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Leather & footwear

Export leather garments and gloves

Leather jackets, work gloves and fashion gloves; the USA, Spain, Germany and Italy are the top buyers.

Free, with conditionsHS 4203
HS code
4203
Articles of apparel and clothing accessories of leather: jackets, coats, gloves, mittens, belts and aprons (HS 4203).
Export policy
Free, with conditions
Leather garments and gloves are free to export, but articles made from the skins of wild or protected animals are prohibited. Confirm the 8-digit line on DGFT.
Registrations
3
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 783 mn
to 128 countries

What is exported

Chennai, Kolkata, Kanpur and Delhi NCR make leather jackets for fashion brands and industrial and fashion gloves for safety distributors and retailers. In 2025-26 India exported about US$ 783 million under HS 4203; the USA led, followed by Spain, Germany, Italy, France and the UK (Commerce Department data).

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Leather jackets and coatsFashion and biker jackets in lamb, goat, cow and buffalo leather — the main line.
  • Leather trousers, skirts and waistcoatsSmaller fashion lines, often made with a jacket programme.
  • Industrial and work glovesSplit-leather welding, rigger, driver and garden gloves; sold as protective equipment.
  • Fashion, dress and sports glovesLined dress gloves, golf and cycling gloves in fine goat and sheep leather.
  • Belts and apronsLeather belts and work aprons also fall under HS 4203.

Where it is grown or made

  • Tamil NaduChennai, Ranipet and Vellore — garments and fashion gloves
  • West BengalKolkata — industrial gloves and garments
  • Uttar PradeshKanpur and Noida — work gloves, belts and garments
  • Delhi NCR and PunjabDelhi, Gurugram and Jalandhar — leather jackets

Export packing

  • Each garment on a hanger or folded with tissue, in a breathable garment bag with silica gel; 5-ply cartons by size ratio.
  • Gloves are paired, tagged and packed in dozens, with the size and protection class on the header card for work gloves.
  • Fashion lots for Europe often ship hanging in GOH (garments on hangers) containers or by air.

Who buys abroad

  • Fashion brands and department stores
  • Motorcycle-gear brands
  • Safety-equipment distributors and DIY chains (work gloves)
  • Importers and wholesalers

The quality buyers ask for

Chromium VI and azo dyes
Cr VI below 3 mg/kg and listed azo amines below 30 mg/kg (EU REACH Annex XVII)
Work gloves
EN ISO 21420 (general requirements) and EN 388 (mechanical risks); EN 12477 for welding gloves
Motorcycle garments
EN 17092 (protective garments for motorcyclists) when sold as protective
Colour fastness
Rubbing fastness (ISO 11640) and fastness to perspiration for garments and gloves
Sizing and make
Size chart by market, stitch density, lining and trims as per the approved sample

Certificates

  • Chemical test report (Cr VI, azo, RSL)RequiredNeeded for almost every EU and US order.
  • Social compliance audit (amfori BSCI, SMETA or SA8000)RequiredMost retailers and brands require it for the factory.
  • CE marking under Regulation (EU) 2016/425 (PPE)Often askedWork and protective gloves and motorcycle protective clothing sold in the EU need EU type-examination by a notified body (Category II) and a declaration of conformity.
  • Leather Working Group (LWG)Often askedMany brands want leather from LWG-rated tanneries.
  • CITES permitOften askedOnly for leathers of listed species; avoid exotic leathers as a newcomer.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

Cartons or hanging garments (GOH); a 40-ft high-cube container typically takes several thousand jackets folded (trade practice). Gloves ship in cartons of dozens.

How it travels

Sea from Chennai, Kolkata or Nhava Sheva; air for fashion lots with tight delivery dates.

Storage

Dry and ventilated; never pack warm or damp leather in sealed polybags.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • Fibre or material content and care label; in the EU, leather parts can be named on the label alongside textile fibres.
  • US: country of origin and the manufacturer or importer identity (RN number) on the garment label.
  • PPE gloves in the EU: CE mark, size, EN pictograms with performance levels and user information leaflet.
  • Country of origin ('Made in India') on the product or its packing, as the buyer's customs require.
Where to get it tested

CLRI, Chennai and FDDI labs test leather and finished articles. For EN glove tests and CE certification you need a notified body or its partner lab; several international testing companies have NABL-accredited labs in Chennai, Kolkata and Delhi NCR — search the NABL directory and the EU NANDO database.

