China alone accounts for 54.9% of the world’s total footwear production. Significant Chinese involvement is also evident in the upholstery and automotive sectors, both in production and consumption. It is within this context that the next major global leather industry fair, the All China Leather Exhibition (ACLE), will take place from 3 to 5 September. The event will feature 15 Brazilian leather companies with individual stands, supported by Brazilian Leather – a project aimed at promoting the country’s leather exports, developed by the Centre for the Brazilian Tanning Industry (CICB) in partnership with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil).

Letícia Luft, the manager of the Brazilian Leather project who will be accompanying the Brazilian group, highlights that the ACLE had a four-year hiatus due to the pandemic and made a strong comeback in 2023. “The positive feedback we received last year gives us even more confidence for the 2024 edition, especially considering that our exports to China have been growing this year,” she reports. From January to July 2024, Brazil’s hides and skins exports to China and Hong Kong saw a 23.4% increase, accounting for 32.6% of Brazil’s total hides and skins exports.

At the ACLE, Letícia will be a speaker at the International Tannery Industry Executives Summit, an event that shares global data and trends with buyers and industry leaders. The Brazilian Leather project’s agenda at the event also includes business meetings, signing cooperation agreements, and media engagements.

ACLE 2024 will host 1,200 exhibitors from 28 countries, with an expected 28,000 visitors. Brazilian Leather will have an exclusive stand to showcase the Preview do Couro exhibition (featuring leather from various tanneries across the country, first unveiled at Inspiramais, in Brazil, in July), promotional material for the entire Brazilian leather sector, and the attributes of national production, such as sustainability, innovation, and creative design in leather production.

Brazilian exhibitors supported by Brazilian Leather Project at ACLE and their stands: