French leather industry continued to feel the pressure in 2025 and October did not bring any real relief. Fresh trade numbers from the French leather industry association Alliance France Cuir show that exports remain flat to weak across most categories.
Overall in October 2025 France’s leather industry made about €39.3 million in exports.
This comes from two main parts. Raw hides and skins added roughly €20.1 million in October. Leather exports including semi finished and finished leather contributed about €19.2 million in the same month.
Lets start with the first category that is the Raw hides and skins exports reached €170.2 million from January to October 2025. In the same period last year exports were €170.9 million showing a marginal drop of around 0.4%.
In October 2025 alone this category added roughly €20.1 million in raw hides and skins exports.
Now lets look at the Imports in this category. France imported €117.7 million worth of raw hides and skins from January to October 2025 compared to €130.7 million last year a 10% fall.
In October 2025 alone this category added roughly €9.7 million in raw hides and skins Imports.
Lets take a closer look at this category, raw bovine hides remained the biggest contributor. Exports touched €103.2 million in January to October 2025 compared to €104.2 million last year a 1% drop. October contributed close to €11.8 million.
Raw calfskin exports stayed weak. They reached €31.3 million in the first ten months of 2025 compared to €37.4 million last year down 16%. October contributed around €3.5 million.
When it comes to Raw sheepskins exports rose to €12.8 million from January to October 2025 compared to €10.2 million last year up 25% which means October brought in about €1.4 million.
Raw exotic skins including reptile leather exports reached €20.9 million in the first ten months of 2025 versus €18.2 million last year a 15% rise. October alone contributed roughly €3.3 million.
Now coming to leather exports including semi finished and finished leather. Total exports in this segment reached €179.3 million from January to October 2025 compared to €187.1 million last year a 4% drop.
October alone contributed to about €19.2 million in this category’s export
Within this total semi finished leather exports fell sharply to €17.4 million from €23.7 million last year a 27% decline.
Finished leather exports were relatively stable at €161.9 million compared to €163.4 million last year down just 1%.
Under Finished leather category bovine finished leather held up well. Exports reached €70.8 million in January to October 2025 compared to €69.2 million last year up 2%. October added around €8.4 million.
Finished calf leather showed strong growth. Exports jumped to €40.6 million from €32.7 million last year up 24%. October contributed to about €4.5 million.
Finished sheep leather slipped. Exports fell to €35.1 million from €40.6 million last year a 14% drop. October contributed roughly €2.8 million.
Finished exotic leather struggled the most. Exports stood at €10.2 million in January to October 2025 compared to €14.1 million last year down 28%. October added just €0.8 million.
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