DELIVERED TO YOU BY EMAIL AND VIEWABLE ACROSS ALL PLATFORMS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 2026
Leatherbiz Market Intelligence executive summary: • •
• •
One of the key relationships in the global leather value chain remains the flow of raw material from the US to China In our Market Intelligence report for September, we examine the current state of play in this trading relationship and discuss two major factors that help explain why things are the way they are There is no avoiding the impact of tariff tensions on the flow of US raw material into China Industry sources also talk about a recent uplift in the automotive leather sector in China now coming to an end
MARKET INTELLIGENCE
O
fficial reports from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) in mid-September suggest that 281,200 whole cattle hides shipped to customers overseas in the period from Friday, September 11 to Thursday, September 17, 2026. Of these, 179,100 pieces went to China, more than 60% of the total. Other important destinations were Mexico, with, officially, 37,600 hides, Thailand with 24,800, South Korea with 14,200 and Italy with 12,200. At the time of writing, these are the most recent dates for which statistics are available. USDA has said this figure is up by 7% compared to the number it collated for the previous week. The earlier figure was 262,200 hides. USDA also calculates a fourweek average for whole cattle hide shipments, putting it at 251,071. This means the most recent figure is 12% up on the average. As everyone knows, the US also processes some of its own hides to wet blue stage before export. Officially, in the week ending September 17, exports of 147,600 unsplit wet blue hides went from the US to tanners overseas. This figure is up by 88% compared to the figure for the previous week and up by 25% on the four-week average that USDA calculates for shipments of wet blue. Vietnam was the biggest buyer of wet blue in the week in question, taking 64,800 of the total. Tanners in Italy bought 38,000 of them, while 23,900 went to Thailand, 16,300 went to Hong Kong, and 3,000 to Indonesia. We can compare these US export figures to the ones USDA published exactly a year earlier. In mid-September 2025, the US exported 381,100 whole cattle hides, with 215,300 of them shipping to China. This year’s total for the same week is 26.2% lower and shipments to China are down by 16.8%. We have the time and space in this Market Intelligence column to explore two possible explanations of this shift in the flows between
China, the world’s largest manufacturer of leather, and the US, one of the most important suppliers of hides to the global market. Trade with the US is complex these days, following the tariff tumult that began in April 2025. No trading relationship has suffered as many ups and downs in this period as the US-China one. Overall, US exports to China were up slightly in the first seven months of 2026, according to the US Census Bureau, the government agency that collects, analyses and publishes statistical data about the US economy. It gives a figure of just over $65.2 billion for January-July 2026. The corresponding figure for the same months in 2025 was $63.9 billion. In 2024, before the recent proliferation of tariffs and retaliatory tariffs, the figure for the same seven months was around $81.5 billion. It will surprise no one to learn that the value of goods going the other way is far higher. In January-July 2026, the value of China’s exports to the US, again according to the US Census Bureau, was $156.4 billion. But this was down from $200 billion in the same months in 2025. Therefore, the US government might point to is that its trade deficit with China, while still high, does appear to be coming down. It stands at $91.2 billion for 2026 so far. If current trends continue, we could project a total deficit of around $155 billion for the year. The full-year trade deficit figure for 2025 was $202.7 billion. In 2024, before the torrent of tariffs began to flow, the US’s trade deficit with China was $297 billion. With President Xi Jinping paying a state visit to the US at the end of September, there was optimism that the trading relationship between the world’s two largest economies might start to improve. In the build-up to the visit, China’s ministry of foreign affairs said: “China is ready to work with the US side to enrich the relationship, enhance dialogue and
cooperation, properly manage differences, and contribute to the wellbeing of both peoples, as well as to global peace, stability and prosperity.” Early signs are that the meeting will result in some improvement. Certainly, the two countries agreed to discuss reduced tariffs on the import and export of certain products. Their aim is to reach agreement on applying lower tariffs to different lists of products, but for both lists to be worth around $30 billion in bilateral trade. They have called the agreement ‘30-FOR-30’. Some cattle-related products, including beef, are included in the recommended products on China’s list of 30FOR-30 imports from the US. However, our analysis of the Harmonized System (HS) codes included suggest wet salted cattle hides and wet blue hides are, unfortunately, not on the list. Our contacts argue that the tariff disputes of the last 18 months have affected trade in wet blue in a particularly severe way. If we assume that the 16,300 wet blue hides the US shipped to Hong Kong