The fifth World Leather Congress went ahead in Addis Ababa on November 1, but with many speakers and delegates taking part remotely, reports Leatherbiz.

Sky Shot of Addis Ababa

In the first of three main sessions, speakers, including Luca Boltri from UNIC in Italy, Stephen Sothmann from the Leather and Hide Council of America, and Rogerio Cunha from Brazil’s CICB addressed raw material supply and the wider leather value chain.

Recent progress in leather processing and sustainability was the focus of the second session, with the Sustainable Leather Forum and polymer bead technology provider Qualus among the organisations taking part.

An afternoon session on trade, policy and regulatory issues included the China Leather Industry Association’s Chen Zhanguang and the secretary general of COTANCE, Gustavo González-Quijano, among the speakers.

A general discussion and wrap-up session brought the event to an end.