From the editor


Bangladeshi workers’ minimum wage protest


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Leather International January/February 2025


Editorial


Editor Tony Rock Designer Martin Faulkner Group art director Henrik Williams Production manager Dave Stanford


Commercial Commercial director David Chai david.chai@btmi.com


Leather International (ISSN 1473-6314, USPS 15982) is published six times a year by Business Trade Media International Limited, Standard House, 12-13 Essex Street, London, WC2R 3AA.


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Printed by Stephens & George Print Group In this issue...


News 5 Italian association’s 2024 data highlights industry issues


5 Brazil’s exports surpass $1.2bn


5 New Asics trainers made from steering wheel leather remnants


6 Leatherworking training bursaries now available from UK charity


6 Jaguar joins the LWG


6 Ownever care collection extends product lifespan


Leather International / www.leathermag.com


8 Tandy Leather Factory appoints new CEO


Analysis 9 Crisis in Bangladesh


Mohammed Fakhrul Alam, author of All About Leather: The Science of Leather Manufacture, provides his opinion on the issues affecting Bangladesh’s relocated leather industry and outlines the solutions.


Raw materials 15 View from the US


Latest price and production data.


19 Hidenet World Reports extracts News, market trends, data and prices.


3


UK £116 EU €189 US $247 RoW $247 UK £185 EU €303 US $395 RoW $395


I


n this month’s analysis on page 9, Mohammed Fakhrul Alam, writes about the relocation process for the leather industry in Bangladesh, which began in 2014 when the government allocated land in Savar city for tanneries to move to. He expresses strong views on the causes of the subsequent problems. Since we received that analysis, there have been reports in the Bangladeshi press regarding an additional problem, as Savar’s tannery workers demand the implementation of the government’s minimum wage. The Business Standard writes that “while minimum wages in other sectors were implemented promptly after being announced, tannery owners have delayed enforcement under various pretexts”.


In a demonstration, hundreds of workers gathered on the main road inside the estate under the banner of the Tannery Workers Union, with workers warning of tougher actions if their demands remain unmet. They voiced their frustration, pointing out that delays in the implementation have left them in financial hardship. However, tannery owners say the new wage is unrealistic under current economic conditions, and if imposed could force them to close. Mohammed Fakhrul Alam concludes our analysis in this month’s magazine by offering a list of solutions to fix the issues that have arisen. Paying the workers what they’re entitled to isn’t among them, but at the time of going to press it had arguably become the most pressing issue to resolve.


Tony Rock, editor


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