bogny-sur-Meuse and La Sormonne. Artisans will be trained at the École Hermès des savoir-faire, which has operated in CharlevilleMézières since 2021.
The new manufacture will occupy a converted industrial site in the city centre. Designed with sustainability in mind, the complex will feature energy-positive buildings, solar panels, and natural materials such as timber and straw. Around 8,000 square metres of the former brownfield site will be regreened to support local biodiversity.
Hermès said the investment reflects its
commitment to local job creation, artisanal training and long-term regional development.
Tuscan tanners prove resilient
Atthe annual meeting of the Tuscan tanners’ association, its president, Riccardo Bandini, praised the work the leather sector was doing collaboratively, despite geopolitical issues and changing consumer sentiment.
During the previous year, turnover dropped around 4% and exports around 1%. However, he praised the sector’s resilience. “The Tuscan district, with its 6,000 employees and its 500 companies, the second-biggest tanning district in terms of production, has maintained its overall solidity,” he said. “It is particularly significant that our companies have shown themselves to be attractive and committed on multiple fronts.”
Mr Bandini added that the association supports tanners in many ways, including investment in research, as well as collaborative purchasing initiatives for energy.
He pointed out that on a national scale,
tanners and similar associations were working to preserve skills and traditions.
UK footwear makers celebrate Royal Warrants
The British Footwear Association (BFA) has celebrated the appointment of several of its members to the Royal Warrant list by King Charles III - in particular Gaziano & Girling, which manufactures its shoes in Kettering and which has received its first warrant.
Alongside it, longstanding BFA members Tricker’s, Crockett & Jones, John Lobb, Loake and Barbour have either retained or renewed their Royal Warrants.
Tricker’s, established in 1829, is known for producing some of the most durable shoes in the industry. Each pair is meticulously crafted using 265 individual processes over 12 weeks.
Crockett & Jones, founded in 1879, specialises in Goodyear welted shoes, known for their strength, durability and comfort. Each pair takes up to eight weeks to manufacture, involving over 200 highly skilled operations.
Loake has been synonymous with traditional
makes it natural
English craftsmanship and handmade shoes for five generations and 140 years. The company is still family owned and operating in the same town in Northamptonshire.
John Lobb is renowned for its bespoke handmade-to-measure shoes and boots. Run by the fifth generation of the Lobb family, the company has a rich history of creating footwear for a distinguished clientele.
Barbour is headquartered in South Shields and has evolved into a full lifestyle label, offering clothing, footwear and accessories.
The BFA said: “The Royal Warrant appointments reflect the continued impact of BFA members on British craftsmanship, luxury manufacturing and global style. From new honourees like Gaziano & Girling to the historic brands maintaining their legacy, the British Footwear Association celebrates the enduring excellence of its members in serving both tradition and modern demand.”
A Royal Warrant of Appointment is a document that permits a company to use the
Royal Arms in connection with its business in an appointed trading capacity. It is granted for up to five years at a time as a mark of recognition for the ongoing supply of goods or services traded with and used by the Households of HM The King and HM The Queen.
Rockport to stage UK comeback
Authentic
Brands Group has signed a partnership with distributor Chapters Brand Group to reintroduce Rockport across the UK and Ireland.
Founded in 1971, the leather footwear brand was reportedly one of the first to engineer athletic soles into its dress shoes, but fell out of favour. Authentic rescued it from bankruptcy in summer 2023.
Graeme Nichol, managing director at Chapters, said: “There’s a clear demand for footwear that combines everyday functionality with thoughtful design and Rockport delivers exactly that. The Umbwe is an iconic footwear
www.aplf.com
classic, and we’ve stuck faithfully to the brand’s original specifications, using Vibram soles, Hydroshield membranes, full moccasin construction, and sumptuous, buttery calf leathers to ensure comfort and quality remain at the forefront.”
In the US, Authentic appointed Marc Fisher Footwear to lead the brand’s footwear design, wholesale and e-commerce operations in the territory.
The M&A, licensing and brand strategy platform believes there is a significant market for Rockport, with opportunities to evolve into a full lifestyle offering.
Brazilian shoe brands hope to capitalise on sourcing shifts
Forty-two Brazilian footwear brands are heading to Italy for Expo Riva Schuh, taking place between June 14 and 17 in Riva del Garda.
