Leather Pipeline: leather has to stand apart from the alternatives
02/04/2019
Luxury brands are posting ever-higher sales figures and consistently highlight their leathergoods divisions as being the principal contributors to this success. As a result, Leather Pipeline points out, many of these leathergoods manufacturers are expanding production, especially in France and Italy.
“In this segment, alternative materials (in particular all kinds of plastic) don’t play any role,” the report says. “The only way to distinguish your brand from the competition is to use top-quality, distinctive leather. We should learn from this. It should show the rest of the leather industry how to manage current problems: make sure leather stands apart from the alternatives.”
It goes on to say producers of synthetic alternatives are becoming more skilful in their attempts to mimic leather. In response, the leather industry must develop new articles that distinguish leather further. “This cannot be about using more finish and more corrected grain,” the Leather Pipeline report concludes. “To make an ever-greater distinction between leather and synthetic alternatives is a way of helping the material stand out from the competition.”
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