In 2025, China negatively impacts French leather exports. In the first ten months of 2025, exports of raw hides, finished leather, footwear, and leather goods all show negative growth. Exports to all major Asian markets also declined, which experts believe to be the primary cause of the slowdown in French leather. Here are all the figures from the economic observatory of Alliance France Cuir.
French leather exports down
From January to October, French exports of raw hides and skins remained stable compared to the same period in 2024: that’s the most positive datapoint. Exports from the tanning industry fell by 4%, footwear exports by 3% and leather goods exports by 4%. Turnover for companies in the various sectors: -10.7% for tanneries, -5.6% for footwear manufacturers, and +4% for leather goods manufacturers. Alliance France Cuir attributes this less-than-stellar scenario to the contraction in exports to China and Hong Kong. In 2024, these were by far the leading destination markets for French leather products, with €4 billion. Surpassing the US (€2.4 billion) and Italy (€1.9 billion). Leather goods accounted for 85% of turnover and footwear for 12%.
The Asian wind is changing
However, in the first ten months of 2025, exports to Asia fell by 8%: Japan -9.5%, Korea -7.5%, Hong Kong -5.5%, and China -4.6%. In terms of value, Beijing weighs much more heavily. The reasons for the decline in consumption in China are well known, including the real estate crisis that is prompting the Chinese to save. Amélie Landmann, of the Paris-IDF Chamber of Commerce and Industry, believes that “this is not a consumption crisis: it’s a lasting change in model, ending almost 20 years of hypergrowth”.
The reasons
Among the various causes of the consumption slump are the shame of luxury and “Guochao”, the nationalistic sentiment that leads consumers to favor products made in China. Even consumption incentives from the central government haven’t achieved much success. “Consumers are now looking for products that evoke a certain emotion, an experience, a niche product with strong craftsmanship and a strong narrative”, confirms Amélie Landmann. She continues: “They are also extremely well-informed and read everything about the product, including reviews”. In this context, Alliance France Cuir concludes: “The French leather industry must find the keys to consolidating its position in the Chinese market”.
Photo from Alliance France Cuir
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