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

Quality and checks

  • EU REACH: chromium VI below 3 mg/kg and listed azo amines below 30 mg/kg; buyers want lab reports.
  • Work and protective gloves sold in the EU are personal protective equipment and need CE marking with a notified-body certificate (EN 388, EN ISO 21420).
  • Brands audit factories for social compliance before placing orders.
How to start small

Start with one line — industrial gloves for safety distributors, or fashion jackets for boutique brands. Get test reports and, for EU work gloves, CE certification first; then exhibit with CLE at IILF or A+A.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Selling work gloves into the EU without CE certification — customs or market surveillance can stop them.
  • Shade variation between panels of one jacket.
  • Mould from packing leather while warm or damp.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (6)
  1. Department of Commerce, Export Import Data Bank — India's exports of HS 4203 by country, 2025-26
  2. DGFT — Appendix 2T: Export Promotion Councils and the products under each
  3. DGFT — ITC(HS) export policy search (Schedule 2)
  4. ECHA — substances restricted under REACH (Annex XVII)
  5. European Commission — Personal protective equipment (Regulation (EU) 2016/425)
  6. CLE (Council for Leather Exports) — official site

Trade data

Indian leather garments and gloves exports in numbers

From the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat, country by country. US$, Indian financial years (April–March).

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 783 mn
+6.1% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↑ +4.2%
US$ 752 mn → US$ 783 mn
Buyer countries
128
Average export price
US$ 20.81
per kg · 37,627 tonnes shipped · US$ 18.65 the year before
United States of America: US$ 207 mnSpain: US$ 80.2 mnGermany: US$ 74.5 mnItaly: US$ 67 mnFrance: US$ 55.6 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 40 mnNetherlands: US$ 31.8 mnChile: US$ 28.6 mnJapan: US$ 21.5 mnDenmark: US$ 15 mnRussia: US$ 14.7 mnAustralia: US$ 13.2 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 12.9 mnCanada: US$ 10.8 mnPoland: US$ 6.8 mnBelgium: US$ 6.8 mnHong Kong: US$ 6.6 mnColombia: US$ 6.6 mnChina: US$ 6.3 mnPeru: US$ 5.9 mnAustria: US$ 5.8 mnMexico: US$ 5.8 mnPortugal: US$ 4.9 mnSouth Korea: US$ 4.8 mnSingapore: US$ 4.2 mnUnited States of America: US$ 207 mnUnited States of AmericaSpain: US$ 80.2 mnSpainGermany: US$ 74.5 mnGermanyItaly: US$ 67 mnFrance: US$ 55.6 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 40 mnNetherlands: US$ 31.8 mnChile: US$ 28.6 mnChileJapan: US$ 21.5 mnJapanDenmark: US$ 15 mnRussia: US$ 14.7 mnAustralia: US$ 13.2 mnAustraliaUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 12.9 mnCanada: US$ 10.8 mnPoland: US$ 6.8 mnBelgium: US$ 6.8 mnHong Kong: US$ 6.6 mnColombia: US$ 6.6 mnChina: US$ 6.3 mnPeru: US$ 5.9 mnAustria: US$ 5.8 mnMexico: US$ 5.8 mnPortugal: US$ 4.9 mnSouth Korea: US$ 4.8 mnSingapore: US$ 4.2 mnIndia
Where Indian leather garments and gloves goes — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 584 mn5842020-212021-22: US$ 709 mn7092021-222022-23: US$ 714 mn7142022-232023-24: US$ 696 mn6962023-242024-25: US$ 752 mn7522024-252025-26: US$ 783 mn7832025-26
India’s leather garments and gloves exports, year by year · US$ million

The price cycle

India’s average export price per kg each year (total value ÷ total quantity). Highest in 2025-26, lowest in 2021-22 — a 13% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 19.21 per kg2021-22: US$ 18.40 per kg18.402022-23: US$ 19.78 per kg2024-25: US$ 18.65 per kg2025-26: US$ 20.81 per kg20.812020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian leather garments and gloves · US$ per kg · dotted = year in between not available

What next: a projection from the trend

The past trend carried forward — not a forecast by any authority. Sudden changes in policy, prices or demand are not in it.

2020-21: US$ 584 mn2020-212021-22: US$ 709 mn2021-222022-23: US$ 714 mn2022-232023-24: US$ 696 mn2023-242024-25: US$ 752 mn2024-252025-26: US$ 783 mn2025-262026-27: US$ 827 mn (US$ 763 mn – US$ 895 mn)8272026-272027-28: US$ 866 mn (US$ 792 mn – US$ 947 mn)8662027-28
India’s leather garments and gloves exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 866 mn

Likely range US$ 792 mn to US$ 947 mn.

Trend
+4.7% a year
Fit (R²)
0.73
Based on
6 years of official figures

Method: a straight line through the logarithm of yearly exports (log-linear regression); range = ±1 standard error.

Biggest buyer countries

By value in 2025-26. Change is against 2024-25.

