An excellent turnout. A very high level of creativity and innovation of product, style and process: these are the results of the 105th edition of Lineapelle, the reference exhibition for the global luxury, fashion and design supply chain, which saw 24,977 professional operators – including 18,833 buyers, up 7% on the September 2024 edition – and over 1,100 exhibitors. Tanneries, manufacturers of accessories, components, fabrics and synthetics showcased a profound design vision, proposing novelties and innovations of the highest level that aroused concrete interest in visitors, highlighting a definite return to the truest and most natural aspects of leather and materials.
Similarly, the event was able to involve and stimulate its community through a series of projects – organised within a true District of Creativity in Pavilion 24: from the seven fashion shows of Lineapelle Designers Edition to the 20 unprecedented installations of Lineapelle Interiors; from the craft workshops of In The Making (organised in collaboration with Giorgio Linea) to the exhibition ‘Words and Taffeta Chapter II: Animalia’, dedicated to Anna Piaggi (curated by MinervaHub).
Appointment for the next edition dedicated to the AW 2026/2027 season, which will take place from 23 to 25 September 2025. The location at Fiera Milano Rho has changed, due to the preparation for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina-Milan: LINEAPELLE 106, in fact, will be staged in halls 1-3, 2-4 and 5-7.
They are MX Pro Magister and ST Pro Amici, two lifestyle-inspired models able to ensure comfort, flexibility and extreme grip on every surface, even the wettest and oiliest ones, protecting the foot from contact with liquids at different temperatures and blunt objects. Both available in High and Low versions, the ST Pro Amici does not have an aluminium toe cap, for greater lightness.
Japan’s ASAHI SATO is the winner of the 11th edition of ‘Craft the Leather’, the international competition that celebrates vegetable-tanned leather, involving young talents from the world’s most prestigious fashion and design schools: this is the decision decreed thanks to the evaluations expressed by the Technical Jury, the offline votes of the visitors present at Lineapelle and those collected on the Consortium’s social channels. The expert jury evaluated the collections taking into account multiple factors – from technical workmanship to product design and its relevance to eco-design principles.
In his capsule collection of shoes entitled ‘Roots and Modernity’, Sato wanted to emphasise the link between raw material and craftsmanship: with the intention of enhancing the unique characteristics of vegetable-tanned leather, the soles were modelled by working the leather wet, creating organic undulations that give the shoe a distinctive identity. The selection of uppers and lasts was guided by the intention to balance the natural essence of the material with a refined craftsmanship approach and a contemporary aesthetic sensibility.
‘This collection came from my experience in the Craft the Leather workshop held in San Miniato. Witnessing the traditional process of tanning with vegetable extracts allowed me to rediscover the authentic charm of the material. This experience led to the development of new details, such as cutting lines that are intended to recall the texture of wood,’ said Asahi Sato.
The Design a Bag-DAB 2025 Competition found its conclusion during APLF, the Hong Kong leather fair that hosted the final award ceremony on March 13. The winner of the ‘overall’ award was the Argentine Eliane Yahari with her original Yvoty Bag that earned the opportunity to attend a 4-week design course at the Arsutoria School in Milan. The other two finalists were: Uthra S Ganesh from India with the Kolangal project and Jiang Si Mi from China with her DoDo Bag.
Eliane’s project impressed the jury for the originality of her creation that is inspired by the artisan culture of Paraguay where the young designer grew up and boasts her roots. Her bag is made with scraps of recycled leather assembled together with a particular artisanal technique that come to life like buds in bloom. The Kolangal project by the Indian Uthra S Ganesh also celebrates craftsmanship and is inspired by an ancient Indian tradition of floor decoration. The DoDo Bag by the Chinese Jiang Si Mi stands out for its peculiar bean shape.
