Far from harming the Indian leather trade, the recent campaigning against Indian leather mounted by animal rights groups has actually helped push up export sales.

At least that’s the claim being made by the Indian leather garment export sector.

The industry says that by drawing attention to the cheapness of Indian leather, and its (until recent) patronage by such quality-conscious organisations as GAP, the animal rights activists’ efforts have only served to heighten interest in Indian leather abroad.

Speaking to the Times of India newspaper last week, ML Sethi, president of the Indian Leather Garments Association said that exports of Indian leather garments had been pegged around 5% to 6% in previous years. Last year, however, this figure jumped 106% to Rs401 million, making the country the second-largest exporter of leather garments to the US after Germany.

Leather is India's eighth largest foreign exchange earner, aiming at exports of $2 billion this year. Total leather garment exports for the year 2000-01 totalled Rs 2100 million – up 39% year on year.