Name2025-26Change
1United States of AmericaUS$ 207 mn-8%
2SpainUS$ 80.2 mn+10.2%
3GermanyUS$ 74.5 mn-7.6%
4ItalyUS$ 67 mn+8%
5FranceUS$ 55.6 mn+20%
6United KingdomUS$ 40 mn+23.4%
7NetherlandsUS$ 31.8 mn+11.7%
8ChileUS$ 28.6 mn+37.2%
9JapanUS$ 21.5 mn+14.2%
10DenmarkUS$ 15 mn+1.1%
11RussiaUS$ 14.7 mn+18.3%
12AustraliaUS$ 13.2 mn-1.4%

Where demand is rising and falling

Only countries that buy at least US$ 1 million or 1% of India’s exports of this product. Change from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

High demand

  1. ChileUS$ 20.8 mn → US$ 28.6 mn+37.2%
  2. United KingdomUS$ 32.4 mn → US$ 40 mn+23.4%
  3. FranceUS$ 46.3 mn → US$ 55.6 mn+20%
  4. RussiaUS$ 12.4 mn → US$ 14.7 mn+18.3%
  5. CanadaUS$ 9.2 mn → US$ 10.8 mn+17.6%
  6. JapanUS$ 18.8 mn → US$ 21.5 mn+14.2%
  7. NetherlandsUS$ 28.5 mn → US$ 31.8 mn+11.7%
  8. SpainUS$ 72.8 mn → US$ 80.2 mn+10.2%

Low demand

No sizeable country falls in this list this year.

Which forms sell, and at what price

India’s exports by 8-digit tariff line, 2025-26. Average price = total value ÷ total quantity (TradeStat): the average of every shipment on that line, not the price of any one deal.

Tariff lineValue 2025-26ChangeQuantityAverage price
Apparel, articles of apparel, of leather or of composition leather — jackets and jerseys4203 10 10US$ 309 mn+19.4%4,440 tonnesUS$ 69.62 per kgwas US$ 66.61
Gloves for use in industry4203 29 10 · Clothing accessories, gloves, mittens and mitts in heading no. 4203, of leather or composition leather, not…US$ 197 mn-9.3%24,439 tonnesUS$ 8.04 per kgwas US$ 7.89
Clothing accessories, belts and bandoliers, of leather or of composition leather — belts and bandoliers4203 30 00US$ 147 mn-7.5%5,693 tonnesUS$ 25.82 per kgwas US$ 25.59
Apparel, articles of apparel, of leather or of composition leather — other articles of apparel4203 10 90US$ 107 mn+12.8%1,565 tonnesUS$ 68.44 per kgwas US$ 67.77
Clothing accessories, gloves, mittens and mitts in heading no. 4203, of leather or composition leather, not… — other gloves4203 29 20US$ 8.9 mn+18.4%172 tonnesUS$ 51.61 per kgwas US$ 55.18
Others-of-other clothing accessories :4203 40 90 · Clothing accessories, of leather or of composition leather in heading no. 4203US$ 7.8 mn+9.9%748 tonnesUS$ 10.43 per kgwas US$ 13.01
Clothing accessories, of leather or of composition leather in heading no. 4203 — aprons4203 40 10US$ 4.3 mn-3.8%515 tonnesUS$ 8.37 per kgwas US$ 8.75
Clothing accessories, gloves, mittens and mitts, specially designed for use in sports, of leather or… — gloves for sports4203 21 10US$ 2.1 mn-27.1%50 tonnesUS$ 42.82 per kgwas US$ 26.45
Mittens and mitts other than for sports4203 29 30 · Clothing accessories, gloves, mittens and mitts in heading no. 4203, of leather or composition leather, not…US$ 30k-25%0.6 tonnesUS$ 51.28 per kgwas US$ 13.89
Semi-chrome grain garments4203 40 20 · Clothing accessories, of leather or of composition leather in heading no. 4203US$ 20k+100%2.9 tonnesUS$ 6.81 per kgwas US$ 8.97
Mittens and mitts for sports4203 21 20 · Clothing accessories, gloves, mittens and mitts, specially designed for use in sports, of leather or…US$ 10k0%0.8 tonnesUS$ 11.99 per kgwas US$ 18.32

The world market

Each country’s own recorded exports and imports in UN Comtrade, 2023 (the latest year nearly every country has reported).

