High hopes and great expectations – India International Leather Fair

The India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) will once again organise the India International Leather Fair (IILF), the 31st in the annual series, on 1-3 February 2016, at Chennai Trade Centre, Nandambakkam in Chennai. The fair will be inaugurated on 31 January in the usual lavish style. Yet, amid a backdrop of an ongoing case of pollution in the River Ganges by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Kanpur tannery inspections resulting in closures and an alarming decline in leather product exports from April through August according to the Council for Leather Exports (CLE), the fair will have a lot to account for in addition to putting on a good show for exhibitors and visitors.

IILF will display the usual range of products relating to the leather industry, from raw materials to finished products and auxiliary products like leather garments, wallets, belts, gloves, machinery equipment and chemicals. And continuing a long tradition of grand presentation at IILF, the latest expressions of trends, styles, designs and colours in world fashion will be shown once again. Visitors will also be drawn to exhibits displayed by more than 400 companies, including over 100 from more than 20 foreign countries.

The show must go on

Despite the challenges that remain across the Indian leather industry, business generated during IILF Chennai 2015 was about $240 million. And while about 95% of the participants indicated that their participation was cost-effective, nearly 98% of exhibitors have shown interest in participating at the 31st edition of the fair in January 2016. This indicates the high level of satisfaction with the business, visitor turnover and facilities at the fair.

Concurrent to the fair, seminars on topical interests and a fashion show presenting the latest trends, colours and styles will also be organised.