The leather goods market - Brazil

1.1 Definition and scope of study

The leatherwork is a micro category of the wider leather goods market and refers to all leather accessories (e.g. bags, belts, wallets). The distinctive mark of these items of form is therefore the material : leather.

Leather goods are part of a highly competitive environment, where fashion effects are very impactful. It is therefore necessary for the companies present in the market to adapt as well as possible to the demand, especially for new players who need to build a good brand image. However, the leather industry in general is threatened by the increasing environmental and animal awareness of the population, favoring more ecological substitutes of vegetable or synthetic origin.

With more than 260 tanneries Brazil is one of the largest leather producers in the world. The fact that Brazil owns the largest commercial bovine herd on the planet, which generates an abundant supply of raw material, is one of the factors that explains the good performance of the national industry. The scale of production of this agribusiness chain has been enhanced by the technological advances recorded. In the last decade, the sector has increased by 293% in relation to the revenue obtained with the production of finished leather.

The tanneries are spread over the five regions of Brazil, especially in the South, which concentrates more than half of them, in particular the state of Santa Catarina. 12.8% of the cartoons produce tanned leather, 17.7% semi-tanned leather and 64.9% finished leather. From the total hide produced in Brazil, 3.4% is for own consumption, 24.8% is used in the domestic industry and 71.4% is for export.

The Center of Tannery Industries of Brazil (CICB) leads a project, at national level, called Blitz Lei do Couro (Leather Law Blitz), with the objective to survey the correct application of the word leather. For this purpose, the agency conducts visits to merchants, alerting errors and clarifying the details of the legislation and its penalties.