in the midSeptember week under scrutiny this year were mainly for use in tanneries in China, the figure is up compared to 2025. Something interesting happens when you compare current wet blue statistics to those of 2023. Three years ago, wet blue exports from the US in the corresponding week reached 145,500, close to the figure USDA has reported for this year. However, in 2023, China took nearly 20% of the total, compared to just 11% in 2026. Tariffs mean large-scale tanners in China, many of whom start their production from wet blue, would probably now have to pay more than 25% on top of the price-tag for US wet blue. There are also suggestions that the special conditions for wet blue would mean having to account for and, therefore, keep separate all trimmings and shavings from US wet blue, which is a lot to ask of a large leather manufacturer using material from multiple origins. There is an acceptance that tanners in China probably still have reasonable inventories of material they bought at better prices some time ago and are content to work their way through this stock until buying new material becomes attractive again. Investing substantially in US wet blue largely stopped in 2025 and has not recovered yet. Observers of the dynamic that the industry has often experienced in the weeks surrounding a major event such as the All China Leather Exhibition suggest that little happened to cause more a pick-up in pace
2 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 2026 LEATHERBIZ
this year. The show took place in Shanghai from September 1 to 3. In the two weeks before the event, plus the week of the fair and the two weeks after it, US cattle slaughter was just over 2.6 million head. But total hide exports (salted and wet blue combined, to all overseas markets) for the five-week period were just under 1.9 million pieces. It is too soon to say what the effects will be of the Lineapelle exhibition, which ended in Milan on September 17. But speaking about the effects of recent events, there are concerns on some quarters, at least, about the impact of high summer temperatures in the northern hemisphere on the quality of the cattle hides that are coming onto the market now. In many of the major cattle-raising states in the US, as well as in many parts of Europe, there were sustained high temperatures. It was the hottest summer on record in France, Spain, the Netherlands, the UK, and Ireland. It was the second-hottest on record in Germany, and the hottest in Italy
since 1950. Across the Atlantic, Colorado had its hottest summer on record, Wyoming its hottest ever July and Texas its third-driest August. A second factor affecting exports of US hides to China may be a slowdown in the Chinese automotive industry and, therefore, in the buoyancy of the automotive leather market there. Last year, the car industry in China achieved record results. The ministry of industry has given a figure of 30.1 million as the total number of passenger vehicles China produced in 2025. This was a record figure. In 2026, between January and August, the ministry said Chinese automotive factories produced 17.3 million passenger vehicles, down by 5.4% year on year. But the situation in the domestic market in China could be more serious than that. In comments it attributed to chief operating officer, Arno Antlitz, the Volkswagen Group said in mid-September that the domestic market in China, for Volkswagen at least, had “slumped by 20%”.
Here are some reasons for the recent ups and downs in China’s car market. The authorities in many parts of the country have worked hard to encourage the purchase of electric vehicles. In 2025, the central government eliminated sales tax on purchases of these vehicles, while the tax remained in place for petrol cars. However, at the start of 2026, this changed. The sales tax now applies to electric vehicles too, albeit at 50% of the rate for purchases of conventional vehicles. Also, there is a quota in many parts of the country for new car registrations and the setup has been much more favourable for registering electric vehicles than petrol ones. In Shanghai, the municipality has introduced a free special licence-plate quota for newenergy vehicles. In Beijing, the authorities set aside around 35,000 new licence plates for new-energy vehicles in 2026. Half a million people applied for these licences, so the incentive was greatly over-subscribed. The licence-plates are being assigned by lottery. The contrast is that there were only 9,600 new licences available for conventional vehicles for non-commercial use in Beijing this year and the authorities have reported receiving more than 2.5 million applications for them. This means the encouragement to buy electric is there, but to take advantage of it can be, literally, a lottery.
US PERSPECTIVE
Excellent – Ultra low to zero BPS/BPF syntans.
T
he most recent reports on hide prices have shown butt-branded steers weighing 6466 pounds up in price to $24.50, Colorado branded steers at the same weight priced at $18.50, and heavy Texas steers weighing 6062 pounds up again at $15 per piece. There were also some changes in cow hide prices, with northern dairy cows at $8.25, and southwest dairy cows at $7.75. Northern branded cows were still at $2 and south-west branded cows remained at $1.50, with weights of 5052 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. The aim is to give a snapshot of what is happening in the market.
