Top-leather-exporting-countries-in-the-world-2026

August 25, 2026

Top Leather Exporting Countries in the World in 2026

Major Global Leather and Leather Product Exporters

The global leather industry connects livestock, tanning, manufacturing, fashion, footwear, automotive, furniture, and luxury goods markets across different regions. Every year, billions of dollars worth of leather and leather products move between countries, with certain nations playing a particularly important role in tanning, finished leather production, leather garments, footwear, bags, gloves, and other leather goods.

In 2026, countries such as Italy, Brazil, the United States, China, India, Pakistan, France, Turkey, and several other major manufacturing economies continue to have important positions in international leather trade. However, there is no single ranking that tells the whole story because international trade statistics classify raw hides, finished leather, leather clothing, footwear, bags, and other leather articles under different product categories. There’s no single “top leather exporter” the answer depends on the category. Italy leads finished leather apparel exports by value. China leads overall leather goods manufacturing and volume. Brazil leads raw hide exports. India and Pakistan lead in leather garment craftsmanship at scale. Each country specializes in a different stage of the same global supply chain, from raw hide to finished jacket.

This article looks at the world’s leading leather-exporting countries and explains what each country is known for within the international leather supply chain.

Top 7 Leather Exporters (Verified 2025-26 Trade Data)

Since 2026 is still in progress, complete full-year 2026 export figures are not yet available. This article uses the latest available complete international trade data, including 2025 data where available, together with more recent industry and trade statistics. The rankings can therefore vary depending on whether the measurement is based on raw leather, finished leather, leather apparel, or finished leather goods.

Italy: Leads leather apparel exports by value among individual countries, reflecting its strong position in premium and luxury leather fashion. Italy’s leather-goods exports reached approximately €9.7 billion in 2025.
India: A major global leather and footwear exporter, with particular strength in leather garments, footwear, leather goods, and saddlery and harness products. India’s leather and footwear exports reached approximately US$4.75 billion in FY2025–26.
France: A major exporter of leather apparel and luxury leather products, particularly handbags, fashion accessories, and premium goods.
Pakistan: A major leather-product exporter, particularly in leather garments, gloves, footwear, and finished leather. During July–May FY2025–26, Pakistan’s listed leather-product exports reached approximately US$779.2 million, including US$241.3 million in leather apparel.
Germany: An important European leather processor and manufacturer, with applications spanning automotive, furniture, footwear, and leather apparel.
China: One of the world’s largest leather-industry manufacturing bases. Its broader leather-industry exports reached US$32.75 billion during January–May 2026, covering footwear, bags, garments, and other leather-related products.
Turkey: An established leather manufacturing and export hub serving European and Middle Eastern markets, with strengths in finished leather, apparel, footwear, and leather goods.

Italy’s strength is particularly evident in export value: premium and luxury leather products generally command higher unit prices, allowing Italy to generate substantial export value without necessarily matching the largest producers in physical volume.

Top 20 Leather Trade Powers: The Full Global Picture

Rank	Country	Primary Trade Role	Export Value	Notes
1	China	Leather goods & footwear manufacturing	$32.75 billion (Jan-May 2026)	Largest overall exporter of finished leather goods by value once footwear and bags are included
2	Italy	Finished leather apparel & luxury goods	~€10 billion (2025)	Leads leather apparel exports by value; benchmark for luxury tannery craftsmanship
3	India	Leather apparel, footwear, saddlery	$4.75 billion (FY26)	Second within the leather-apparel category specifically; also a top raw bovine hide source
4	Brazil	Raw hides & semi-processed leather	$523 million (raw hides, 2025)	World’s largest raw hide exporter, built on the largest cattle industry globally
5	United States	Raw hides	$393 million (raw hides, 2025)	Second within raw hide exports specifically, shipped mainly to China and Europe
6	Pakistan	Leather apparel	$740 million (10 months, FY26)	Fourth within the leather-apparel category specifically; leather garments its fastest-growing segment
7	France	Luxury leather goods	~$47 billion (prepared leather)	Third within the leather-apparel category specifically; strong in premium handbags and accessories
8	Germany	Prepared/industrial leather	~$1.2 billion (prepared leather)	Major exporter and processor for automotive interiors, furniture, and apparel
9	Vietnam	Footwear & garment manufacturing	$11.73 billion (leather & footwear, Jan-May 2026)	Fast-growing manufacturing hub, also a top importer of raw and finished leather
10	Spain	Footwear & finished leather	~$48 billion (prepared leather)	Strong European producer across footwear, accessories, and upholstery leather
11	Turkey	Finished leather & apparel	~$35-55 million/month (leather articles)	Serves European and Middle Eastern markets; ranked among top leather apparel exporters
12	Argentina	Raw hides & wet-blue leather	$144 million (raw hides, 2025)	Major cattle-industry-driven exporter of raw and semi-processed hide
13	Mexico	Footwear & leather goods	Significant regional exporter	Benefits from proximity to the US market; large regional footwear manufacturing base
14	Hungary	Leather goods manufacturing	Top EU finished articles exporter	One of the top individual-country exporters of finished leather articles in the EU
15	Portugal	Footwear & leather goods	$21 billion (2024)	Established European footwear and leather-goods manufacturing base
16	South Africa	Raw hides, finished leather, upholstery	Leading African exporter	The leading leather exporter on the African continent
17	Russia	Raw hides & semi-processed leather	Significant regional exporter	Exports light leather from sheep and goat hides mainly to Europe and Asia
18	South Korea	Leather goods, fashion-driven demand	~$15 billion (prepared leather)	Smaller exporter, with strong domestic fashion-brand consumption of leather
19	Netherlands	Footwear & re-export hub	Fastest-growing footwear exporter	One of the fastest-growing leather footwear exporters in recent trade data
20	Indonesia	Footwear manufacturing	~$18 billion (prepared leather)	Major regional footwear manufacturing base, alongside significant leather imports

