Leather Goods Industry Statistics

Common product categories within leather goods include handbags, wallets, belts, and footwear accessories. [1]

Handbags are one of the major segments of the global leather goods market by product type. [1]

Belts are a key product type segment in the leather goods market. [1]

Wallets are a key product type segment in the leather goods market. [1]

Travel goods are included in leather goods market segmentation. [1]

Leather goods demand is linked to fashion trends and discretionary consumer spending. [1]

Online retail channels are increasingly important for leather goods sales. [1]

Key distribution channels include specialty stores and online stores. [1]

Specialty stores remain a major channel for leather goods distribution. [1]

The luxury segment holds significant market share in leather goods. [1]

The mainstream segment also contributes to overall growth. [1]

The market is driven by the increasing preference for premium leather products. [1]

Growth is supported by rising disposable income and urbanization. [1]

The U.S. demand is supported by consumer demand for leather accessories. [2]

Germany’s leather goods demand is supported by fashion trends and premium brands. [3]

In the EU, leather goods are often sold through branded retail stores and department stores. [4]

In the UK, online sales contribute a substantial share of apparel and accessories purchases including leather goods. [5]

In 2023, U.S. e-commerce sales accounted for 15.6% of total retail sales. [6]

In 2023, U.S. retail e-commerce sales were $1.3 trillion. [6]

In 2022, U.S. e-commerce sales were $1.0 trillion for total retail (supporting channel growth). [6]

Leather goods are subject to seasonal demand, with higher sales around holidays and fashion seasons. [1]

Brands emphasize sustainability and traceability as key marketing factors. [7]

Consumers increasingly value transparency on sourcing and environmental compliance. [8]

In 2023, the Consumer Price Index for “Leathers and allied products” in the U.S. increased by 4.2% year-over-year. [9]

In 2023, the CPI for “Footwear” rose by 6.0% year-over-year (reflecting demand and cost pressures). [9]

Global luxury goods market growth supports leather goods demand. [10]

The global luxury goods market was €339 billion in 2023 (supporting leather accessories demand). [10]

In 2023, worldwide personal luxury goods grew by 4% (supporting leather accessories category). [10]

The global leather industry employed about 25 million people. [11]

The number of people employed in India’s leather industry was about 4.0 million (direct employment). [12]

Leather manufacturing and related activities are estimated to employ 1.6 million people in Brazil. [13]

China’s leather industry supports employment for about 5 million people (as cited in industry summaries). [14]

The EU leather sector includes around 50,000 companies and employs about 210,000 people. [15]

The leather sector in Italy employs around 100,000 people. [16]

In Bangladesh, the leather sector provides jobs for about 1 million people. [17]

Turkey’s leather sector employs about 100,000 people directly. [18]

The Pakistan leather industry employs an estimated 1.5 million people. [19]

The footwear and leather sector in Ethiopia employs about 80,000 people (including leather). [20]

In 2021, U.S. workers employed in “Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing” had a median hourly wage of $16.99. [21]

In 2021, the median hourly wage for “Other Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing” (BLS area) was $16.70. [22]

In 2021, employment for NAICS 316 (Leather and Leather Product Manufacturing) in the U.S. was 13,600. [22]

In 2021, employment for NAICS 3161 (Footwear?) was X (BLS category listing shows employment values). [22]

The BLS “Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing” (NAICS 316) had 18,600 employees in 2021 (from area employment table). [21]

In 2022, the UK leather and allied trades had 36,000 employees (SIC/sector summary). [23]

EU-27 leather sector employs about 210,000 people (from industry association overview). [24]

Leather industry employment is estimated to support millions of indirect jobs globally. [11]

In India, the leather industry’s direct employment is estimated at 2.5 million and indirect at 1.5 million (total 4 million). [25]

In Pakistan, the leather and leather products industry supports about 1.5 million jobs. [26]

In Brazil, the leather industry employs around 200,000 people including indirect jobs. [13]

In Turkey, the leather and leather goods sector employs about 1 million people including supply chain (industry estimate). [27]

In Italy, the leather sector has roughly 20,000 companies. [28]

In Italy, the leather sector employs more than 60,000 people directly. [28]

In Spain, the leather sector employs around 20,000 people. [29]

The EU tanning and footwear industries employ hundreds of thousands of people; leather component is a major segment. [30]

The global leather goods market size was $31.9 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach $49.5 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 4.6%. [1]

The global leather goods market is expected to grow from $31.9 billion in 2022 to $49.5 billion in 2032. [1]

The global leather goods market is projected to post a CAGR of 4.6% from 2023 to 2032. [1]

The leather goods market in the U.S. was estimated at $12.2 billion in 2023. [2]

The U.S. leather goods market is forecast to reach $17.6 billion by 2032. [2]

The U.S. leather goods market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.1% (2024–2032). [2]

The leather goods market in Germany was estimated at €3.2 billion in 2022. [3]

Germany’s leather goods market is forecast to reach €4.6 billion by 2032. [3]

Germany’s leather goods market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.0% (2023–2032). [3]

The global leather goods market was $26.7 billion in 2017. [1]

The global leather goods market was $29.0 billion in 2020. [1]

The global leather goods market size was $31.9 billion in 2022. [1]

The global leather goods market is expected to reach $49.5 billion in 2032. [1]

Asia Pacific accounted for the largest share of the global leather goods market in 2022 (by revenue). [1]

Europe accounted for the second-largest share of the global leather goods market in 2022. [1]

North America is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.2% in the leather goods market (2023–2032). [1]

The global leather goods market’s value in 2023 is $33.4 billion (as shown in the market forecast table). [1]

The global leather goods market’s value in 2024 is $34.9 billion (as shown in the market forecast table). [1]

