According to official data released by the China Leather Industry Association (CLIA), China’s leather industry which includes the leather, footwear, leather garments, bags and cases sectors, reported exports worth $19.05 billion from January to March 2026, the first quarter of 2026, down 4.22% year-on-year.

Imports stood at $3.87 billion during the same period, rising 4.6%.

In the tanning industry, imports of raw hides and skins reached 365,000 tons from January to March 2026, increasing 1.9% year-on-year in quantity. However, the import value dropped 6.1% to $290 million.

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Imports of semi-finished leather stood at 150,000 tons during the period, marking a 10.3% decline compared to the previous year. The value of these imports also fell sharply by 20.2% to $200 million.

Finished leather imports also recorded a decline in both quantity and value during the first quarter.

China imported 8,127.8 tons of finished leather between January and March 2026. The import value reached $120 million, while the quantity and value dropped by 11.9% and 8.0% respectively year-on-year.

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