Exports of United States hide, skin and leather products have continued the record-setting pace from 2013, marking one of the most successful periods the industry has seen to date. Through June 2014, the industry has exported more than $1.43 billion worth of U.S. cattle hides, pig skins, and semi-processed wet blue leather products (hides that have undergone the first stages of leather tanning.) This represents a 6.7% increase over the $1.34 billion exported during the same period in 2013.
U.S. hides and skins companies – including producers, processors, brokers and dealers – regularly export more than 90% of total U.S. production and are one of the top raw materials suppliers to the global leather manufacturing industry.