Cattle markets USA
S
No matter how strict the bisphenol-restrictions are, you will overcome them with the TANIGAN® ultra-low to zero syntan range from TFL. TFL – Great chemicals. Excellent advice.
>>
www.tfl.com
laughter volumes are low. The threat of questioning or even arrest by immigration officials has caused beef plant workers to stay at home and plant operations cannot function without them. Total beef production plummeted. Summer heat is transitioning into fall’s more moderate temperatures. The next two months are the largest marketing periods of the year for replacement cattle. These cattle may be pulled back into the marketplace with the reversal upward of both fed and feeder prices that will pull calf prices up. Those cattle owners opting to market through livestock auctions, know the cattle will sell, but they have no control over the price. Many of the replacement cattle moving to market are
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 2026 LEATHERBIZ 3
Actual Slaughter Under Federal Inspection Week ending 12.09.26
Week ending 13.09.25
% difference
501,375
573,378
-12.5
1,616
2,032
-20.5
2,272,487
2,517,701
-9.7
34,117
36,762
-7.2
10,212
10,787
-5.3
Cattle Calves Hogs Sheep Goats
returning losses to the owners. Weather will always influence the market for replacement cattle. The main grain belt in the southern plains, where many cattle are grazed on winter wheat, has enjoyed generous rains and more is expected. Planting grain fields requires rain to plant and give plants a chance to grow. Operators are hesitant about acquiring an inventory of cattle for winter grazing until they are confident of forage for grazing. Corn prices opened the week lower. The current basis level is near +$1.00 in Guymon, Oklahoma, basis the December contract.
LONG READ Leather and the Circular Economy: Thought Leadership Why LCAs are worth the effort For several years now, Colorado State University academic Dr Greg Thoma has been working with the leather industry to help it calculate its environmental impact more accurately and fairly. He acknowledges the challenges that remain with lifecycle assessment (LCA) methodology, but also believes in its value.
W
hen, in 2024, industry organisation the Leather and Hide Council of America (LHCA) decided to commission an independent study into the carbon footprint of leather from US cow hides, it looked to Colorado for the necessary expertise and gravitas. LHCA president, Kerry Brozyna, points out Dr Thoma’s credentials. He is director of agricultural modelling and agriculture-focused LCA on a Colorado State programme called AgNext. LHCA’s efforts to help communicate the sustainability credentials of leather and leather products led it to set up the Institute of Data Integrity last year (please see World Leather October-November, 2025). Dr Thoma is a member of the governing board of this new not-for-profit organisation. In a similar way, he was a member of the technical advisory group that the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) formed to help it put together new guidelines for assessing the environmental footprint of leather (please see our detailed article in this issue on the UNIDO guidelines). He is also a board member of the International Lifecycle Academy, a non-profit run out of two European universities, Aalborg in Denmark and Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona.
Future generations The academics who serve in the International Lifecycle Academy are in no doubt that their work must be a contribution to wider efforts to improve sustainability. After years of listening to discussions on the subject, and taking part in many himself, Greg Thoma says he still thinks the best definition of sustainability is the one that United Nationsappointed body the Brundtland Commission gave in the late 1980s. It said that we need to operate the systems we run today in ways that
will allow future generations to have the same opportunities to provide for themselves as we have. For him, all the work that companies and organisations carry out on LCA has to fit into this context.
Compare and contrast For the leather sector, he asks aloud what the relevance of carrying out an LCA exercise is. He explains the limitations that come with relying on LCA for material selection, for example. He says: “If you use LCA to compare leather with synthetics, there can be divergence in the methodological [a favourite word] backgrounds of the two systems. This means you might not get an apples-to-apples comparison.” Leather’s durability and the number of times a consumer can reasonably expect to use a product made from leather are in a different league compared to synthetics. His estimation is that if you buy a pair of canvas sports shoes, you may get a year’s wear out of them. If you
4 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 2026 LEATHERBIZ
buy leather shoes, you may be able to wear them for ten years. The new UNIDO guidelines’ efforts to create a link between the environmental performance of a consumer product and its environmental impact (through an idea the document calls ‘environmental amortisation’) are welcome and much needed, according to Dr Thoma. “Most of the LCAs for the leather sector that I am familiar with don’t really address durability,” he says. “But these are the questions that have to be asked and answered so that we can have fair comparisons and make good selections.” LCA is fundamentally a modelling system, he continues. He supposes that most people will have heard the expression ‘garbage in, garbage out’. In the same way, in LCA, if you do not have high-quality data going in, you cannot have what he calls “a good methodological backbone” for the model. And without this, it will be impossible to produce “good answers” at the end.
