The Global Leather Industry is rapidly changing its face. Modern techniques and processes made the industry very flexible and competitive. Many importer countries are now started their own Exporting and Manufacturing Units. To survive in this still high demanding industry, what you have is ART with Quality and Quantity. For today's busy, value oriented customer we are presenting here some Industry News, Guides & Tips. We hope that it will help you realizing the industry at a close view and making your decision right.
INDIAN LEATHER INDUSTRY
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Leather Industry occupies a place of prominence in the Indian economy in view of its massive potential for employment, growth and exports.
There has been increasing emphasis on its planned development, aimed at optimum utilization of available raw materials for maximizing the returns, particularly from exports.
OVERVIEW OF THE LEATHER INDUSTRY
PRODUCTS EXPORTED
Leather Footwear
Footwear Components (Shoe Uppers, Soles, etc.)
Leather Garments
Leather Goods (Including Harness & Saddlery, Leather Gloves, etc.)
Finished Leather
ESTIMATED PRODUCTION CAPACITY
Hides 65 Million pieces
Skins 170 Million pieces.
LEATHER PRODUCTS
Leather Footwear 776 Million pieces
Leather Shoe Upper 112 Million pieces
Non- leather Footwear 960 Million pieces
Leather Garments 18 Million pieces
Leather Goods 60 Million pieces
Industrial Gloves 52 Million pieces
Saddlery 0.10 Million pieces
FEATURES OF LEATHER SECTOR IN INDIA
Employs 2.5 million persons
A large part (nearly 60-65%) of the production is in the Small/Cottage Sector
Annual export value poised to touch about 2 billion US dollars
Amongst top 8 export earners for India
Endowed with 10% of the world's raw material and export constitutes about 2% of
the world trade
Has enormous potential for future growth
Very high value addition within the country
About Leather:
Leather is one of nature's most luxurious yet practical materials. One of the first things people do after looking at a leather jacket is touch it. The way leather feels to the touch is called the "hand-feel" or simply "the hand". As a general rule, the softer the hand, the better the leather quality.
There are many influencing factors that effect the quality of leather. Every hide has textural variations related to the animal's genetic makeup, environment and food supply. The resulting markings and wrinkles on a given hide should be considered part of the hides natural beauty and uniqueness.
There are numerous types of leathers and leather treatment processes for tanning and finishing leather. The leather used in the garment industry is a by-product of farming and food production. In the production of leather, each tannery has its own techniques and recipes for creating texture and color variations.
After the hides are tanned, dyed and finished as desired, skilled craftsmen carefully select hides that match in color and texture. Each hide is cut by hand from patterns that represent the sleeves, collar, body and other portions of the garment. These pieces are then sewn into a garment.
Professional Leather cleaning is recommended when needed for leather garments. Never use traditional dry cleaning methods to clean leather products as cleaning leather differs from fabric cleaning in several ways. Unlike fabric, leather has natural oils that protect and preserve the appearance and life of a garment. Removing these oils reduces the hide's suppleness. The chemicals used to clean leather frequently remove the natural oils as well as the undesired dirt. These oils must be restored by a professional leather cleaner.
The better the quality of a hide of skin, the less it has to be treated. In a premium quality hide or skin, the full natural grain is retained and exposed. One should see the "fat wrinkles," the natural markings, and the feel or hand should be supple and natural to the touch.
Transforming hides and skins into leather is done in three basic phases: pretanning, tanning, and finishing. Whatever is done to a piece of leather after it is tanned is part of the finishing process. This may include: dyeing, rolling, pressing, spraying, plasticizing, lacquering, antiquing, waxing, buffing, snuffing, embossing, glazing, waterproofing, stainproofing, flameproofing, or any other post-tanning treatment. Full-grain leathers are color-treated only by transparent aniline vegetable dyes, which shade or color the skins without concealing or obscuring natural markings or grain character. Most furniture leathers have been treated with a coating of pigmentation to help even out the color.
Genuine, natural, unpigmented and unplasticized leather will breathe and ventilate, thus wicking away body heat. If the surface of the leather has been plasticized, as is the case for most automobile upholstery, the leather cannot breathe and may become stiff and boardy.
