COVER STORY
A PRIVATE MATTER
No crisis, but no opportunity
A sigh of relief: GST’s difficulties aren’t a representation of the sector as whole. But the slowing down of the us-based player doesn’t open market frontiers to Italian tanneries.
Slow failure
GST autoleather’s problems are connected to industrial shakings. Even more so, the missed transfer of the Japanese property and the role of the Chinese supplier, first courting and then turning back on.
SUMMARY
THE RIGHT WORDS
Leather and “bonded”
Bonded leather is again a current event. Nike relaunches its use as an alternative material. A us-based television program collects a spectator’s rage towards the low quality and durability of it. Meanwhile, Cotance asks Brussels to make efforts against leather sounding.
THE INTERVIEW
Shoes, leather, Trump
The footwear chain of the USA will remain internationalized. Leather is a material that must fight to gain market share. Peter Mangione, ex-president of FDRA, speaks to the matter. Brazil, attention to the prices.
LINEAPELLE
The strenght of numbers
Lineapelle93 consolidates its leadership, closing with a 2.4% growth in number of visitors, and confirming Milan as the center of the fashion industry. Great performance by Italians, and (among others) dynamicity for French and Russians.
Smiles and questions
The Italian tanning sector feels the recovery. But the post-crises fashion industry has changed: the numbers are returning to what they used to be, but everything else is different.
Recovery, but how?
Curiosity and desire to push forwards. But at the same time confusion among ideas. The Italian footwear segment (and other ones) return to fairs with a new and wide idea on how to “do research”.
Happy and satisfied
Lineapelle93 satisfies even the exhibitors in pavilions with components, accessories, textiles, and synthetic products: “Good contacts, a very positive edition”.
SAMPLES
An asset to protect
Whatever their value is, the samples represent “the most formidable marketing tool for tanneries. Defending them is a necessity fulfilled by ICEC, the institute for leather certification.
PROMOTION AND TRAINING
The art of sustainability
From lineapelle to Wired Fest, arriving to Florence Biennale: UNIC promotes the sustainable excellency of the italian tanning sector to an always larger and cross-sectional public.
NUMBERS
Map of the world
Let’s start by mentioning 1 number: 1,700, which is the number of square Kilometers of leather that is tanned every year around the world. This is a huge number, because it means that every 12 months, enough leather is tanned around the world to cover a territory the size of the metropolitan areas of Milan, Paris, and New York combined.
ACQUISITIONS
Comeback
“I wish somebody would buy me…” used to ironically say a tanner in 2014, while large brands were acquiring leather suppliers to make everything in house. Today, the trend seems to have gotten back to a positive area, with a few substantial innovations.
Mergers, acquisitions, drums
Old and new dynamic. Large companies controlling smaller ones. Markets aggregating. And tax agencies knocking on the door of the leather business.
FROM BRAZIL
JBS couros’s step backwards
The tanning division of the Brazilian meat-giant announces reduced production and work for to sites. The affair in the Mato Grosso do Sul State.
Clenched teeth
Stronger than adversities. But negatively affected by JBS’s troubles. Brazilian tanning industry finds itself once again 6 months after the start of the Lava Jato scandal.
FROM USA
Tyson’s ambitions
Business is steady, but it could grow more with greater availability of raw material Italian tanneries the most active ones. Competition on wet-blue. Interview with Mike Larson.
HIGHLIGHTS
Kenya | Bangladesh | New Zealand | Egypt | India