A new position Questions concerning allocation, the share a hide should have of the upstream carbon footprint of the animal, feature prominently in the UNIDO guidelines. They received plenty of attention in the 2024 LCA that the Leather and Hide Council of America commissioned too. Naturally, allocation strikes Dr Thoma as an interesting subject. In fact, he calls determining that allocation “a critical methodological decision”. He believes the clear position the UNIDO guidelines take will provide a good route forward. The new document recommends retaining an allocation on hides and skins of the impact of upstream processes but recommends displaying it separately in LCAs from the impact of “core processes”. Dr Thoma, who has weighed up all the alternatives, supports this. UNIDO recommends a new default allocation ratio based on primary data from nearly 300 studies that specialist consultancy Spin 360 carried out between 2022 and 2024 (again, please see the separate
article in this issue for more detail). Something else that came out of the project for LHCA concerns a difference in the upstream carbon footprint of cattle depending on whether they are grass-fed until the end or go to a feedyard before slaughter. Intuitively, many of us might make the assumption that the findings would be favourable to grass-fed cattle. But not so. He explains that a higher level of forage in the diet of cattle grazing on pasture leads to a higher volume of methane emissions from those animals. In feedlots, a substantial proportion of the feed the animals receive is corn, which Dr Thoma describes as “easier to digest”. He simply says he found the comparison between feedlot and grass-fed cattle interesting, but there is an important underlying point. “The source of the hides matters; how they are produced matters,” he explains.
Graze into the future We know there is much more to be said about the particular properties of biogenic carbon and its role in helping livestock farmers take their carbon footprint calculations to zero and beyond. The Colorado State academic is of the view that the lack of ways to measure benefits like this is a major limitation of LCAs. “Regenerative agriculture is certainly up and coming,” he says. “The question of carbon sequestration in pasture systems is big and we don’t do a very good job of capturing the data for it. There are things that grazing cattle do that are valuable. They can help provide firebreaks and sometimes, just by their presence, animals on pasture help increase biodiversity. All of these things are poorly captured in LCAs.” Cutting to the chase, Dr Thoma reveals that the LCA he worked on, with Spin 360 incidentally, for the leather sector in the US came up with a carbon footprint for tanning operations of around 9 kilos of carbon-dioxide equivalent per square-metre of finished leather. “This figure is not tremendously different from those in other studies,” he observes. Challenges remain as this industry and others move forward with LCA. He points to “better data availability” as a requirement. Others have observed the same thing, not least leather manufacturers in Italy. Working with Spin 360 (again), a group of leather manufacturers has set up a new programme of data collection and supply chain collaboration. They are convinced that the work they are carrying out on this programme can be of benefit to the entire global leather industry (please see World Leather April-May, 2026).
Scope for hope His answer to his own question about the relevance of carrying out an LCA begins with the assertion that “the key thing” is that it will allow company leaders to manage what most urgently needs their attention. It is only through measuring carefully the impact of the activities that are taking place under the roofs of their factories and offices that they can know what to focus on to gain improvement. LCA can provide what he calls “a holistic view of the
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 2026 LEATHERBIZ 5
supply chain”. Seeing opportunities for continuous improvement is one of the fruits of that. In addition, Greg Thoma says there are good product-development and eco-design reasons for embarking on the LCA pathway. You can also use LCA for the purposes of benchmarking, to inform public policy and, as mentioned above, for selecting materials. An even more important possible benefit is that LCA could help the industry “reframe scope 3 emissions”. Scope 1 are the emissions that come from a company’s own activity. Companies ought to have a clear vision of this. Scope 2 are the emissions that come from the energy they buy and use to carry out that activity. Scope 3 is the emissions that come from a company’s supply chain partners. If all the companies in the supply chain use LCA methodology to calculate their own scope 1 emissions these should combine to give an accurate scope 3 calculation further downstream. “Scope 3 is just a collection of data,” Greg Thoma says, “but it can be unclear where the data came from and you can end up with a mish-mash of data mixed together. Using the same methodological approach and collaborating with everyone else in the supply chain means there will be no under-counting or double-counting and brands can have more confidence in scope 3 data.”