Where Does the Raw Material Come From?

China: The world’s largest producer of cattle hides, accounting for about 16% of global cattle-hide production in the latest available estimates.

United States and Brazil: Each accounts for roughly 12% of global cattle-hide production, making them the next-largest individual sources after China.

India: Accounts for around 7% of global cattle-hide production and is also a major source of buffalo and goat hides. India produces approximately 38% of the world’s buffalo hides.

Pakistan and Mexico: Important participants in the global hide supply chain, although production, domestic processing, and export leadership can differ significantly between countries.

Important: Raw-hide production and raw-hide exports are not the same thing. A country can produce large quantities of hides while processing much of them domestically, while another country may export a larger share of its production. Trade rankings also change depending on whether the data covers fresh hides, salted hides, pre-tanned leather, or finished leather.

Which Country Makes the Best Leather?

Italy: The benchmark for luxury craftsmanship, Tuscan tanneries are widely regarded as producing the finest premium finishing and dyeing in the world .

Pakistan: Pakistan is the world’s 4th largest exporter of leather apparel, with a unique advantage that no other country has. Nearly 37% of its annual hide supply comes from just one day “Eid-ul-Adha” when approximately 7.47 million animals are sacrificed across the country, generating over $31 million worth of hides in a single day. Pakistan’s leather sector employs over 500,000 workers and operates through more than 800 tanneries, concentrated in Sialkot Lahore, and Karachi which are known for their leather garment craftsmanship.

India: India is the world’s 2nd largest exporter of leather apparel after Italy, with total leather exports reaching $4.75 billion. India’s strength lies in its diversified manufacturing base, producing everything from footwear and garments to saddlery and accessories, supported by established training institutes and a large skilled workforce.

Brazil and Argentina: Known for consistently strong, less-blemished raw hides from grass-fed cattle, which is why so much of the world’s finishing industry sources raw material from South America.

Underneath all of this, “best leather” ultimately comes down to hide grade more than country of origin a full-grain hide tanned well anywhere will outlast a corrected-grain hide from a “prestige” country.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which country produces the most leather?

By finished leather-apparel export value, Italy leads. By overall leather-goods manufacturing scale, China leads. There’s no single answer without specifying the metric .

Which country has the best leather in the world?

Italy for luxury-grade finishing and craftsmanship; Pakistan and India for high-quality, value-driven leather apparel manufacturing at scale. Quality depends more on hide grade than country of origin alone.

What are the top 10 leather exporting countries?

China, Italy, India, Brazil, the United States, Pakistan, France, Germany, Vietnam, and Spain each leading a different specific category within the trade .

Is China the largest leather producer?

China is the largest manufacturer and exporter of finished leather goods overall and is widely cited as the largest leather producer by volume, though “producer” can mean raw hides, tanned leather, or manufactured goods depending on the source .

Is Pakistan a major leather exporter?

Yes. Pakistan ranks among the top individual-country exporters of leather apparel, supported by an extensive tannery base concentrated in Sialkot and Lahore, with leather garments as its fastest-growing export category .

Final Thoughts

The bottom line: Brazil, the US, and Argentina feed the raw material stage. China, Vietnam, and Indonesia dominate manufacturing at scale. Italy, France, Hungary, and Portugal own the high-value and finished-goods end. Pakistan and India carve out a specific strength in leather apparel and jackets, combining large hide supply with decades of garment-manufacturing experience. Knowing which stage a “top exporter” claim describes is the difference between an accurate picture of the leather trade and a misleading one.