China: hides and leather imports down, despite wet blue increase
The China Leather Industry Association (CLIA) has reported total sales revenues for major leather manufacturers in the country in the first three months of this year at 12 billion RMB. At current exchange rates, this equates to around $1.7 billion.
CLIA said this figure represented a decline of 10% compared to the first three months of 2024.
Between the start of January and the end of March 2025, China imported 358,000 tonnes of raw hides and skins, a decrease in volume of 1.2% year on year. The value of these imports of raw material was $310 million, which represents a fall of 10.5% year on year.
Imports of semi-finished leather reached 168,000 tonnes in volume and a value of $240 million. These figures are up on the previous year’s, but 25% in volume and 1.3% in value.
Imports of finished leather into China reached 9,000 tonnes in volume and $130 million in value, down by 2.7% and 15.1% respectively.