According to Paola Pontin, business coordinator at the Brazilian Footwear Industries Association, shipments from the sector are projected to grow between 1.2% and 4.1% for the year (in pairs).
He said: “Given the global nature of the trade show and the international instabilities caused by the tariff war between the US and China, we have seen increased demand from American buyers, who represent the main international market for Brazilian footwear. At the show, this movement is expected to grow even stronger.”
Riva Schuh is in its 103rd edition and will host 1,000 exhibitors with buyers from more than 100 countries.
Leathersellers to expand support for UK leather industry
London’s ancient leather industry guild, the Worshipful Company of Leathersellers will increase its total grant-making to the UK leather sector, chair Nicholas Tusting has confirmed.
The funding will support micro tanneries, apprenticeships, training for bookbinders and leatherworkers, research, teaching, and the wider promotion of UK tanners in partnership with Leather UK.
Mr Tusting also announced that the Livery Company will support the relocation of the Leather Conservation Centre to a new workshop in Leicester, developed with partners including De Montfort University. The site will officially open on June 24.
Leather’s role in circular economy underlined
Atan EU Green Week webinar, COTANCE president Manuel Ríos introduced a session entitled ‘Leather: A Natural Choice for the Circular Economy’. More than 300 participants heard contributions from Gustavo GonzalezQuijano, Gustavo Adrián Defeo, Karl Flowers and Deborah Taylor on leather’s biobased content, biodegradability and progress in raw material traceability.
Speakers emphasised that sustainability must address the full lifecycle of materials, not only their origin and production but also their endof-life.
The EU’s Green Deal and Circular Economy
Action Plan are setting stricter requirements for recyclability and biodegradability, with measures such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) expected to influence product design in the textiles, footwear and automotive sectors. Landfill will become increasingly restricted, making organic recycling routes such as composting and anaerobic digestion more important for leather waste.
Speakers also highlighted ongoing standardisation work, including CEN committee activities and industrial trials, which could establish new recycling pathways for leather under future EU legislation. However, they warned of risks from declining hide uptake and regulatory misunderstanding, calling for clearer recognition of leather’s role in circularity and support for skills development through initiatives such as Metaskills.
COTANCE secretary-general Gustavo Gonzalez-Quijano concluded with a reminder of the challenge the sector faces: “Thirty years ago, 90% of the world’s hides and skins were converted into leather. Today it is only 60%. It’s a shame - we are not progressing. What is clear is that leather is not a problem; it is a solution, and as an industry, we can contribute to a truly circular society.”
Interiors win for Bentley in Robb Report’s 2025 awards
Bentley’s Continental GT Speed First Edition has won 'Best Interior' in the 2025 Robb Report “Best of the Best” Awards, with judges highlighting the brand’s craftsmanship, material innovation and attention to detail.
A key feature of the coupe’s cabin is its use of sustainable heritage Ox Blood leather, alongside AI-powered hide inspection technology that ensures the highest quality standards. Bentley also incorporates rare materials such as 3D-printed rose gold, while maintaining its tradition of hand-built interiors.
The award underscores Bentley’s ongoing investment in leather quality and interior design, combining modern processes with its century-old heritage.
The Robb Report, founded in 1976, is luxury lifestyle publication that highlights the finest in design, craftsmanship, and innovation across sectors such as automotive, travel, fashion, and technology. Its annual “Best of the Best” awards are a recognised benchmark for excellence in the luxury industry.
French consumers still favour quality and physical stores for leathergoods
Anew consumer study from Alliance France Cuir’s Economic Observatory has found that quality remains the leading criterion for French shoppers when buying leather goods.
The report, titled “Leather Goods Trade: Where do the French shop?”, reveals that seven out of ten people in France purchase at least one leather item per year, with quality and price jointly ranking as the most important factors influencing their decisions.
Physical stores continue to dominate, with half of respondents saying they buy their leather goods exclusively in-store. In addition, 85% of
consumers prefer to see and handle products before purchasing. Traditional leather goods shops remain the top choice, while one in three shoppers favour city centre retail locations.
The survey also highlights the growing importance of eco-responsibility in purchasing behaviour. Sixty-one percent of respondents said they are willing to pay more for products that meet environmental standards, and one in three has already bought second-hand leather goods. Services such as product repair, maintenance, and second-hand options are in demand, as is clear information on materials, care instructions, and product origin.
ZDHC puts water usage under spotlight
ZDHC is aiming to define water usage targets for leather and textiles, verifying water consumption from wet processing facilities, after stating current industry benchmarks fail to account for specific operational processes within textile and leather production.
An ZDHC-led ‘expert group’ will harmonise water efficiency norms, integrating water use targets, aligning with Inditex's CFW methodology. ‘Aspirational’ benchmarks will added in at a later date.
After updating ZDHC water requirements, there will be a one-year transition period for suppliers to report their water use and reduction targets against these benchmarks.
ZDHC will be working with other like-minded organisations with factory programmes to create industry alignment.
UK leather industry faces ongoing trade pressure
TheUK leather and leather goods sector remained under strain in 2024, with trade declines continuing for a third consecutive year, according to Leather UK’s latest report.
Exports fell by 6.7% in value, despite a 2.3% rise in volume, indicating lower average prices. Finished leather exports saw the sharpest drop, with volumes down by more than 30%. Partprocessed leather exports increased in both volume and value, but unit prices weakened.
Imports also declined, with total values down 8.1% and volumes 16.7%, reflecting weaker domestic demand but firmer prices. Bovine hide imports stabilised, though imports of other raw materials, such as ovine skins, continued to fall.
The EU remained the UK’s most important trading partner, accounting for 86% of imports and 39% of exports by value. Overall trade with the EU declined again in 2024, and the report highlights risks linked to the upcoming EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
The UK’s leather goods trade deficit widened further, as exports fell 13.6% while imports rose in both value and volume.
The report points to ongoing challenges for the industry, including weak global demand, economic uncertainty and looming regulatory change.
ASIA
Q1 jump in China’s imports of semi-finished leather
Figures that the All China Leather Exhibition has shared show that Chinese tanners imported 358,000 tonnes of raw hides and skins in the first quarter of 2025. They invested a total of $310 million in this raw material.
The figures indicate a fall of 1.2% in volume and of 10.5% in value.
Imports of semi-finished leather increased. A total of 168,000 tonnes of wet blue and crust came into China in the first three months of the year, with a value of $240 million. The increases were of 25% in volume and of 1.3% in value.
Finished leather imported into China during the quarter reached 9,000 tonnes in volume and $130 million. These too were down, by 2.7% in volume and by 15.1% in value.
ISA secures priority access to regenerative hides
ISANext-Gen Materials has announced an exclusive agreement between one of its business units, ISA TanTec, and Other Half Processing (OHP), granting priority access to regenerative hides.
Ever Chang, director of sustainability at ISA, said: “Regenerative hides are in limited supply. Through this partnership, we’re providing our customers with increased confidence in our regenerative leather offerings while highlighting our position in the market.”
The group also announced that its sciencebased emission reduction targets have been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and are now active on the SBTi dashboard.
Uwe Hutzler, CEO of ISA, said: “Establishing clear goals for greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions based on trusted scientific data is essential for us as we strive for sustainability in every aspect of our production process. As a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact, we are dedicated to achieving our sustainability goals by further advancing the progress we have made through our Low Impact On the Environment (LITE) manufacturing concept.”
ISA’s customers include Nike, Hoka, Lacoste and Saucony.
APLF ASEAN to offer full MEET experience for industry professionals
Organisers
of APLF ASEAN say this year’s event will deliver a complete “MEET” experience, highlighting Matching, Experience, Education and Tradeshow, to support manufacturers, brands and suppliers across the region.
The Matching element includes a dedicated business service that connects visitors with international suppliers of finished leather, nextgeneration materials, components and inputs, with meetings bookable in advance for efficient on-site discussions.
In Experience zones such as the Leather Trends Space and Innovation Lab, visitors will be able to see and handle materials for
upcoming 2026/27 collections, assessing innovation and functionality first-hand.
The Education programme will feature seminars, technical sessions and panel discussions, offering updates on market trends, materials and supply chain developments specific to Southeast Asia’s manufacturing sector.
As a focused B2B Tradeshow, APLF ASEAN will bring together OEMs, brands and factories making sourcing and product development decisions.
The event will take place from November 13 to 15 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City.
ISA-Apex partnership produces LITE in Bangladesh
Tannery group ISA Next-Gen Materials has successfully produced its LITE leather in Bangladesh through a partnership with Apex Footwear.
