Key Highlights
- Among all the leather-producing countries, India contributes around 13% to global leather production, with an annual production of 3 Bn sq. ft. of leather.
- Over 95% of the leather production units in India are registered under the MSME scheme.
- In FY 2022-23, the leather export from India was $5.26 Bn (US $ 3941.04 million).
- As per the leather export data, India is the 4th largest exporter in the world.
- The biggest importers of Indian leather are the United States, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Germany.
- Based on leather export data, the top leather exporters are India, China, and Vietnam.
- The leather HS code mainly comes under 4202, 420211, 42021110, and 420219.
- For the latest information on the export of leather goods from India, businesses can use Eximpedia.app.
India has an extensive tradition of producing leather goods, with skilled craftspeople and a solid supply of raw materials. Due to its durability and style, leather is a favourite material for making coats, purses, and shoes. The largest leather-producing nations generate the greatest amounts of leather, indicating who is in charge of this enormous industry.
With a long history and a major impact on the global market, India's leather industry is a global giant. Indian leather goods are highly sought after all over the world, from chic shoes to opulent handbags. However, precisely where does all of this leather end up? In this blog post, we will discuss the top Strategies for Success in Leather Export from India. Along with this, we will also explore top 10 leather importing countries with updated leather export data.
India’s Leather Export Market
Did you know? Regarding leather export data, India is the second-largest leather garments exporter, third-largest exporter of saddlery and harnesses, and fourth-largest of leather goods globally. Additionally, India's export leather industry employs around 4.42 million people.
From April to January of FY 2023-24, the leather export from India was valued at US$ 3,941.04 million. From the total leather export data, leather footwear held the major share at 42.6%, valued at US$ 1,679.94 million.
The product-wise share in the global exports is as follows:
Overview of Leather Industry in India
Leather has been used for games for varied purposes right, from making clothes to shoes and even other products. But do you know that the Indian leather industry dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization, which existed during 2500 BCE? Over time, the leather industry refined and gained new heights, offering better quality and a wider range of products.
The Indian leather industry is known for its footwear, bags, apparel, accessories, jackets, wallets, belts, and more. The leather export from India now serves over 50 countries globally, including the USA, China, Germany, the UK, UAE, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, France, Belgium, and more.
Also read- Market Dynamics of Leather Jacket Imports in the US
Here are some interesting about leather export data from India:
- The top 10 leather exporting countries account for about 65% of the total export value.
- India is a dominant country in terms of raw leather materials, too, because the country holds 20% of the cattle and buffalo population and around 11% of the goat and sheep population globally.
- The top leather exporters in India are Rahman Industries Limited, Bhartiya International Ltd., and Bata India Ltd.
- According to the latest data, Mayur Uniquoters Ltd is India’s largest leather exporter.
- The Kolkata leather exporters hold a major share in India, with over 187 tanneries in the Calcutta Leather Complex.
Leather Exports from India: 2023-24
Indian leather is well-known around the globe for its quality. As per the official notification of DGCI&S, the total leather export data for April 2023 to January 2024 is valued at US $ 3941.04 million.
Based on the types of leather products exported from India, here is the detailed value description of the product-wise share:
| Product | APR 23 - JAN 24 (Value in US$ million) |
| Finished Leather | 372.57 |
| Leather Footwear | 1679.94 |
| Footwear Components | 218.76 |
| Leather Garments | 301.41 |
| Leather Goods | 1033.67 |
| Saddlery And Harness | 150.66 |
| Non-Leather Footwear | 184.03 |
| Total | 3941.04 |
Source: DGCIS
Top Leather Exporting Countries for India: 2023-24
India is a prominent leather exporter globally. As per the leather export data, India is a top exporter under the HS codes 42023120, 42022190, and 42023120.
