According to Chinese governmental statistics for the first nine months of 2004 (January to September), the import of cattle hides and equine hides increased by 47.5%, compared with the same period in 2003.
This sharp increase in imports from Italy has been attributed to numerous factors. The Italian Tannery Federation said that although production and consumption in Europe is declining due to the weak dollar, demand in China remains strong and, therefore, Italian companies are choosing to invest in China. The quality of the product is also said to be improving. Many Chinese companies are developing their product quality and brand levels and through this have managed to secure a larger market share. The Chinese leather industry has now gained approximately 10% of the imports of leather bags in Italy.
The European presence was also felt at the most recent Lineapelle Asia event where the numbers of European hide exhibitors increased by 60% to 176, compared with the previous show.
