Italian delegation explores sustainability in Brazilian
leather supply chain
Brazilian leather’s traceability and innovation imported into Italy
The Centre for the Brazilian Tanning Industry (CICB) recently hosted a delegation of representatives from UNIC (Italian Tanners Association) and ICEC (Italian Institute of Quality Certification for the Leather Industry). The commission explored advances in sustainability and traceability in the leather industry through visits to tanneries, slaughterhouses and farms. The initiative was supported by the Brazilian Leather project, in which CICB and ApexBrasil (Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency) are engaged in a partnership aimed at raising the profile of Brazilian leather around the world. Brazilian Leather aims, therefore, to consolidate the national product on foreign markets, encouraging tanneries to participate in the main global trade fairs and strengthening relations between Brazilian suppliers and international buyers.
ApexBrasil works to promote Brazilian products and services abroad by attracting foreign investment in strategic sectors of the Brazilian economy. CICB is also committed to the qualification and strengthening of the Brazilian leather industry. Thanks to these Brazilian institutions, the Italian delegation was able to see first-hand the processes and production tools used for leather imported from Brazil. “Italy is the largest importer of leather in Europe and in 2024 accounted for 11.4% of Brazilian leather exports. Furthermore, almost 45% of the leather that Italy buys from Brazil is finished or semi-finished, so it has added value,” said Rogério de Souza Cunha, who is in charge of Trade Intelligence at CICB. The visit of the UNIC and ICEC representatives helped strengthen the trade agreements between Italy and Brazil, offering a practical demonstration of the unique aspects of Brazilian leather production and its high quality standards.