Winner Eliane Yahari with Stefano Migliavacca, member of the jury and responsible of Arsutoria School in MilanThe Ivoty Bag project that won the overall DAB 2025 awardThe Ivoty BagThe Kolangal Project by Uthra S GaneshJiang Si Mi’s DoDo Bag Project
Let’s say right away that it was a good fair, in spite of the uncertainties dominating the geopolitical picture. The world’s leather industry met in Hong Kong for APLF 2025 (March 12-14), which has reconfirmed itself as Asia’s leading exhibition platform for the leather sector. This year there were 624 exhibitors from 40 countries and regions. Slightly less participation than in the past (it was 740 last year) but the fact remains that Hong Kong’s is the only fair where you can meet the world’s most important tanneries, mostly grouped in national collectives. As many as 24 national pavilions from Australia, Brazil, China (3), France (2), Germany, India (2), Italy (2), Japan, Mexico, Mongolia, Pakistan (2), Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, USA and Uzbekistan.
The Leather section, the most significant at the fair, showcases leathers of all kinds, chemicals and tanning machinery. Rounding out the offerings of the fair as a whole, as always, are the Materials+ (featuring component companies, mostly from Asia) and Fashion Access (mainly leather goods and leather apparel companies) sections.
The organizers’ final press release speaks of more than 11,000 visitors from 68 countries and regions, representing various sectors, including tanning, fashion, footwear, leather goods and materials.
Among them, more than 100 buyers were selected and invited directly by the organizers. More than 800 business meetings were organized in the business matching area, offering high-level networking opportunities.
Italy at APLF 2025 was, as always, represented by two national pavilions: the one organized by UNIC-Italian Tanneries with 27 booths representing some 40 companies, and the one by ASSOMAC with 40 participants representing the tannery machinery and chemical auxiliary suppliers sector. Considering also the exhibitors present independently, as many as 110 Italian companies were present. The balance of their participation is marked by satisfaction, albeit with all due caution. Generally speaking, Italian tanners reported good interest from the visitors who attended, which gave signs of market awakening and confirmed the sensations recorded fifteen days earlier in Milan during Lineapelle.
Similarly, machine manufacturers and suppliers of chemical auxiliaries also noted a higher quality turnout than the previous year, which in some cases led to interesting business negotiations. Agostino Apolito, ASSOMAC general manager who accompanied the Italian companies, was also satisfied. “This year’s was our largest collective in recent years, and at the end of the fair we can say that the results proved us right. It was a good fair that confirmed the strategic role of this international hub capable of attracting visitors from all over Southeast Asia and representing the eastern counterbalance to our Simac Tanning Tech.”
More mixed is the picture of Italian chemical auxiliary suppliers, who, more than on other occasions, complain about the price issue. Local competition has greatly increased and the price battle sometimes forces orders to be dropped. The decline in Chinese tanning production is being felt and the market seems smaller and smaller.
The Hong Kong fair was, as always, an opportunity to take the pulse of the Chinese market. According to Leather International’s Global Leather Market Report for 2024-2030, China remains the largest consumer of leather in Asia. Footwear will be the primary driver of growth, a sector fueled by an expanding middle class and increased domestic demand for sports and premium shoes. Between now and 2030, the footwear market will grow by 8 percent annually. A similar trend is expected for Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia. Interesting suggestions that clash with a fact of reality: in the first half of 2024, light leather production decreased by 15 percent (official CLIA data). Numbers that confirm a decline in demand for leather, despite the price of raw hides and skins at historic lows, in favor of alternative materials. The only exception was the production of automotive leather, which grew by 5 percent. Also complicating the picture is the impact that new U.S. tariffs will have on global trade.
Returning to the fair, the three-day event in Hong Kong was also animated by 25 events including seminars, conferences and various presentations that covered specific technical aspects or topics of general interest. Among the most interesting was the Global Footwear Executive Summit (GFES) organized in collaboration with UITIC and SATRA, which focused on the challenges and opportunities that the footwear industry must face, with sustainability and compliance as key topics of the forum. Equally important were the meetings of Leather Naturally and Is It Leather?, organizations committed to promoting leather as a natural and sustainable material that urged the sector to actively join the common effort to give more strength to the information campaigns underway.
