India is one of the leading producers of leather and leather goods. Its leather Industry has witnessed a steady growth in exports over the years. The industry till recently exported only raw material like hides and skins but today it is major exporter of finished goods like shoes, garments and accessories etc. Government of India has also identified the industry as one of the priority industries and introduced several schemes to promote exports.

The industry is mainly concentrated in and around Agra, Kanpur, Calcutta and Chennai. There are three main areas of work in the industry, namely manufacturing i.e. processing raw leather to finished leather, designing and marketing.

Educational Qualification:
Candidates having B.Tech/M.Tech in Leather Technology are eligible for good jobs in prestigious leather firms, export houses and government organizations. Those with diploma in Management in Footwear Technology (MFT) or Diploma in Footwear Designing (DFD) also have attractive openings at executive level in the industry. B.Tech in Leather Technology is open for students with PCM at the 10+2 level. Some institutes like the Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) also offer certificate and diploma courses in Leather Technology. The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) also offers a two-year postgraduate diploma course in Leather Garment Design and Technology. This course is open for any graduate with 50% marks. In the area of marketing management graduates can also get entry at the executive level.