Optimism remains thin on the ground in the leather industry, the latest Leatherbiz Market Intelligence newsletter suggests.

Our report makes it clear that the longed-for increase in demand for leather has not yet materialised. Hope remains, but Market Intelligence makes it clear that the impetus of increased demand for leather will need to come from finished product manufacturers rather than from consumers.

It points to recent decisions from Nike and Puma to stop using kangaroo leather in their footwear as an example of the problem the leather industry faces. “They say they have a variety of reasons to do without leather as a material,” the report says, “but the simple truth remains that they don’t want to bother with the complicated procurement and manufacturing processes any more, or run the risk of making themselves the target of certain interest groups.”

It adds: “The quality of the leather is unbeatable in this application, the athletes love it and appreciate its benefits, but the manufacturers do not care about that. Players can only buy what is offered to them.”