Also worthy of note is the LED Project, an APLF initiative now in its third edition, this year sponsored by the Italian Vegetable Tanned Leather Consortium, which invited six designers from China, Vietnam, Japan and Pakistan to collaborate and design the APLF collection with Tuscan vegetable tanned leather and to exhibit their creations at the fair.
APLF also saw the closing ceremony of the Design-A-Bag Online Competition 2025 as usual, organized with our Arsutoria School. The overall award was won by Eliane Yahari from Argentina with her original Yvoty Bag. The other two finalists were Uthra S Ganesh from India with the project Kolangal and Jiang Si Mi from China with her DoDo Bag.
The next appointment with the Hong Kong fair has already been scheduled: APLF 2026 will be held from March 12th to 14th. Among the new features for next year, it has been leaked that there will be a reorganization of the spaces with the return of the Leather section to Level 1 of the Convention Center and the transfer of the Materials+ and Fashion Access sections to the second level, as it was in 2019.
A moment from the APLF press conference: in the center the tireless new Director of APLF Janice Lee, between Christophe Dehard (president of Alliance France Cuir) and Michael Duck (executive Vice President of Informa Markets)A view of the Italian collective coordinated by ASSOMAC – ITA AgencyA glimpse of the Italian tanneries pavilionA moment of the award ceremony of the Design a Bag Competition 2025
On April 2, 2025, a new era began. “Reciprocal” tariffs on imported goods to the United States announced by President Donald Trump will hit all countries that boast a trade balance surplus with the U.S. or similar entry tariffs on American goods. With his “Liberation Day” Trump threw down the gauntlet to global trade, declaring a national emergency to reduce the U.S. domestic trade deficit.
These are the announced duties expected to take effect on April 9: European Union (20%), China (34% rising to 54% considering the tariff already applied), Vietnam (46%), Thailand (36%), Japan (24%), Cambodia (49%), South Africa (30%), India (26%) and Taiwan (32%). A base rate of 10%, on the other hand, will apply to all imports to the United States starting April 5, with the following countries: the United Kingdom, Singapore, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Turkey, Colombia, Argentina, El Salvador, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. For Canada and Mexico, the largest exporters to the U.S., the previously adopted 25% duties are confirmed.
For the automotive sector, however, a 25% tariff was established on all cars produced outside the United States, which went into effect on April 3.
The trade war is creating uncertainty and concern around the world. The day after the announcement, the world’s major stock exchanges, from Wall Street to Asia, went heavily into the red.
For Italian exports it is certainly a blow: according to many operators, the American market is irreplaceable. The Italian fashion and luxury sector is one of the most exposed, along with pharmaceuticals, food and automotive. In 2024, exports to the U.S. from the footwear, leather goods, tannery and fur sectors reached a value of nearly 3 billion. Confindustria, the Italian industrial federation, estimates that U.S. protectionist escalation may result in a 0.6 percent drop in Italian GDP. The risk of losing thousands of jobs is realistic. The problem concerns not only the export of finished goods but also the price increases that will burden the supply chains of products relocated to Asia. Just think of the complex supply chains of sports shoe brands that will probably have to review their production chains to avoid excessive price increases in the final product.
“Following the announcement by the Trump administration on the imposition of new 20% duties on all European exports, I express great concern about the repercussions this decision will have on our companies and the fashion accessories sector.”
Confindustria Accessori Moda shares data on trade with the US: in 2024, exports to the US from the footwear, leather, tannery and fur sectors reached a value of almost €3 billion. Although this value contracted slightly by 3.5% compared to 2023, it continues to reflect the strength of Italian exports and the high appreciation for the quality of Made in Italy.
Ceolini continues: ‘Unfortunately, the introduction of the new duties will further undermine these results. The increase in costs for American consumers could, in fact, drastically reduce demand for our products, with negative consequences for our companies and jobs, which are a fundamental resource for our sector.
