One tanner told Leather International that some of their footwear leather orders were around 18% down to some footwear major customers this year. Simply, hide prices remain high yet margins on footwear lines at retail, particularly in the USA remain the same as they did four years ago. The result should see prices of raw materials soften throughout the remainder of 2012.
Many in the trade expect hide prices to fall in the coming weeks. Sheepskin prices have already fallen with one major buyer of sheepskin telling Leather International that prices for UK domestic skins had fallen 50% in the past few weeks.
The fair itself was very busy and lots of visitors filled the international halls (E1 and E2) in particular. Turkey is the focus country at the fair this year and a large number of exhibitors are attending the show, hoping to grow their business to Chinese buyers.
The show organisers also report that exhibition space is up 10% compared with last year and the entire show covers seven halls at the Shanghai New International Convention and Exhibition Centre. The fair takes place September 4-6.