The first production order was successfully completed in Q4 2024 at the Leather Working Group Gold-rated partner tannery upholding the high standards that ISA has always maintained, it said.
This partnership will help foster innovation and strengthening ties with their mutual customers, the partners added.
LITE stands for Low Impact On The Environment and was launched as a brand in 2003.
AMERICAS
Meat-alternative brand may use meat to enhance its products’ appeal
The chief executive of plant-based meatalternative brand Impossible Foods, Peter McGuinness, has said the company may begin adding meat to its burgers.
In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, Mr McGuinness said his aim was to attract more ‘flexitarian’ consumers, or people who prefer to eat meat only occasionally, to the brand.
Quoting specialist market research group Packaged Facts, the newspaper said US retail sales of plant-based meat-alternative products had fallen in the last three years and were likely to fall again in 2025. Peter McGuinness said part of the blame for this lay with the poor quality of the products that some of his rivals have brought to market.
He did not share figures, but told the WSJ that Impossible Foods was growing. However, he said profitability and a public listing for the group “are probably years away”.
New York listing for JBS
Shares in meat and leather group JBS are now listed on the New York Stock Exchange, as well as on the B3 exchange in its home country, Brazil.
The group said dual-listing reflected its global footprint and diversified operations. It currently has more than 250 production facilities in more than 17 countries, and employs around 280,000 people.
It added that the move was designed to unlock shareholder value, align the capital structure with its global profile, and expand access to investment opportunities.
Chief executive, Gilberto Tomazoni, said listing on Wall Street represented a significant milestone for the group. He called it “a source of great pride” and recognition of JBS’s success, which Mr Tomazoni insisited was “built on resilience, determination and a commitment to the future”.
Coach
challenges designers to view bags in a new way
3D
design software producer CLO Virtual Fashion and leathergoods group Tapestry have challenged designers to "reimagine" Coach handbags through digital innovation.
The Handbag Edit contest has been inspired by Coach Play stores - spaces designed for cocreation, community building and fun, reflecting the brand's commitment to fostering connections with Gen Z consumers.
Participants are invited to create a digital capsule collection for a Coach Play store using CLO, including at least one handbag, which can be complemented by bag charms and garments.
Contestants will be provided with Coach brand standards and a colour palette to guide their creations, with the winner taking a $2,500 cash prize.
Brazilian footwear exports increase in first five months of 2025
Brazilian footwear exports grew in both volume and value in the first five months of 2025, according to figures from Abicalçados based on data from Secex.
Between January and May, 45.83 million pairs were shipped abroad, up 6.8% compared to the same period last year. Export revenue rose by 1.7% to reach US$ 427.18 million.
In May alone, exports totalled 6.77 million pairs worth US$ 78.16 million. While revenue increased by 2.7%, volume fell by 7.6% year on year.
The United States reclaimed its position as Brazil’s main export market in May, with purchases rising 37.4% in volume and 49.2% in value. Argentina and Paraguay followed, though Paraguay showed declines compared to May 2024.
Rio Grande do Sul remained the leading exporting state, ahead of Ceará and São Paulo. Meanwhile, footwear imports into Brazil continued to rise, driven by higher shipments from China, Vietnam and Indonesia. From January to May, imports grew 25.6% in volume and 21.4% in value compared to the same period last year.
AFRICA
Italy pledges support for Kenya’s leather revival
Italy has committed to supporting the revival of Kenya’s leather and tanning sector, with Equity Group named as the strategic financial partner. The initiative also aims to strengthen the industry across East and Central Africa.
Kenya’s Ministries of Agriculture & Livestock Development and Investment, Trade & Industry welcomed the partnership, which focuses on improving skills, infrastructure and global market access within the leather value chain.
A recent visiting Italian delegation included representatives from UNPAC (Italian Leather Chemicals Manufacturers), UNIC (Italian Tanners’ Association), ICEC (Italian Leather Quality Certification Institute) and ASSOMAC (Italian Footwear, Leather Goods and Tanning Machinery Manufacturers).
Agostino Apolito, general director of ASSOMAC, said: “Italy is a global leader in the leather products industry and we want to work with Kenyan and African farmers and other leather industry players to support them through skills and technology transfer and enhanced European market access.”
Equity Group presented its Africa Recovery and Resilience Plan as part of efforts to unlock investment potential in Kenya’s leather sector, highlighting opportunities in processing and value addition.
