2 June 2025
All China Leather Exhibition 2025: Chinese Leather Market Drives Demand
ACLE 2025 Reinforces Its Role as China’s Premier Leather Sourcing Hub Amid Shifting Global Supply Chains. Despite Tariff Uncertainty ACLE is still the definitive gateway to China’s Leather Industry.
ACLE 2025 will be held from 3 – 5 September at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC). This is the 25th edition of this leading leather event and even in these times of economic uncertainty, its importance for the international leather industry cannot be overstated.
The fair is strategically positioned to draw a prestigious selection of buyers, including tanners, buying offices of fashion groups, footwear manufacturers and brands, and automotive and furniture manufacturers, thereby establishing a dynamic platform for industry collaboration.
The last two events in 2023 and 2024 attracted record numbers of buyers – 28,300 and 31,300 respectively, most of whom came from the main manufacturing provinces of Mainland China.
Mr. Roque Dias of Aritas Vinyl remarked that ACLE offers a wide range of resources essential to their needs. He further noted that the event provides valuable insights into chemical knowledge and exposure to the global market. Ms. Zhao Suning, Supervisor Designer of SAIC Volkswagen Automobile Co., Ltd. expressed her appreciation for ACLE with the words “dazzling array” and “eye-opening”.
In effect, ACLE is a sourcing hub for Chinese tanneries and finished product manufacturers since China imports most of the raw materials and chemical supplies needed to produce finished leather.
This year, however, the US trade policy based on global import tariffs, has caused unease in the leather supply chain, especially the trade deadlock between the US and China which will prejudice US raw materials from being competitive for Chinese buyers.
Opportunities available in the Chinese Leather Market
The US has traditionally been a key supplier of leather materials—including raw hides, wet salted, and semi-finished leather—to Chinese tanneries. However, recent tariff developments have affected the competitiveness of these exports. As a result, Chinese tanneries may increasingly look to alternative sourcing markets to meet their production needs, creating potential opportunities for other leather-exporting countries. Depending on the import tariff imposed by China on US exports, it appears that US raw materials for production at China’s tanneries might have to be replaced from other sources.
However, with the current trade war between the US and China being characterised by pugnacious declarations by both governments, there was a welcome de-escalation of the tariff crisis at negotiations in Geneva, Switzerland on May 11.
Both governments agreed to slash the tariffs by 115% for 90 days so as to foment more negotiations. The US import tariff is now 30%, and that of China just 10%.
This new China import tariff on US leather has effectively restituted the competitiveness of US hide exports to China. Nevertheless, since the overall trade dispute between the US and China is not totally resolved as there is a 90 day “cooling off” period”, there will still be latent uncertainty and unease in the leather supply chain from the US to China.
This is where the opportunities come in for other leather exporting nations.
Facts and Figures
In its latest report on the tanning industry, the China Leather Industry Association (CLIA) reported that the imports of raw hides and skins are on a growth trend. With raw leather prices at historic lows due to a massive oversupply of hides, China is taking full advantage of purchasing raw materials at rock-bottom prices.
In 2024, 1.49 million tons of raw hides and skins were imported, bringing in an increase of 5.7%; valued at USD 1.34 billion.
In the case of imports of semi-finished leather 618,000 tons in quantity, and USD 1.03 billion in value, were imported in 2024.
Thus, China imported in 2024, based on official CLIA figures, 2.108 million tons of raw hides and semifinished leather, valued at USD2.37 billion in total.
For U.S. suppliers, the evolving trade landscape brings both challenges and renewed opportunities. While the provisional 10–20% import tariff remains higher than the 0% rate granted to some other countries, recent negotiations suggest encouraging momentum toward more balanced trade terms. This creates the potential for further improvements in the months ahead, which could enhance the price competitiveness of U.S. exports. As such, American exporters still have much to gain by maintaining a strategic foothold in the Chinese market.
Despite current tariff differences, China’s demand for high-quality leather and raw materials remains strong. For international suppliers looking to grow amid these shifting dynamics, China continues to present significant potential for expanding market share.
The 2025 Shanghai Event – ACLE & Moda China
ACLE will cover 80,500 square metres of the SNIEC, in seven halls, housing more than approximately 1,000 domestic and international exhibitors. The whole supply chain for making leather, footwear, garments, leather goods and all types of accessories will be on display. Add to this components, shoe-making machinery, and the latest developments in chemical product applications, and ACLE becomes a one-stop sourcing venue for the entire leather sector.
Being held concurrently in Shanghai will be a new complementary trade fair called Moda China. This event is organized by the CLIA and will be a platform for footwear, garment and leather goods manufacturers to reach the thousands of buyers attending the fair.
Chinese brands will be on show as well as OEM, ODM and OBM manufacturers for subcontracting the manufacture of finished products.
Moda China will cover 23,000 square metres of exhibition space and bring the total event up to 103,500 square metres, this increasing the scope and reach of both collocated events.
UITIC Congress
ACLE offers a series of seminars and conferences to complement the trade fair, which are informational and educational for attendees and can be useful when taking business decisions.
Alongside ACLE and Moda China, the annual 22nd UITIC International Technical Footwear Congress will be held at the same time as ACLE in the business district of Pudong, on 31 Aug – 3 Sep 2025.
The Congress is organised by the UITIC (International Union of Shoe Industry Technicians) and CLIA, with ACLE and Moda China 2025 as strategic partners.
Nowadays the supply chain reengineering of the global footwear industry is accelerating and the whole industry is facing multiple challenges. Nevertheless, many new technologies such as AI are speeding up the development of new quality productive forces and reshaping industrial ecology. Therefore, the theme of this conference is “Footwear Competitiveness and Sustainable Development in the era of AI”.
For full details and how to register, go to the UITIC website: www.uitic2025.com.
Synergy
The triple event of ACLE – Moda China – UITIC Congress 2025 will strengthen and complement each other resulting in a synergy that will benefit all three components of the combined events taking place in Pudong from 31 August to 5 September.
For more information go to www.aclechina.com or contact the organisers by email at [email protected].
