Curriculum Leather and Footwear in India
Leather and Footwear in India
A labour-intensive industry with big export potential: India's leather and footwear sector, clusters in Kanpur, Agra and Vellore, tannery pollution, hide supplies and cattle laws, Kolhapuri chappals, the shift to non-leather shoes, footwear standards, caste and dignity, Indian brands, global rivals and new incentives.
- India's Leather and Footwear Industry How big India's leather and footwear industry is, why it employs millions, and why India is a leading producer but a smaller exporter than China and Vietnam. 📄 Read-aloud
- Kanpur, Agra and Vellore: Leather Clusters How India's leather industry concentrates in clusters like Kanpur, Agra, Vellore-Ambur and Kolkata, each specialising in different products. 📄 Read-aloud
- Tanneries and River Pollution How chromium and chemicals from tanneries polluted rivers like the Ganga at Kanpur and the Palar in Tamil Nadu, and how courts and treatment plants responded. 📄 Read-aloud
- Hide Supplies and Cattle Laws How restrictions on cattle slaughter and trade, and crackdowns on slaughterhouses, affected the supply of hides and the leather industry. 📄 Read-aloud
- Kolhapuri Chappals and Design Rights How traditional Kolhapuri chappals got a GI tag, and how the 2025 controversy over a luxury brand's similar sandals raised questions about crediting and paying artisans. 📄 Read-aloud
- The Shift to Non-Leather Footwear Why global demand has shifted from leather to non-leather shoes like sneakers made of synthetics, and why India needs to catch up in this segment. 📄 Read-aloud
- Leather and Footwear in India: Checkpoint 1 Quick checkpoint - five questions on India's leather industry, clusters, tannery pollution, hides and Kolhapuri chappals. 5 questions
- Footwear Standards and Imports How India's 2024 quality control orders for footwear required BIS certification, their effect on cheap imports, and the compliance burden on small makers. 📄 Read-aloud
- Leather Work, Caste and Dignity How leather work in India has been associated with caste discrimination, how this shaped the industry's workforce, and efforts to improve dignity and earnings. 📄 Read-aloud
- Bata, Relaxo and Indian Shoe Brands How Bata built a vast Indian footwear business from the 1930s, how Relaxo, Campus and Liberty grew, and how brands compete at different price points. 📄 Read-aloud
- Competing with China and Vietnam in Shoes Why China and Vietnam dominate global footwear exports, what India's disadvantages are, and how trade agreements and investment could help India compete. 📄 Read-aloud
- Incentives for Footwear Manufacturing How India's 2025 Budget announced a focus scheme for footwear and leather, state policies in Tamil Nadu, and whether incentives can build scale. 📄 Read-aloud
- The Future of Leather and Footwear Where India's leather and footwear industry could go - sustainability, non-leather growth and brands - and a recap of the module. 📄 Read-aloud