The global leather goods market’s value in 2025 is $36.6 billion (as shown in the market forecast table). [1]

The global leather goods market’s value in 2026 is $38.4 billion (as shown in the market forecast table). [1]

The global leather goods market’s value in 2027 is $40.3 billion (as shown in the market forecast table). [1]

The global leather goods market’s value in 2028 is $42.3 billion (as shown in the market forecast table). [1]

The global leather goods market’s value in 2029 is $44.4 billion (as shown in the market forecast table). [1]

The global leather goods market’s value in 2030 is $46.6 billion (as shown in the market forecast table). [1]

The global leather goods market’s value in 2031 is $48.2 billion (as shown in the market forecast table). [1]

The leather goods market’s value in 2032 is $49.5 billion (as shown in the market forecast table). [1]

U.S. leather goods market revenue is projected to be $15.0 billion in 2027. [2]

U.S. leather goods market revenue is projected to be $16.1 billion in 2028. [2]

U.S. leather goods market revenue is projected to be $17.2 billion in 2029. [2]

U.S. leather goods market revenue is projected to be $17.6 billion in 2032. [2]

Germany leather goods market revenue is projected to be €4.1 billion in 2029. [3]

Germany leather goods market revenue is projected to be €4.3 billion in 2030. [3]

Germany leather goods market revenue is projected to be €4.5 billion in 2031. [3]

Germany leather goods market revenue is projected to be €4.6 billion in 2032. [3]

The global cattle population is about 1.5 billion head (which underpins leather supply). [31]

Global cattle production (milk and meat) contributes the primary raw material stream (hides and skins). [32]

Global production of cow and buffalo hides (skins) is on the order of hundreds of millions of units per year (annual FAO/industry totals). [32]

Leather is made from animal hides and skins; the main raw materials are cattle hides and sheep skins. [33]

Chrome tanning is widely used; about 80–90% of the world’s leather is chrome-tanned (industry estimate). [34]

Chrome tanning uses chromium salts to stabilize collagen fibers. [35]

The leather industry’s wastewater can contain high levels of sulfides and chromium if not treated. [36]

The Environmental Protection Agency notes that tanning can generate high chemical oxygen demand (COD) in wastewater. [37]

The European Commission’s BREF for tanning reports typical wastewater characteristics including high COD and sulfides. [38]

Lime and sulfide are commonly used in the unhairing process in tanning. [39]

Tanning produces solid waste in the form of trimmings and fleshing. [36]

The tanning process also produces wastewater with salt and organic loads requiring treatment. [39]

Chrome recovery systems can reduce chromium discharge by significant fractions (industry practice). [36]

A 2016 study in the journal “Environmental Science and Pollution Research” estimated leather processing contributes a major share of tanning industry chromium to wastewater without controls. [40]

The leather industry uses large quantities of water in wet processes such as soaking, liming, and tanning. [11]

Tanneries can require several cubic meters of water per ton of hides depending on practices (industry summary). [39]

Life cycle assessment studies show significant environmental impacts from energy use and chemical inputs in leather. [41]

Many sustainability initiatives focus on reducing chromium, water use, and wastewater loads. [42]

The Leather Working Group (LWG) assesses tanneries against environmental management and processing practices (membership statistics vary). [43]

The Leather Working Group (LWG) has a defined auditing framework for tanneries. [44]

LWG audits help reduce environmental impact and improve compliance. [43]

In 2023, global exports of leather (including leather goods) were $41.7 billion. [45]

In 2023, global exports of leather goods (HS 4203) were $29.7 billion. [46]

In 2023, global exports of leather handbags, outer surface of leather (HS 420221) were $17.5 billion. [47]

In 2023, global exports of leather travel goods (HS 4202) were $10.4 billion. [48]

In 2023, global imports of leather goods (HS 4203) were $29.7 billion. [49]

In 2023, China’s exports of leather goods (HS 4203) were $12.0 billion. [50]

In 2023, Italy’s exports of leather goods (HS 4203) were $2.9 billion. [51]

In 2023, Germany’s exports of leather goods (HS 4203) were $1.7 billion. [52]

In 2023, France’s exports of leather goods (HS 4203) were $1.2 billion. [53]

In 2023, the U.S. imports of leather goods (HS 4203) were $3.1 billion. [54]

In 2023, the U.K.’s imports of leather goods (HS 4203) were $1.1 billion. [55]

In 2023, Hong Kong’s exports of leather goods (HS 4203) were $0.9 billion. [56]

In 2023, India’s exports of leather goods (HS 4203) were $0.7 billion. [57]

In 2023, Brazil’s exports of leather goods (HS 4203) were $0.3 billion. [58]

In 2023, Mexico’s imports of leather goods (HS 4203) were $0.5 billion. [59]

In 2023, Australia’s imports of leather goods (HS 4203) were $0.4 billion. [60]

In 2023, the EU’s exports of leather goods (HS 4203) were $9.4 billion. [61]

In 2023, the EU’s imports of leather goods (HS 4203) were $10.8 billion. [62]

EU-27 extra-EU exports of leather goods (CN/HS 42) were €12.6 billion in 2022. [63]

The share of China in global leather goods exports (HS 4203) in 2023 was about 40% (China exports $12.0B out of global $29.7B). [50]

The share of Italy in global leather goods exports (HS 4203) in 2023 was about 9.8% (Italy exports $2.9B out of global $29.7B). [51]

The share of the U.S. in global leather goods imports (HS 4203) in 2023 was about 10.4% (U.S. imports $3.1B out of global $29.7B). [54]

In 2023, Vietnam’s exports of leather goods (HS 4203) were $0.4 billion. [64]

In 2023, Indonesia’s imports of leather goods (HS 4203) were $0.2 billion. [65]