The initiative builds on a recent agreement between Equity and the Kenya Investment Authority, aimed at positioning Kenya as a regional leather hub.
UNIDO leather project concludes in Ethiopia
Aclosingceremony for UNIDO’s seven-year project to improve the sustainability and competitiveness of Ethiopia’s leather sector took place on June 17, according to local media Manufacturing Industry Development Institute director-general Milkesa Jagema said the project had supported job creation, community development, and better raw hide quality.
Aurelia Patrizia Calabro, UNIDO LISEC project manager, highlighted the introduction of modern slaughtering equipment in key abattoirs, the upgrading of a footwear and leather goods facility in Modjo, and support for four tanneries to achieve Leather Working Group certification. A new satellite laboratory was also established in Modjo to strengthen local testing services.
Mercedes Marine Nortes of the EU Delegation said the project’s outcomes would continue to support sustainable production and employment growth in Ethiopia’s leather value chain.
OCEANIA
Confidence from Australian beef producers
The latest Beef Producer Intentions Survey (BPIS) released by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) has shown that producers are confident in the sector’s outlook.
It has also signalled producers are maintaining stable herd management strategies despite regional, national and global challenges.
The April edition of the 2025 survey, of 3,116 grassfed beef producers across Australia, provides a comprehensive snapshot of herd demographics, producer sentiment, breeding and sales intentions, and market dynamics.
When producers were surveyed about herd intentions, 26% of producers plan to increase their herd size over the next 12 months, while 56% intend to maintain current levels. Only 19% expect to reduce herd size.
They cited improving prices, stronger seasonal conditions and better market access as key reasons for a more positive outlook. However, many were concerned about geopolitical instability, rising input costs and regulatory pressures.
A total of 4.82 million head is expected to be sold in the first half of this year.
New data cuts feedlot methane estimates
Australia’s feedlot industry has received a major revision in its estimated methane emissions, with figures now showing a substantially lower environmental impact than previously reported.
The Australian Government’s latest National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report incorporates a new, locally developed equation for calculating enteric methane emissions from grainfed cattle. The update follows research by the University of New England (UNE), funded by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) on behalf of the Australian Lot Feeders’ Association (ALFA).
The revised calculation shows that methane emissions from Australian feedlot cattle are, on average, 56% lower over the past five years, and 57% lower in 2021–22, than earlier estimates suggested. Previous figures were based on a US-derived equation from 1979, designed for dairy cattle in different production systems and diets, making them unsuitable for modern Australian feedlots.
MLA managing director, Michael Crowley, said the development of an Australian-specific method provides the industry with a more accurate understanding of its emissions profile and a clearer pathway for further reductions. ALFA president, Grant Garey, said the improved data will help feedlot operators meet growing demands for climate-related evidence and reporting.
UNE’s research included analysis of historical methane studies and new measurements from cattle fed tempered barley-based diets, typical of Australian feedlots. Results confirmed that emissions from these animals are lower than those predicted by the outdated model.
The update offers the industry greater confidence in reporting and managing its greenhouse gas emissions, as it continues efforts to reduce its environmental footprint.
ABSF welcomes EU recognition of Australian land management
T he Australian Beef Sustainability Framework (ABSF) has welcomed the European Commission’s designation of Australia as low risk under the upcoming European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
Patrick Hutchinson, chair of the ABSF Steering Group, said the recognition reflects the industry’s strong sustainability efforts, particularly in vegetation management. “The ABSF will continue to objectively measure forests, woodlands, and grasslands managed
within our industry,” he added.
Recent data from the Balance of Tree and Grass Cover mapping shows a net increase of nearly 750,000 hectares of woody vegetation on cattle grazing land in 2022. Queensland saw a net forest increase of over one million hectares, while the national area of cattle grazing land meeting Australian forest thresholds reached its highest level since 1995 at 69.95 million hectares.
Mr Hutchinson also acknowledged 927,000 hectares of forest loss on national cattle grazing land from 2021 to 2022, noting that causes remain unclear but may include fire encroachment from national parks and the removal of dense regrowth to support biodiversity.
Meat & Livestock Australia, on behalf of the ABSF, has partnered with CIBO Labs and research programs since 2019 to analyse satellite data for accurate tracking of vegetation changes across grazing land.