Institutional advantage LHCA’s efforts to help communicate the sustainability of leather will continue through the Institute of Data Integrity, the non-profit it set up last year, with Dr Thoma as a member of the governing board. The focus here, he explains, is to build a platform that will host science-based datasets and methodologies that will provide support to companies, principally in the leather sector, that are performing LCAs. This platform will be a digital hub for people to use to capture data. “We intend to work with stakeholders to co-create this,” he says, “and to come up with a standard for data collection. We intend to build on the framework document for leather that UNIDO has produced.” Another of the institute’s intentions is to enable “streamlined data collection for tanners”. He explains that this means a focus on collecting the data “that really matters”. Because tanning is what he calls “a complex industrial process with highly variable raw material”, knowing what to measure and how to measure it is important.
NEWS ROUND-UP We share below the most read stories on our news website, leatherbiz.com, for the month of September 2026. Please visit leatherbiz.com every day for the industry’s most comprehensive news coverage.
What GLA means by ‘unlocking millions’ for leather
A
t its launch in Milan on September 15, the Global Leather Alliance (GLA), the new
non-profit organisation that will aim “to protect, promote and advance the future of leather”, talked in detail about funding. It explained that it wants companies from all parts of the leather value chain to become members and that there will be annual membership fees at different tiers that it will ask these companies to pay. It has already begun to collect fees from companies in different parts of the world that have been quick to come on board. But it has said that membership fees are not the GLA’s end goal. “They are the foundation,” it insisted. This foundation, it hopes, will allow it to build a strategy for raising, managing and deploying a much larger pool of money. It said it would spend this money where it can have “the greatest impact for leather”. GLA said it aimed to “unlock millions of dollars” in further funding. It hopes to do this by convincing meat companies around the world to add a levy to the cattle hides they
sell and pass the levy to GLA. The benefit the meat companies would gain from this would be higher demand for hides and better prices as a knock-on effect of an increase in demand for leather. “The hide price will go up if leather demand increases,” said GLA’s executive director, Jim Deheer.
Three more Milan shows open their doors
L
eather exhibition Lineapelle, leather technology event Tanning Tech and its footwear technology counterpart Simac all opened in Milan on September 15. They overlapped for one day with finished footwear exhibition Micam and leathergoods exhibition Mipel. At the opening ceremony for Simac and Tanning Tech, the president of industry association Assomac, Mauro Bergozza, said the two fairs provided “a privileged platform” for presenting Italian machinery and
6 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 2026 LEATHERBIZ
technology to the international market. He said the shows also offered “a space for dialogue and for encountering ideas”.
Global Leather Alliance launches
A
new independent, non-profit organisation, the Global Leather Alliance, launched in Milan on September 15. It launched to bring industry leaders together “to protect, promote and advance the future of leather”. Chief executive of leather chemicals developer Smit & Zoon, Marc Smit, is the chair of the new organisation. Chief executive of automotive leather manufacturer Pangea, Randy Johnson, is vice-chair. Addressing a group of senior leather industry figures from all parts of the world at the launch event, Marc Smit said other industries, including the milk and wool sectors, had been able to overcome rivalries and competitive tensions to pool resources and work together to respond to criticism and present a positive image to customers.
“The leather industry has tried many times to raise funds and build an organisation that can rise to the challenge,” he continued. “The intentions were good, but what was missing was a shared mechanism, a single voice and the co-ordination [to make it happen].” He said the Global Leather Alliance will ask companies in the industry for “a serious contribution” towards carrying out this work now, “but not an unlimited one”. Top-tier membership will cost organisations ¤40,000 per year. The organisation, which has Brussels as its headquarters, will use the money it raises to run regional working groups and a dedicated central organisation. Members will decide democratically on the campaigns the Global Leather Alliance will run. Among its early ideas, the Global Leather Alliance said it would seek to absorb campaign organisation Leather Naturally into its structure.
