L&HCA is the voice of the industry in the US, constantly working to advise and drive policy and to champion the interests of the sector. Overseas, L&HCA works to develop new markets including the hosting of and participation in trade shows and regular trade missions alongside working with local market trade associations to position leather with new consumer audiences.
The latest strand of their work is the implementation of sustainability principles across the industry, supply chain, sourcing, and the environmental impact of leather. This has led to the first LCA and to investment in programs to educate and inform consumers and the fashion industry as to the material properties of leather and the role it might play in.
Overview
The Leather & Hide Council of America (L&HCA) is a full-service industry trade association which has been in existence since 1917. The association provides its members with government, public relations, and international trade assistance and support. L&HCA is a cooperator organization under the US Department of Agriculture’s foreign market development and market access programs, assisting US firms to develop new markets for agricultural exports and to provide the insights and support services necessary for success.
As well as promoting the quality of US-sourced products, L&HCA also leads the way working to establish and promote best practice in leather production, to set new international standards in sustainability and traceability, and to promote those values to stakeholders around the world. L&HCA is at the forefront of the industry’s needs, providing the industry and stakeholders with education and technical information to compete in today’s global marketplace.
L&HCA’s mission
There are three themes that underpin all L&HCA does.
To promote quality US leather as the leather of choice, both at home and overseas, working with stakeholders from producer groups to buyers, from fashion houses to end consumers. And to promote the industry encouraging free trade, overcoming logistics issues and exploring new opportunities. We strive to protect and promote the sector.
To support the members as they build their businesses, develop new products and open new channels to market providing resources from research to trade insight and delivered through our international networks. We work to protect and promote the interests of every member whatever the size of their business or area of operations.
To promote leather as a material, championing its sustainable credentials and building on the quality standards and processes that give us confidence in what they do. They work to establish best practice, to communicate that to end users, to create ambassadors for leather and to champion those standards around the world.
Leather and hide sector
The US leather and hide sector, including meat packers, hide processors, leather tanners, leather products manufacturers, brokers and dealers, and chemical producers, employs over 5,000 people and is worth some nearly $1 billion per annum. Truly international in scope, it exports several billion dollars worth of material every year, including more than 33 million hides that would otherwise be designated as waste. Exports account for more than 90 per cent of US leather and hide production making it one of the top materials suppliers to the global leather manufacturing industry.
To find out more about L&HCA, visit https://www.usleather.org/
