Indian Leather industry share in global market
Leather garments form a significant segment of the Leather Industry in India. Leather garments production capacity is estimated to be 16 million pieces annually. India produces different types of leather garments i.e., jackets, long coats, waist coats/shirts, pant/ shorts, motorbike jackets, industrial leather garments, leather aprons etc.
India is the second largest producer of leather garments, next only to China, which produces 70 million pieces of the total global trade volume of about 120 million pieces.
It is a matter of great pride that Indian leather garments have been making giant strides in the world of fashion. National Institute of Fashion Technology and National Institute of Design lends design support to make continuous fashion statements. These Institutes provides well trained personnel and imaginative designers. India’s acknowledged strength is leather tanning and its ability to produce a wide variety of fashion leathers.
India’s position as the third largest global supplier of leather garments is only going to strengthen given the availability of quality raw material coupled with skilled craftsmanship.
Major brands like ARMANI, ZEGNA, ABERCROMBIE & FITCH, MARCO POLO, MANGO, COLEHAAN, ANDREW MAARC, GUESS source Leather Garments from India.
“LEATHER WILL NEVER DIE UNTIL ANIMAL EXIST”
It is reiterated that leather is a byproduct of the meat Industry. If the meat Industry survives and cattle is reared for the purpose, there will be no shortage of skins/ hides available for the leather industry.
Leather is three dimensional in structure. Leather breathes. LEATHER is made from hides and skins of animals like goat, sheep, cow, and buffalo that are slaughtered primarily for the MEAT Industry. Leather is a by-product of the meat industry. Putrefiable raw hides and skins are processed to make them non-putrefiable. This process is called Tanning.
Leather contribution in fashion industry.
The Leather Industry holds a prominent place in the Indian economy. This sector is known for its consistency in high export earnings, and it is among the top ten foreign exchange earners for the country
With an annual turnover of over US$ 12 billion, the export of leather and leather products increased manifold over the past decades and touched US$ 6.5 billion during 2014-15, recording a cumulative annual growth rate of about 13.10% (5 years).
The Leather industry is bestowed with an affluence of raw materials as India is endowed with 21% of world cattle & buffalo and 11% of world goat & sheep population. Added to this are the strengths of skilled manpower, innovative technology, increasing industry compliance to international environmental standards, and the dedicated support of the allied industries.
The leather industry is an employment intensive sector, providing job to about 2.5 million people, mostly from the weaker sections of the society. Women employment is predominant in leather products sector with about 30% share.
India is the second largest producer of footwear and leather garments in the world.
Brief about CSIR -CLRI activities
The CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute: It is World’s largest Leather Research Institute was founded on 24 April 1948. The CLRI had made an initiative with foresight to link technology system with both academy and industry. CSIR-CLRI, today, is a central hub in Indian leather sector with direct roles in education, research, training, testing, designing, forecasting, planning, social empowerment and leading in science and technology relating to leather and allied products. Moreover, it has secured a top place on the map of scientific development as far as leather-research-industry is concerned.
State-of-art facilities in CSIR-CLRI support, innovation in leather processing, creative designing of leather products viz. leather garment, leather goods, footwear, and development of novel environmental technologies for leather sector.
It is one matter to design and develop technologies but entirely another to promote such viable technologies in a traditional sector like leather. CSIRCLRI in 1948, made an initiative with foresight to link technology system with both academy and industry. It assumed the role of being a part of the University of Madras in imparting education in leather technology. The seed sown in 1948 has now grown into a tree with nearly 60% of the leather industry in India being manned and managed by the Alumni of CSIR-CLRI.
CSIR-CLRI is a global leader in leather research. The technological services of the institute are as durable as leather. Leather and allied research form core areas of its activities. There is critical strength for research and development in some focus areas of science and technology. Research in CSIR-CLRI includes non-leather as well.
Share Leather research activity in terms of process technologies, chemicals, product technology, waste management, healthcare product technologies
We are one of the leading leather research organization with leather processing technologies like Waterless Chrome Tanning Technology (WCTT), Preservation-Cum-Unhairing (PCU) Process, Odor Abatement System for Tanneries, Eco Based Zero Wastewater Discharge Process, Dry Tanning (Dispersing Agent), Rapid Fiber Opening by Cocktail of Enzymes and Chicken Feet Leather and Leather Products. We also work with leather chemicals like Retanning Cum Lubricant AgentRelub-17r, Retanning Agent Protan Khr, Protein Based Retanning Agent Crostan Ea, etc.
Our waste management consists of Immobilized Oxidation Reactors (Ior) For Wastewater treatment, Sole from Fleshing’s Waste, Sequential ToxicAnoxic Bio Reactor (Soabr) Technology For Reduction Of Primary Chemical Sludge In Wastewater treatment, Secure Landfill (Slf), Preparation of Compost from Animal Hair Waste (Process Based Technology) and Co-Digestion of Tannery Solid Waste For Biogas Generation.
Our healthcare products include High Value Products from Trimming Waste (Hvp-T), Collagen Sheet (Wound Care) and Amiprojil-Paste/Powder for burns and wounds.