Coach workshops aim to inspire next generation of leather workers
T
he Coach Foundation and the Fashion Scholarship Fund (FSF) have set up a series of workshops to inspire students to work in the leather industry. The Dream It Real x FSF Leathercraft Scholarship Programme combines financial support with access to Coach’s leathercraft experts, designers and workshops. The first five students were selected based on their passion for leathercraft and projects that focused on repairing or upcycling leathergoods. Alongside workshops, they connected with leaders across Tapestry and Coach, who hosted portfolio reviews and panel discussions to help translate their interest in leather into careers.
JBS Viva deal moves closer
J
BS has announced the signing of an association agreement with Grupo Viva as the companies continue to progress plans to combine their leather operations. The proposed transaction, first announced in late 2025, will bring together the leather assets of JBS Couros and Grupo Viva under a new company, JBS Viva. According to Reuters, the agreement establishes the terms for the merger and represents a further step towards completion of the deal, which remains subject to regulatory approvals and other customary conditions. Leatherbiz reported in March that the transaction was expected to be completed during 2026. When finalised, JBS Viva is expected to become the world's largest leather manufacturing group, with more than 30 production facilities worldwide and approximately 11,000 employees.
Simac and Tanning Tech 2026 close on an optimistic note
T
he 2026 Simac and Tanning Tech events celebrated their third and final days on September 17. Leather machinery manufacturers told Leatherbiz that they had seen and heard more optimism among visitors than they had been expecting. Interest in technology developments remains keen, but for much of the time in recent years, geopolitical issues and high input costs have led to a reluctance among tanners to commit to investing in new equipment. Several technology developers said they were leaving Milan with some reassurance that investment could soon begin again.
At Muno, innovation is our starting point. We transcend chemistry to design advanced low-impact, wet-end solutions that shape the future of performance.
Chat with us on LinkedIn
SLF certification scheme receives UKAS recognition
Chat with us on WeChat
T MUNOCORP.COM
he Sustainable Leather Foundation (SLF) has announced that its certification scheme has received formal recognition from the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS), following a review of the scheme. SLF said the review confirms that the
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 2026 LEATHERBIZ 7
scheme can be recognised as a conformity assessment scheme against which a certification body can seek accreditation. The evaluation considered the scheme against ISO/IEC 17065 requirements and ISO/IEC 17067 guidelines, with the recognised scheme now at version 1.5. “UKAS recognition provides important external assurance that the scheme has the structure and controls required to support accredited certification,” said Deborah Taylor, Managing Director of SLF. The next stage will be the ISO 17065 accreditation process for SLF Auditing Services. The certification scheme covers environmental, social and governance performance through three modules and applies across areas of the leather value chain including leather and product manufacturers, traders and chemical companies.
EUDR exclusion for leather becomes official
E
uropean Union legislation excluding hides, skins and leather from the scope of the Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR) has officially entered into force. The decision means hides, skins and leather will no longer be covered by Regulation (EU) 2023/1115, following a review process that included submissions from industry organisations, academic institutions and international stakeholders. According to COTANCE, the European tanning industry's representative body, the decision reflects evidence showing that raw hides represent around 1.5% of a bovine animal's value at slaughter. The organisation also cited findings from a study carried out by the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies at the University of Pisa, which reportedly found no scientific evidence linking leather production to deforestation. COTANCE said the previous scope of the regulation would have created an uneven competitive environment, as products made using EU leather would have been subject to compliance requirements that did not apply to products made with non-EU leather. The organisation described the outcome as the result of two years of engagement by European and international leather industry bodies, including members of the International Council of Tanners. COTANCE president Manuel Rios said: "Today the European Union saved a European industry recognised worldwide for its excellence. This is a historic day for every tannery, every worker, and every stakeholder who stood behind this cause." Secretary general Edoardo De Paola added that leather producers do not have the economic leverage to impose EUDR requirements on cattle producers because hides are a by-product of the livestock sector. Despite the exclusion, COTANCE said the European leather industry remains committed to responsible sourcing, traceability and due diligence throughout its supply chain. The organisation noted that the regulation includes a review clause in 2030 and said it would
continue to monitor developments relating to leather's status under the legislation.
Increase in raw hides and skins coming into China
T
he China Leather Industry Association (CLIA) has reported an ongoing increase in the volume and value of raw hides and skins, from all origins, that leather manufacturers there are importing. In the first seven months of 2026, imports of raw hides and skins reached a volume of 862,000 tonnes, up by 4.2% year on year. This material had a value of $690 million, up by 2.4% compared to the same months in 2025. However, imports of semi-finished leather were down, with 336,000 tonnes of semifinished leather coming into China, a fall of 4.3%, with a value of $450 million, down by 13.4%. Imports of finished leather were also down, falling by 0.6% in volume to 21,000 tonnes, and by 5.2% in value to $320 million.
