Council for Leather Exports, in association with Consulate General of India, Birmingham, is organising a two-day buyer-seller meet on 28-29 September 2015, India Leather Products and Footwear International Fair at Millennium Point, Birmingham. Products on display will include footwear, garments, leather goods and accessories, gloves, saddlery and harnesses. Visitors include buyers, importers, brands, wholesalers, and department and chain stores.


The UK is the third-largest importer of leather and leather products from India. And, during 2014-15, the UK accounted for a share of 11.57% of India’s total leather products export of $6.49 billion. India’s export of leather and leather products to the UK has increased from $505.20 million in 2010-11 to $751.33 million in 2014-15, growing at a CAGR of 10.43%.

India Leather Products and Footwear International Fair at Millennium Point, Birmingham, will further strengthen the bilateral trade between India and the UK. Council for Leather Exports is hoping this two-day buyer-seller meet (BSM) in Birmingham will also revive the leather trade in the Midlands in general.

Approximately 40 Indian companies will be participating in the BSM, displaying a wide range of the latest collections of leather and leather products such as footwear, leather garments, leather goods and accessories, leather gloves, saddlery and harnesses, and finished leather.

The organisers

Council for Leather Exports (CLE) is an autonomous non-profit company registered under the Indian Companies Act 1956, and is entrusted with export promotion activities and the development of the Indian leather industry.

Functioning under the aegis of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, CLE is the apex body of the 3,250-member (and rapidly growing) Indian leather industry. CLE’s activities are multiple and directed towards assisting its members in extending their global reach, thereby increasing their exports.

CLE caters to the needs of the leather exporters and serves as a connecting bridge between Indian leather exporters and buyers all over the world. CLE acts as a facilitator for building relationships between overseas buyers/investors and their Indian counterparts to promote exports from the Indian leather industry. As a government-sponsored nodal agency, CLE is a one-stop source for international investors to not only access all the information, but also avail the guidance they need, to set up a successful venture in the Indian marketplace.

Ever since its inception two decades ago, CLE has served as a powerful engine for the growth of the Indian leather industry in the global market, through the adoption of modern, transparent and superior industry practices. Its dedicated efforts have fetched rich dividends, which is exhibited in the form of current high export growth rates and India’s significance in the global leather market. CLE is committed to:

  • promoting, facilitating and attracting foreign direct investments into the Indian leather industry, including joint ventures, technical collaborations and strategic alliances
  • disseminating market information, trends and policy implications, and publishing information on commercial, technical and technological developments in the Indian leather industry
  • participating in major international fairs and specialised trade shows across the globe, and organising buyer-seller meets in India and abroad – besides B2B meets – in focus countries
  • offering technical, marketing and design assistance to Indian exporters in terms of design inputs, product development, branding and marketing
  • inviting key resource personnel to fairs, seminars and lectures for the exchange of information, knowledge, ideas and strategies
  • serving as a vital connecting link between the government and the industry members, while focusing on the overall health and growth of the Indian leather industry.

"This international fair will not only increase trade between India and the UK but also may give a kiss of life to the UK’s remaining traditional oak bark tannery favoured by distinguished shoemakers and top stables known for durability and finish," says Suresh Joshi, BSM coordinator, as a testimony to the event.

Open invitation

The two-day BSM in Birmingham will have 41 participating manufacturers, exporters of leather and leather products, who will be displaying their latest product designs/collections of footwear, leather garments, leather goods and accessories, leather gloves, saddlery and harnesses, while holding B2B meetings with potential UK buyers, importers, brands, wholesalers, and department/chain stores. You are welcome to participate in the BSM for a fruitful business meet.