Indian Leather Garments Industry

India’s leather sector is dominating with the country ranking second only to China in terms of output. The sector has the potential for job creation and development, with exports exceeding $2 billion USD. The industry had a favourable transformation from a simple transporter of raw materials to a well-developed value-added exporter and goods of finished leather. It is currently in a growing phase, with optimal exploitation of the given raw material and resources and maximum profits from exports.

Leather Industry in India

• The industry of leather in India is among the top eight industries in terms of export income production in India, accounting for 10% of global raw materials and 2% of world commerce. India is the world’s largest cattle producer, with an annual volume of 1.8 billion leather production in square feet.
• India accounts for 13% of the world’s footwear production, with 16 billion pairs produced. India produces 2065 million pairs of footwear in various categories. It exports 115 million pairs, allowing it to cover 95 percent of its local demand.
• The majority of leather exports are hides and skins of animals such as sheep, nappa, goat, and cow. 
• Some of the items shipped include footwear, leather gloves, clothing, purses, wallets, handbags, and briefcases. Ambur, Ranipet, and Mumbai in Maharashtra; Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh; Delhi; Chennai in Tamil Nadu; and Agra, Pune, Sonepat, Kolkata, Calicut, Ernakulam, and Ludhiana are the major production centres in India.

The Leather Business in India

• India is really the world’s second-largest manufacturer of leather clothing and footwear. 
• It generates approximately 13% of the world’s leather hides/skins. The leather industry in India is divided into several subsectors, including footwear, leather products and apparel, completed leather, and harnesses. Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra are India’s two largest makers and exporters of leather, leather goods, and footwear.
• Leather products are extremely popular in the Indian market. Several industries, such as fashion, furniture, and design, as well as the automobile industry, are supporting the domestic market’s exponential development in demand for leather goods, since stylish accessories, bags, purses, footwear, and even apparel are in high demand.

Primary Causes of the Leather Industry’s Success and Growth

A surplus of cattle and animals 

In India, the majority of leather is derived from buffaloes and goats. India, being a major livestock-producing country, has an abundance of raw resources accessible for leather manufacture.

Need for skilled labour in the leather business 

India has the skilled labour needed in the sector. As a result, the leather sector is today booming thanks to the contributions of a professional and talented workforce. In its Foreign Trade Policy for 2000–2009, the Indian government chose the leather industry as a key area due to its enormous potential for export development and job creation.

• Investment prospects in the leather sector include tanning and finishing of leather products, manufacturing of leather clothing, manufacturing of leather footwear and footwear parts, and manufacturing of leather goods such as harness and saddlery, among many other options.

• The footwear business, in particular, has considerable investment potential in India. Every year, India manufactures roughly 700 million pieces of leather footwear, accounting for 18% of total Indian leather export. Following the manufacture of footwear, leather goods or products including such wallets, travel wares, belts, and purses provide excellent returns on investment.

• Given the rising favourable statistics and foreign investment, entrepreneurs can launch a debut into the marketing industry of the Indian production process in the footwear and apparels division, which is thriving.

• The leather industry is divided into several divisions, including tanning and finishing, footwear and footwear components, leather apparel, leather products including saddlery and harness, and so on.

The Industry’s Expansion and Growth

Since the fashion and garment industries are rapidly expanding, demand for leather items has hit a whole high. Clarks, Pierre Cardin, and Tommy Hilfiger are among the major brands importing footwear made in India. Not only is there a great need for leather goods in India’s home market, but there is also a large demand for leather products in the international market. 

The furniture and car sectors have launched a diverse variety of products that rely on leather products in their production processes. As a result, a convergence of numerous industries, including fashion, vehicles, and furniture, has provided a significant boost to the leather industry, both locally and globally.

Conclusion 

Since the nineteenth century, the leather industry of India has been regarded as one of the most significant and ancient manufacturing businesses serving the worldwide market. The industry’s age has connected it with social structure resulting in a complex structure with aspects continuing from traditional systems. The supreme quality of Indian leather, along with significant craftsmen who design exceptionally, has ensured that Indian leather items have a solid place in the worldwide market. The Indian leather sector is becoming more structured, with a brisk capability for growth.