GSC Group and Icap Leather Chem form Veneto partnership
I
talian leather chemicals supplier GSC Group and resin manufacturer Icap Leather Chem have announced a strategic partnership aimed at serving tanneries in Italy's Veneto leather district. Under the agreement, GSC Group will become the distributor of Icap Leather Chem's products for tanneries in the region. The companies said the partnership is intended to improve service levels, product availability and competitiveness for leather manufacturers in one of the world's leading tanning clusters. Based near Milan, Icap Leather Chem specialises in the development and production of acrylic resins, polyurethane resins and finishing auxiliaries for leather. GSC Group supplies chemicals and services to the leather industry and has an established customer network in Veneto. The companies said the partnership brings together Icap Leather Chem's manufacturing expertise and GSC Group's distribution
QUAKER COLOR A STEP AHEAD IN AUTOMOTIVE FINISHING
Supplying innovative ǻRMWLIW XS XLI EYXSQSXMZI MRHYWXV] JSV SZIV WM\ HIGEHIW
Quaker Color is a division of McAdoo & Allen, with roots in the leather industry for over a century
8 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 2026 LEATHERBIZ
capabilities, with a focus on supporting the needs of local tanneries.
Italian footwear to seek UNESCO Heritage status
N
ational footwear industry association Assocalzaturifici has confirmed that it will apply to have Italian shoes included in the Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Assocalzaturifici president, Giovanna Ceolini, announced the organisation’s intention to submit the bid at the start of Micam in Milan on September 13. Ms Ceolini said: “The art, the heritage involved in making our shoes is not particular to a town or city or region, the way many UNESCO listings are. It is for the whole country.” The general manager of Assocalzaturifici, Giorgio Possagno, told World Leather that the organisation will know early in 2027 if the bid will go ahead.
Williamsburg opening brings Hermès to Brooklyn
L
eathergoods brand Hermès has added to its presence in New York City with a new store opening in Williamsburg in Brooklyn. This is the brand’s first store in Brooklyn. Its other New York stores are in Manhattan. It chose a building in Williamsburg’s meatpacking district for the store. The building itself is relatively new, but is designed to look like a traditional Brooklyn industrial site with materials including “textured brickwork”. Its 16 product categories are on offer on two floors in a space that Hermès says is “shaped by industrial aesthetics and refined craftsmanship that pay homage to the neighbourhood’s culture”.
New AI and data systems presented by Gemata
A
t the Simac Tanning Tech exhibition in Milan, Italian tanning machine manufacturer Gemata presented Maestro and Regia, two new digital service tools designed to support technical assistance, machine
monitoring and process analysis. Maestro is an artificial intelligence-based assistant that provides access to technical knowledge and documentation. The GEM-AI system can search information from machine manuals, technical documents, drawings, spare parts data, maintenance guidelines and troubleshooting procedures. Users can search for information using text queries, machine codes, component references or images. Alongside Maestro, the company introduced Regia, a platform that collects and analyses machine and process data, providing users with performance indicators, customised reports and production information through a dedicated dashboard. The system can monitor parameters including operating speeds, temperatures, coating thicknesses, tensions, chemical consumption and machine downtime, while also supporting maintenance planning through continuous analysis of operating data. Gemata said the two systems can work together, with Regia monitoring machine performance and Maestro providing technical guidance, helping users move from reactive problem-solving towards preventative maintenance and process optimisation.
New training year begins at Südleder
G
erman leather manufacturer Südleder has welcomed three new apprentices as the company's 2026 training year gets underway. The new recruits, who started their training on September 1, are undertaking vocational training in leather production and tannery technology, while the third is training as an industrial clerk. Südleder said training and the development of young talent remain important priorities, with qualified young people providing a foundation for maintaining quality craftsmanship and supporting innovation in the leather industry. The company said the new apprentices will have the opportunity to develop their skills through practical training and projects during their time with the business.