World imports
US$ 7.06 bn
2023
India among exporters
#4
of 150 countries
India’s share of world exports
9.4%
US$ 685 mn
Left for others to win
US$ 6.59 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1ItalyUS$ 1.25 bn 17.1%
  2. 2ChinaUS$ 1.04 bn 14.3%
  3. 3FranceUS$ 779 mn 10.7%
  4. 4IndiaUS$ 685 mn 9.4%
  5. 5PakistanUS$ 592 mn 8.1%
  6. 6GermanyUS$ 389 mn 5.3%
  7. 7SpainUS$ 231 mn 3.2%
  8. 8NetherlandsUS$ 190 mn 2.6%
  9. 9China, Hong Kong SARUS$ 174 mn 2.4%
  10. 10TürkiyeUS$ 171 mn 2.3%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1USAUS$ 1.37 bn 19.4%
  2. 2GermanyUS$ 590 mn 8.4%
  3. 3FranceUS$ 522 mn 7.4%
  4. 4ItalyUS$ 387 mn 5.5%
  5. 5ChinaUS$ 376 mn 5.3%
  6. 6JapanUS$ 299 mn 4.2%
  7. 7United KingdomUS$ 252 mn 3.6%
  8. 8NetherlandsUS$ 242 mn 3.4%
  9. 9China, Hong Kong SARUS$ 241 mn 3.4%
  10. 10Rep. of KoreaUS$ 228 mn 3.2%

Opportunity: what these countries buy from the world, and from India

Each country’s own recorded imports in UN Comtrade, latest year it has reported. The long light part of each bar is demand other countries are filling today.

United States of AmericaUS$ 1.44 bnIndia 15.9% · gap US$ 1.21 bn
GermanyUS$ 592 mnIndia 21.3% · gap US$ 466 mn
FranceUS$ 521 mnIndia 13.4% · gap US$ 451 mn
ItalyUS$ 394 mnIndia 15.5% · gap US$ 333 mn
ChinaUS$ 349 mnIndia 7.3% · gap US$ 323 mn
JapanUS$ 297 mnIndia 8.4% · gap US$ 272 mn
NetherlandsUS$ 242 mnIndia 8.9% · gap US$ 220 mn
United KingdomUS$ 252 mnIndia 15.9% · gap US$ 212 mn
South KoreaUS$ 225 mnIndia 6% · gap US$ 211 mn
CanadaUS$ 207 mnIndia 8.5% · gap US$ 189 mn

TradeStat’s 2023-24 quantities are double-counted, so that year is left out of the price. Sources: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · UN Comtrade database (United Nations Statistics Division) · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

Step by step

How to export leather garments and gloves

India is a long-standing supplier of leather jackets and of work and fashion gloves, made mainly in Chennai, Kolkata, Kanpur and Delhi NCR. China, Pakistan and Turkey are strong competitors in garments, and Pakistan and China in gloves. Demand comes from European and US fashion brands and from safety-equipment distributors who buy work gloves in large volumes. Buyers expect chemical testing and social audits, and protective gloves sold in Europe must carry CE marking. Openings are in mid-price fashion jackets, motorcycle gear and certified work gloves.

  1. 01Choose the segment

    Fashion jackets, work gloves or fashion gloves need different buyers, leather and certifications.

  2. 02Register with CLE

    Get your RCMC from the Council for Leather Exports.

  3. 03Make samples

    Proto, fit and salesman samples to the buyer's tech pack; approve leather, lining and trims.

  4. 04Test and certify

    Chemical tests on leather; for PPE gloves, EN tests and CE type-examination before the first EU order.

  5. 05Cut, sew and inspect

    Match panels for colour, sew, then run an AQL final inspection.

  6. 06Ship and claim benefits

    File the shipping bill on ICEGATE with the correct 8-digit HS code, declare RoDTEP and drawback, and keep the mill or test certificates with the export file.

  7. 07Get paid safely

    Use an LC or documents against payment with new buyers, take ECGC cover for open-account sales, and close the export with an e-BRC once the money arrives.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting leather garments and gloves

Are leather gloves in the same HS heading as jackets?
Yes, both are under HS 4203 (articles of apparel and clothing accessories of leather), but on different 8-digit lines. Drawback rates differ by line.
Do work gloves need CE marking?
In the EU, yes, if they are sold as protective equipment. Most work gloves are Category II and need a notified-body type-examination certificate.
Which leather is used for jackets?
Lamb and goat nappa for soft fashion jackets, cow and buffalo for biker and heavy jackets. The buyer usually specifies it.
What causes rejections?
Shade variation between panels, chemical test failures, mould in transit and wrong size grading.
Can I start with small orders?
Yes. Boutique brands and online sellers buy small runs of jackets and gloves; build test reports and an audit before chasing big retailers.
Sources (7)
  1. CLE (Council for Leather Exports) — official site
  2. ECHA — substances restricted under REACH (Annex XVII)
  3. European Commission — Personal protective equipment (Regulation (EU) 2016/425)
  4. Leather Working Group — environmental certification for leather manufacturers
  5. CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), Chennai
  6. Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) — testing laboratories
  7. NABL — search for accredited testing laboratories

Who buys Indian leather garments and gloves

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