The French leather industry is seeing a worrying drop in business from January to March 2025 compared to the same period last year. The latest report from Alliance France Cuir shows a sharp decrease in both production and sales, raising concerns for the rest of the year.
January–March 2025 Leather Industry Import and Export Data:
| Category | Import 2025 (million €) | Export 2025 (million €) |
|---|---|---|
| Raw hides and skins | 38.5 | 53.1 |
| Tanning & Dressing sector | 131.3 | 54.5 |
| Footwear | 2,086.4 | 1,318.2 |
| Leather goods | 1,090.7 | 3,287.1 |
| Gloves (leather) | 17.88 | 7.72 |
| Total | €3,364.78 Billion | €4,720.62 Billion |
The production of finished bovine hides, a key raw material for many leather products, fell by over 22%. Veal hide production also dropped by 2%, while sheep and goat hides managed to see slight increases of 9% and 6% respectively.
Sales in the leather manufacturing sector dropped by 6.4%, echoing the decrease in overall production. The sector that produces women’s handbags also struggled, with output down by 0.4% across all materials.
Meanwhile, imports of raw hides and skins fell by 8%, while exports remained flat. In the tanning sector, imports of tanned leather increased by 10%, but exports were down 7%, showing a mixed trade picture. Exports of finished leather also fell by 8%, with sales of bovine and reptile leathers dropping sharply.
The footwear industry reported stable import levels but a 4% decrease in exports. Interestingly, domestic sales of shoes grew slightly, with revenue up 1.4% and volume up 3.5%. Prices increased by about 2.2%, suggesting that retailers are charging more despite tough market conditions.
In the leather goods sector, overall exports stayed flat, but imports dropped by 5%. Handbag exports decreased by 4%, and imports of handbags saw a sharp 15% decline.
The sector saw a small increase in sales of small leather goods and watch straps, while the gloves sector recorded a 14% rise in imports and a 9% increase in exports.
Download the full report here
Source – Alliance France Cuir