Henkel gets EU clearance for Stahl acquisition
T
he European Commission has approved Henkel’s acquisition of sole control of Dutch specialty coatings company Stahl. The ¤2.1 billion transaction, announced by Henkel in February, will bring Stahl’s portfolio of industrial coatings into Henkel’s Adhesive Technologies business. Stahl’s products include leather finishing coatings, packaging coatings and performance coatings. The European Commission said the transaction would not raise competition concerns because it would have a limited impact on competition in the markets in which the companies operate. The Commission’s filing identifies Stahl’s main customer markets as mobility, including automotive and mass transportation, packaging, fashion and lifestyle, and home furnishing. Henkel is active in adhesives,
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 2026 LEATHERBIZ 9
sealants and functional coatings for industrial customers. Stahl employs around 1,700 people and generated adjusted sales of approximately ¤725 million in 2025. Henkel said in June that the acquisition was expected to close during the second half of 2026.
Porsche sells Bugatti to help fund pensions
T
he Porsche Group has completed the sale of Bugatti Rimac and Rimac Group as part of a strategy to focus on its core business. Porsche will receive around ¤1 billion from the sale and will use ¤250 million to fund its pension obligations. In May, it discontinued its subsidiaries Cellforce Group, Porsche eBike Performance and Cetitec, with more than 500 job losses. At the time, CEO Dr Michael Leiters said: “Porsche must refocus on its core business. This is the indispensable foundation for a successful strategic realignment. This forces us to make painful cuts.”
with a clean edge that is meant to be cuffed or rolled, this pair holds onto the spirit of the originals while pushing into something more collector worthy.” Holly Wheeler, vice-president of global brand marketing, added: “What sets this launch apart is the calibre of materials we've brought to that heritage. Every detail reflects the authenticity and purpose that has defined Wrangler from the beginning, while speaking to today's consumer demand for genuine, uncompromised design.”
Dr Martens launches new brand platform
D
r Martens has launched a new global brand platform, With Bouncing Soles, as part of its consumer-first strategy, alongside a redesigned ecommerce experience and continued investment in its retail network. The footwear company said the new platform is based on the phrase featured on its heel loops since 1960 and is intended to create a more consistent global brand identity.
The new ecommerce platform is now live in the US and major European markets, with additional markets due to follow. Dr Martens said the site combines product sales with expanded editorial and storytelling content. The company is also continuing the retail strategy outlined in its FY26 results. Following the opening of its Beacon store in London and a Brand Centre in Seoul, Dr Martens plans to relaunch Brand Centre stores in Paris, Munich, New York and Los Angeles this autumn. The retailer's updated store strategy includes four formats: Beacon Stores, Brand Centres, Brand Stores and Outlets, each designed to serve a different role in the customer journey. Chief executive Ije Nwokorie described the developments as an important step in the company's consumer-first strategy and said the investments are intended to strengthen long-term consumer engagement with the brand.
Egypt can offer supply chain resilience, ministry says
A
representative of Egypt’s industry ministry, Ahmed Maghawry, has said the leather industry represents a good example of how well industrial ties between his country and Italy are working. Speaking at the Simac Tanning Tech exhibition in Milan in September, Dr Maghawry said the Robbiki leather manufacturing hub, which is 60 kilometres from the centre of Cairo, was one of the fruits of the relationship between the two countries. He said he hoped the sharing of expertise between them would continue. “Egypt wants to increase output and also productivity,” he told visitors and exhibitors at the Milan events. “We want to move into higher-value production and to get into international markets.” He argued that international companies should look to do business with Egypt, offering that the African country can offer them everything they need to achieve growth. “The world is changing,” Dr Maghawry concluded. “The resilience of supply chains is becoming more and more important. Egypt guarantees a resilient supply chain that is also sustainable.”
‘Collector worthy’ suede and leather underpin Wrangler’s first premium collection
D
enim brand Wrangler has launched its first standalone premium collection, made with “exceptional materials, trims and finishes”. As well as raw Japanese selvedge denim, the brand leans heavily on leather. Items include suede jeans, a leather aviator jacket and a shearling coat. The suede jeans, lined in cotton, "bring a refined edge to a silhouette built on decades of Western legacy", it said. “The structure is familiar, but the feel is entirely new - soft, substantial and made to stand apart. Finished
MARCH 31-APRIL 2 B:> 2027 9: L 9: L 9< 9< :B:>
HONG KONG www.aplf.com