The 15th Leather Goods Industry Forum took place in Shanghai on September 2nd. It is organized by the Chinese industry association China Leather Industry Association (CLIA) and takes place parallel to the All China Leather Exhibition (ACLE).
According to its own information, the Expo Riva trade fair was the first European trade fair to take part in the industrial forum and represented the perspectives of the European market. On site for Expo Riva was trade fair manager Gianpaola Pedretti, who summarized: “It was a great honor for Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags to be invited to the forum organized by CLIA. We were asked to give a presentation both on the European market and on the importance of our event as a reference point for the export strategies of Chinese companies in Europe and worldwide.”
Expo Riva wants to strengthen its presence in China. The country continues to increase its economic influence. The number of bilateral transactions in the Chinese currency Yuan increased by 53% between July 2021 and 2024, the fair quotes a report from the Financial Times. The trend can be seen, even though 54% of transactions are still carried out in US dollars and only 4% in yuan. In order to improve relations with China, Expo Riva was also represented at the ACLE trade fair, which took place at the same time. The Vietnamese industrial association Lefaso was also visited in the capital Hanoi. “We listened to our exhibitors and buyers,” said Pedretti about the visit: “Everyone is talking about how Vietnam is becoming more and more attractive for companies in the industry. We wanted to deepen our understanding of the country’s dynamics and evaluate the opportunities it offers. It is a country that offers many opportunities, starting with low taxation on foreign investment and easier trade with both the European Union and the United States. It is an important hub for international trade in shoes and accessories.” It was decided at the meeting that a delegation of Vietnamese shoe and leather goods manufacturers will return to Expo Riva in June 2025 after ten years.
According to the World Footwear Yearbook, 54.9% of global shoe production takes place in China. 6.3% of shoes are produced in Vietnam. The country is the third largest manufacturer after China and India.