A trade war of tariffs will inevitably bring damage to both sides, harming businesses and consumers on both continents.
In this scenario, I renew Confindustria Accessori Moda’s call for Italy and Europe to unite to oppose this decision and protect the interests of our companies. The issue does not only concern Made in Italy, but the entire European Union, which is in danger of suffering significant damage.”
For the sector, already severely tested by economic difficulties and geopolitical uncertainties, it is very serious to have to face this additional obstacle: “We trust in a timely and effective intervention of the European institutions to protect the future of our companies and workers. We hope that, through the negotiations that Trump himself has mentioned, the situation can be resolved,’ Giovanna Ceolini concluded.
EXPORTS TO THE USA 2024: DATA BY SECTOR
Footwear: 1 billion 388 million euro (-4.9% compared to 2023)
Freiberg Leather Days is scheduled for May 21 and 22, 2025. The Congress organized by the Association of German Leather Chemists (VGCT) together with the FILK Research Institute will take place at the Tivoli in Freiberg.
On the program are 24 technical lectures with speakers from 9 countries. The keynote conference is entitled: “Livestock as a value-adding component in regional material flow management“ from Prof Peter Heck, Trier University of Applied Sciences (DE).
The program of the Congress can be downloaded HERE
Leather Naturally announces that World Leather Day 2025 will be held on Saturday, April 26, 2025, with the theme “Beyond the Surface. “This year, we’re challenging misconceptions and highlighting leather’s transparency, sustainability, and longevity”.
Launched for the first time in 2022, World Leather Day is a global movement dedicated to celebrating leather as a material and promoting a deeper understanding of the leather industry.
This year, Leather Naturally aims to promote a deeper look at leather as a material and challenge prejudices and superficial judgments. The “Beyond the Surface” campaign will be focused on three key pillars:
* Transparency: Leather comes from animal hides, a byproduct of the meat industry, making it a key player in the circular economy. Instead of potentially being sent to landfill, hides are transformed into durable goods. By learning more about the origin of leather and its role in the circular economy, consumers can make more informed choices about the products they buy.
* Sustainability: Leather is a natural material that transforms a byproduct that might otherwise be discarded into something durable and valuable. In addition, leather can be repaired and repurposed many times throughout its life, lasting for decades. As such, leather plays a key role in the circular economy.
* Longevity: Genuine leather is a timeless, durable material that lasts for decades. Unlike synthetic alternatives, which can wear out quickly, real leather can be repaired, conditioned, and enjoyed for years. Choosing authentic, animal-based leather means investing in quality, sustainability, and craftsmanship.
Find out more about how to celebrate World Leather Day and its core messages for 2025 on the Leather Naturally website. A social media toolkit will also be shared soon.
Change at the top of the Genuine Italian Vegetable-Tanned Leather Consortium. The board of directors elected Massimo Boldrini (tannery La Perla Azzurra) for the two-year term 2025-2027. He succeeds Leonardo Volpi. He will be joined in the vice-presidency by Paolo Testi and Manuel Casella.
“I would like to thank everyone for the trust placed in me with this appointment,” were the first words of the newly appointed president of the Consortium that protects and guarantees the production of vegetable-tanned leather by bringing together 18 companies in the Tuscan leather district. “Special thanks go to outgoing president Leonardo Volpi, who with great professionalism led the Consortium for two consecutive terms, achieving outstanding results despite the delicate historical moment this sector is going through. Vegetable tanning is more than a technique: it is culture, identity and the expression of a deep bond with the territory. Our task as a consortium is to preserve it, communicate its value and promote the Quality Mark as a symbol of authenticity, traceability and tradition.”
The elected board members are: Michele Battaglia, Maurizio Conti, Stefano Pinori, Paolo Quagli, Simone Remi, Martina Squarcini and Leonardo Volpi.
