Getting leather into creative industry

RICHARD FRANKLIN writes @SunZambian Zambia’s leather sector has immense potential to grow, create employment and add value to other industries. The key to unlocking it fully, however, lies in local markets such as the creative industries tapping into the possibilities of leather and seizing the opportunity to create a culture and conversation around this versatile, natural material. There is definitely a desire for locally produced leather products; be it shoes or leather upholstery on sofa sets instead of using a plastic alternative. Zamleather’s mandate is to take the raw hides that are produced by our beef production division, add value to them and try and develop some leather products for the local, regional and international markets; we are interested in developing leathers for the local market so it’s really a case of: think of leather, come and see what we’ve got, see what you can do with it. The creative sector in Zambia has been on an upwards trajectory in the past few years with SMEs springing up across the country in fashion, crafts and interior design, driven by an entrepreneurial attitude and the desire to produce and manufacture beautiful, quality items locally. While there is a healthy curiosity to explore and incorporate more local materials in their concepts and designs, the sector has, to a large extent, not yet fully embraced the concept of a robust and thriving leather culture. Zambia needs only look to regional peers like Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia and South Africa to see how much value there is in leather. Currently the local mining and security wings have been the biggest up-takers of finished leather products such as smelter suits, safety boots and other personal protective wear. However, events such as the Lusaka Fashion Week and Zambia Arts and Design Show (ZADS) are a positive indication of how the creative industry is seeking to grow, and leather can be its next big thing. Leather industry in Zambia Leather manufacturing is not new, it is one of the world’s oldest industries; perhaps one of its best known depictions of leather historically and across cultures is the use of hides in traditional clothing and furniture. Zambia’s own leather industry can be segmented down to the export market, which also includes crocodile skins, and the domestic market which is further broken down into the sub-sectors of footwear, leather goods, handbags and luggage, and protective clothing. Over the years Zambian leather has made its way to global markets with companies like Zamleather exporting wet blue hides as well as finished leather to South Africa, China, India, as well as several countries in Europe. The industry has its fair share of challenges, with poor supply chain management, cattle rustling, competition arising from imports of finished leather goods, and high import duties on material and components. This has led to all but two tanneries closing. Government’s move to address some of these challenges in a bid to increase local content in the manufacturing process is a step in the right direction and could be the kick start that the leather industry needs to get back on track. Zamleather is a unit of Zambeef Products, the largest integrated cold chain food products and agribusiness company in Zambia and one of the largest in the region, involved in the primary production, processing, distribution and retailing of beef, chicken, pork, milk, eggs, dairy products, fish, flour and stockfeed, throughout Zambia and the surrounding region, as well as Nigeria and Ghana. Zambeef’s tannery and shoe division have managed to stay afloat amid the Covid-19 pandemic by adhering to preventive measures set by the government and heath institutions such as the World health Organisation. Leather and the creative industries Zambia’s middle-class stands at 2.9 million people; this number is expected to grow in the coming years and with it the disposable incomes and a consumer base that is more inclined to spend — and invest — on lifestyle choices, such as fashion, art and performance. Zamleather is constantly striving to encourage the local market to open their eyes to the fantastic leather that is available locally, and we hope that Zambians will be begin to see the beauty in our leather and the value it holds in terms of creating opportunities for a myriad other sectors and businesses such as those in the creative industry and beyond. It is very exciting because young designers are coming up with various products and designs of their own not just the traditional piece. There is much talent out there and we want to tap into that. Recently Zamleather collaborated with Sikale Wood and Sikale Deco – known for making fabulous wooden furniture and other wooden products – to produce leather for the company that culminated in creating a blue classic Chesterfield sofa piece of international standard made here, by Zambians and using local material. Sikale Chief Operations Officer Vanessa Dudhia said: “What started out as just a small inquiry from us, we decided to take it further and whilst we have done a few pieces together, the response from the market has been really supportive. You would never have thought that in Zambia we would make a Chesterfield sofa – which is a very classic piece. We did it in blue; a lot of people might say that it’s outside of the normal of the standard brown leather but, we wanted an eye catching piece and when we’ve taken this sofa showcasing it around Zambia, the response has been overwhelming.” