KOLKATA Leather Industry

This presentation is made to showcase the Kolkata Leather Industry to the international importers/ buyers who will be interested to come and build their business network with the indian manufacturer. This presentation is all about speaking about the KOLKATA Leather Goods Cluster- the ultimate hub for leather goods sourcing.

1. & Kolkata leather Cluster Indian Leather Products Association (ILPA)

2. West Bengal with its epicenter as Kolkata is one of the largest producers and exporters of leather and leather products . From finished leather to leather goods like bags, belts, wallets, leather footwear, it has developed into a highly successful sourcing Hub for the international high fashion brands. Kolkata leather goods sector is unique in offering high quality products at the most affordable prices and also offers a huge variety of finished leather quality. The Kolkata leather industry consistently holds a prominent place as one of the top foreign exchange earners for the country and played an important role in the national as well as state economy. 60%of country’s leather goods (bags, purses, wallets) and 90% of country’s industrial gloves are exported from Kolkata. Introduction Calcutta Leather Cluster At a Glance The Kolkata leather cluster includes the geographical boundaries of Kolkata , suburbs as well as the Kolkata Leather Complex situated at Bantala . Kasba , Topsia , Tangra & Bantala are the focal points for the leather goods and footwear manufacturing units. Manufacturing Units specializing in industrial gloves are primarily located at Beleghata .

3. Evolution of Kolkata Leather Industry Year 1910 Year 1931

4. Evolution of the Kolkata Leather Industry

5. ILPA – The Begining During the 1980s, the Kolkata leather export industry was facing tough times with high Excise duties and little infrastructural support. To boost overall growth of the sector, an Association of Leather goods manufacturers & exporters was being conceptualized. In 1986, the first International Buyer Seller Meet “Leather Vision” was organized in Park Hotel, Kolkata with the support of Council for Leather Exports.(CLE)

6. ILPA – The Begining And finally on a fateful day in 1987, seven young leaders of the Kolkata Leather Goods Industry gathered at a tea stall in Central Kolkata, sipping their morning tea, zeroed in on jointly forming the “INDIAN LEATHER PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION” -- . The vision of these pioneers was to promote the Kolkata Leather & Leather Goods Industry worldwide and engage more and more international buyers with the Kolkata based Leather Goods manufacturers . ILPA FOUNDER MEMBERS

7. KOLKATA Leather Industry ………. Prominent Features :- Easy availability of good quality raw materials in considerable quantity. Strong tannery and leather processing base. Availability of the special soft quality cow Nappa leather that most German Brands prefer. Ample availability of soft river water for processing of raw hides. Presence of support industries like Leather Chemicals, metal fittings, ancillary products. Ample availability of skilled labour . Good connectivity through road, sea ports and air ports.

8. KOLKATA Leather Industry………. Prominent Features :- Progressive mindset of exporters and interest in new technology and R&D. State of the art factories, compliance with international standards (SA-8000, BSCI, REACH). Presence of reputed educational institutions for training in design, manufacturing processes and technology further strengthens the skilled workforce in the state. Special attention to environmental compliances. Duty free import of raw materials for manufacturing of finished products meant for export as per present Foreign Trade Policy.

9. KOLKATA Leather Cluster- Sub sector wise classification Sub sector No. of Units Tanneries 450 Leather goods 436 Leather footwear 230 Industrial gloves 42 Leather Garments 2 Total 1160

10. Kolkata- A modern hub and the preferred destination for sourcing versatile Finished Leathers & High Quality Leather Goods

11. Finished Leather Tanneries are LWG & ICEC certified to meet the international standards and sustainability requirements Currently about 450 tanneries working in the Kolkata Leather Complex, which is the Asia’s largest Mega Leather Cluster. Several tanneries from Kanpur are expected to shift to Kolkata. In the near future, 300 more tanneries is expected to be operating in Bantala .

12. Leather Goods: Kolkata has exported US$ 804.34 million approx worth of leather products in the year 2019-20. More than 500 leather goods manufacturing units operating in Kolkata & its suburbs. Main clusters are : Kolkata Leather Complex ( Bantala ), Kasba Industrial Estate, Udayan Industrial Estate, Topsia Leather Cluster, Shilpanagan Industrial Estate etc. These units boast of state-of-the-art infrastructure maintaining International Quality standards with ISO 9000 & 14000 , SA-8000, BSCI and REACH compliance. Multinational luggage maker Samsonite , fashion brand Gucci, accessory and writing-major Pierre Cardin, watch and fashion designer brand Guy Laroche , apparel major La Martina, global leather goods major Le Tanneur and UK-based leather accessories-maker Radley are some of the big names that are regularly procuring products from Kolkata.

13. Industrial Gloves Industrial gloves from India is in great demand in the global market. 90% of industrial leather gloves are produced & exported from Kolkata In the year 2019-20, Kolkata has exported Leather Gloves worth of 190.07 USD million. Kolkata exports 12 million pairs of gloves annually. A reputed exporter from Kolkata exports more than 8 million pairs of gloves annually and caters to 3% of the world demand. Countries like Germany, France, UAE, Italy, USA, Canada, Russia, Australia and Japan are the main importers of industrial gloves from Kolkata.

14. Footwear Bata India Ltd, one of the leading and the most popular shoe brands in the country. It sells around 60 million shoes and exports around 3 million footwear each year . International shoe brands like Clarks, Hush Puppies and Caterpillar are  manufactured in Kolkata. Currently the Kolkata leather industry leaders have embarked upon setting up a Mega Leather Footwear Park at Kolkata Leather Complex with the active support of the Government of West Bengal to cater the international demand for footwear .  Leather Garments Few leather apparel manufacturing units supply leather jackets, skirts, dresses & more to the largest & best known retailers world wide. These units are highly equipped with the latest garmenting technologies & products are high quality & competitively priced. They have capacity to produce 4,00,000 garments annually.

15. Indian Leather Products Association represents the leather products sector primarily from Kolkata and Chennai. Currently it has about 200 members in Kolkata & Chennai. It works extensively for the overall development of the industry. LPA Leather Goods Park : ILPA manages the ILPA Leather Goods Park, in the Kolkata Leather Complex. About 100 prominent leather goods exporters have built sizeable modern factories in this industrial park. Industry Matchmaking : ILPA Brings together manufacturer/merchant exporters on a common platform to promote export of high quality leather & leather products.  It develops & maintains symbiotic liaison with international trade bodies & Chambers of Commerce. Trade Fairs & Seminars/ Webinars: ILPA o rganizes trade delegations to international fairs for its members. ILPA organizes Seminars, webinars & workshops on a regular basis related to industry matters. It provides a forum for exchange of knowledge & information and provides customized services for its associates.   Fashion Event: Organizes the ILPA SHOW : Leather on the Ramp, one of the most prestigious and sought-after fashion events in Eastern India. International and domestic Buyers of leather products are invited to witness the gala event on the ramp showcasing latest fashion trends among much glitz and glamour. Role of ILPA: In the Leather Goods Sector

16. For any support & queries related to Leather Goods Industry Contact INDIAN LEATHER PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION Suite No 6, 14th Floor, Chatterjee International Center 33A Jawahar Lal Nehru Road, Kolkata 700071 West Bengal Phone: [phone], + 91 9007881474 Email: [email protected] Thank you!