The leather export from India to the major countries is summarized in the table below:
| Countries | 2023-24 (Value in US$ million) | (Leather export from India) Percentage Share of Total Exports |
| USA | 753.55 | 19.12% |
| Germany | 450.26 | 11.42% |
| UK | 332.13 | 8.43% |
| Italy | 268.82 | 6.82% |
| France | 209.17 | 5.31% |
| Spain | 195.52 | 4.96% |
| UAE | 90.87 | 2.31% |
| Netherlands | 159.36 | 4.04% |
| Hong Kong | 56.11 | 1.42% |
| China | 118.5 | 3.01% |
| Poland | 90.6 | 2.30% |
| Belgium | 142.39 | 3.61% |
Source: DGCIS
The Top 10 Leather Importing Countries
Here is a table of the top 10 leather importing countries:
| Rank | Country | Leather Import Data |
| 1 | China | 3044.2 |
| 2 | Italy | 2251.3 |
| 3 | Vietnam | 1716.3 |
| 4 | India | 503.6 |
| 5 | Mexico | 603.9 |
| 6 | USA | 562.5 |
| 7 | Germany | 474.2 |
| 8 | France | 573.9 |
| 9 | Thailand | 569.5 |
| 10 | Indonesia | 565 |
Of these, China imported around 29.9K men’s leather shipments from 569 importers in January 2024. Additionally, Italy imported around 1.1 million in leather, jackets, and men’s import shipments from 11106 suppliers.
However, this data might change, so to stay updated with accurate information, visit Eximpedia.app. Our platform will offer you the latest insights like leather export from India, leather export data, leather hs code and precise information about top 10 leather importing countries and much more to help you grow your leather business.
Trends Driving the Leather Market
According to Acumen Research and Consulting, the global leather market is expected to reach USD 708.7 Billion by 2030. The main drivers of this are:
- Rising demand for leather in the footwear industry.
- A diverse change in the fashion trends among the millennials.
- High demand for quality and sustainable products.
Apart from this, if you consider the Indian leather market, the government is taking multiple steps to improve the leather industry. Under the Indian Footwear and Leather Development Program (IFLDP) scheme, around US$ 220 million is allocated to improve production, increase employment, and facilitate investments.
This assures that India is expected to stay atop the list of leather-producing countries. Hence, staying updated with the trends and using the Eximpedia.app to analyze the demand and supply conditions can help you draft better plans for long-term profitability.
Top Strategies to Find Leather Exporters and Importers
With so many leather exporters and importers available in the market, you must find the best one for your business. Some good tips for you are here:
- Use Eximpedia.app’s dedicated dashboard for analysis and research.
- Conduct extensive market research.
- Connect with reliable suppliers and manufacturers only.
- Compare real-time data of over 130+ countries around the globe with Eximpedia.app.
Final Words
The leather market is changing rapidly, and the demand for high-quality raw materials and finished products is surging. The leather export from India to the top developed nations is an opportunity to explore new options.
Also, with Eximpedia.app, you can get real-time insights that make planning even simpler. If you have any queries linked to the import or export of leather, HS code, or leather export import data, you can connect with the experts and schedule the demo today to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Who is the largest importer of leather from India?
The USA is the largest importer of leather and leather products from India. Its share accounted for 19.12% of the total export value from April 23 to January 24.
Q2. Who are the top leather exporters in India?
As per the leather export data, the top leather exporters in India are Mayur Uniquoters Ltd., Bata India Ltd., and Bhartiya International Ltd.
Q3. What was the value of leather imports in India from April-January 2023-24?
As per the DGCIS, the total value of leather imports in India from April-January 2023-24 was US $ 1071.68 million.
Q4. Which states produce the highest amount of leather footwear and products in India?
The top leather footwear and product-producing states in India are Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, UP, Maharashtra, Punjab, and Karnataka.
Q5. What are the major leather sectors in India?
There are 4 main leather sectors in India, which are tanning, footwear, leather garments, and accessories.
Q6. What is the HS code for leather goods?
The top Leather HS Codes are 4201, 4202, and 42022190.
Q7. What is the top leather HS code for goods?
Leather HS codes are generally divided into subcategories.
Leather HS Code 4201: saddlery and harness for any animal
Leather HS Code 4202: Trunks, Suit-Cases, Vanity-Cases, Executive Cases, Brief- Cases, etc
Leather HS Code 42022190: Wallets and purses, of leather
Q8. What is the code for leather?
Tariff classification of articles of clothing and accessories made of leather or composite leather HS Code 4203.
Q9. Which country is the largest exporter of leather?
India is a largest exporter of leather. As per the leather export data, India is a top exporter under the Leather HS codes 42023120, 42022190, and 42023120.
Q10. Does India export leather?
India ranks fourth globally in terms of leather goods exports. As per Kolkata leather exporters data, India exported $5.26 billion worth of leather goods, shoes, and other leather goods in 2022–2023.
Global leather exporters
Leather export from India Leather export from Vietnam
Top Leather Trading Countries
