Tunisia focuses on quality
Reports indicate that Tunisia’s leather and footwear exports have been rising by an average of 15% per year since 1987. In 2008, exports totalled 900 million dinars ($629.3 million) compared with 50 million dinars in 1987. Despite this, the sector’s exports fell 11% in November year-on-year.
The Centre du Cuir et de la Chaussure (CNCC), the Tunisian leather and footwear centre, is now exploring new opportunities in terms of production and is hoping to stimulate innovation in the sector during these tough times. New raw hides and skins suppliers are being sought and camel skins, which were often wasted before, are now being used more following research undertaken by the centre.
The CNCC is also examining new tools and technology in order to improve manufacturing processes, and more environmentally friendly ways of recovering finished leather and semi-finished product waste are being explored.
The most important point, according to the CNCC, is to focus on quality and to ensure that deliveries arrive on time and in the correct quantities. It is also encouraging young people to get involved in production and urging producers to focus on medium- to high-end products, primarily for the European market.
The CNCC continues to believe that the sector’s ability to adapt, and the country’s geographical location, its reasonably low wages and political stability should all work in the industry’s favour.
