April 20

Leather and Hide Weekly

 

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Thank you to all LHCA members who attended last week's virtual Spring Board of Directors and Strategic Planning meeting. Your participation and engagement contributed to a productive and successful event. Also, LHCA President Stephen Sothmann will participate this week in a webinar hosted by APLF that addresses the environmental impact of discarded hides as well as common misleading claims embraced by makers of leather alternatives. Plus, the Leather Research Lab at the University of Cincinnati is seeking a senior research associate to join its dedicated team of experts. More on these and other topics below.

 

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Weekly Hides and Skins Stats 

  • Net sales of cured cattle hides reported for the period ending April 8, 2021, were 282,700 pieces and net sales of wet blues were 64,200 pieces. Reported shipments of cured hides were 401,800 and of wet blues were 101,000. China was the largest buyer of cured hides and Italy was the largest destination for wet blues. See more. For historical data, click here. 
  • U.S. Cattle Slaughter was 640,000 last week, a decrease of 0.2 percent from the previous week. Total cattle slaughter in 2021 is 9,639,000 head, down 0.4 percent from the same period in 2020. See more.
  • USDA AMS Major Packer Hide Price Report provided prices for four types of U.S. hides at four price points with a spread of $23 for branded southwest cows to $35 for southwest dairy cows. See more.

Industry Updates

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  • APLF announced a webinar series taking place this week, April 19-23, held in conjunction with the launch of its new digital sourcing platform, sampleroom, which connects buyers with suppliers across the world through live chats, video conferences, and other communications capabilities. The webinar series is presented by top leather and fashion industry experts and professionals, who will share their knowledge and insights about the latest trends in the leather and fashion markets, with topics ranging from sustainability to the future of leather. LHCA President Stephen Sothamnn will join some of his colleagues in a webinar on April 23, at 8 a.m. ET, to discuss the environmental impact of discarding hides as well as common misleading claims embraced by makers of leather alternatives. More information about the webinar series, including registration, is available here.       
  • The Leather Research Laboratory at the University of Cincinnati is hiring a senior research associate, who will be responsible for coordinating research studies involving leather tanning (novel tanning agents/processes), assist in the root cause analysis of industry problems (generally cured hides & wet blue/wet white hides), help formulate specifications and recommend test protocols to address field complaints experienced by clients and assist with the creation and presentation of the educational content that the department offers. Applicants are required to have a Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field and 3+ years tannery experience. We offer an attractive compensation package, including base salary and excellent benefits (e.g., retirement, medical/dental, tuition remission), and relocation assistance, if required. The University of Cincinnati, as a multi-national and culturally diverse university, is committed to providing an inclusive, equitable and diverse place of learning and employment. As part of a complete job application, you will be asked to include a Contribution to Diversity and Inclusion statement. The University of Cincinnati is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer/Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran. For more information and to apply, click here. 
  • The Office of Research at the University of Cincinnati recently published an article tracing the Leather Research Lab's history and showcasing its value as the only lab in the U.S. that specializes in providing unbiased leather research and testing. Check out the feature piece here.  
  • Africa Leather and Leather Products Institute, in conjunction with the Government of Ethiopia, announced that the 36th International Union of Leather Technologists and Chemists Societies Congress, and the 5th World Leather Congress, will be held jointly November 1-5, 20201 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The events will be presented both in-person and online to provide an opportunity for global attendees, unable to travel due to COVID-19, to participate in the the meetings. More information is available here. Meanwhile, the All-African Leather Fair will take place December 3-6, 2021, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Plus, the UK's Society of Leather Technologists and Chemists 2021 Conference will be held virtually April 24, 2021, and is free to attend. Registration details are available here.     

Latest Updates from Real Leather. Stay Different.

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With more of us working from home, comfort is paramount. We're increasingly ditching our formal office wear for more relaxed, sensible attire. Central to this wardrobe upgrade is a pair of practical, comfy shoes that make that lunchtime dog walk or post-work grocery run all the more enjoyable. Not sure where to start to find the pair that's right for you? Check out renowned stylist Mike Adler's carefully curated list here. Get the latest news from Real Leather. Stay Different. here. And, don't forget to:

 

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Monthly Drought Monitor - April 2021

Last week's storm system brought heavy rain and thunderstorms to much of the central and eastern U.S., bringing drought condition improvements to parts of the Midwest and eastern Plains. Meanwhile, warm, dry conditions persisted in the West and New England, resulting in deteriorating conditions. Parts of the Southwest are now experiencing record levels of dryness for the last 12 months. In New England, year-to-date precipitation ranks in the top 10 driest on record. 

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Other News

  • Ambassador Katherine Tai outlined her vision for leveraging trade policy to protect the environment and tackle climate change in her first speech as United States Trade Representative. In her remarks, delivered at a Center for American Progress event titled "Greening U.S. Trade Policy," Ambassador Tai emphasized that protecting the environment would be a top priority, outlined some of the historical barriers to action and called for innovative, pragmatic and solutions-oriented ideas from a range of stakeholders to meet the global challenge. The text of her speech is available here.

 

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Leather News

Each week, we will share relevant leather news below. Some of the articles may cover our products, and the industry, unfavorably, but we still believe it is important to share the different ways in which leather is presented in the media. If you find articles that you would like to see included, please send them to mschumpp@meatinstitute.org.