Ethiopia’s leather industry gets a solid foot into international markets as three tanneries received certifications from the UK-based global industry association—Leather Working Group (LWG). Members of the Group include famous brands like Adidas, Giorgio Armani, and H&M, among hundreds of other buyers who rely on the certification to identify sustainably sourced leather for their supply chain.
Vetted for 17 criteria, which include pollution, water and energy usage, and information management, the certification grants the tanneries accessibility to international markets.
Elico, Awash, and Batu Tannery underwent a rigorous capacity-building program for four months before meeting the minimum criteria for the international audit. They also self-financed the necessary upgrades to qualify for the certification.
Wendu Legese, National Coordinator at UNIDO, indicates that the three companies mark the first Ethiopian-owned establishments to get LWG’s nod. UNIDO provided technical and training assistance to the three tanneries in helping them qualify for the international audit.
“The biggest buyers in the world are part of the group (LWG),” Wendu told Shega.
The former head of Ethiopia’s Leather Industry Development Institute (LIDI) foresees significant benefits to the export competitiveness of products coming out of the tanneries. He also pointed out that the experiences of the tanneries would be replicated nationally in collaboration with LIDI.
“International markets demand traceability from their products,” Wendu says.
Ethiopia’s leather industry has faced significant challenges over the past few years stemming from poor hide collection, inadequate foreign currency to buy chemicals, and dwindling production. Despite having the largest livestock population in Africa, exports have continued to plummet, falling by nearly 30% just in the third quarter of 2023/24.
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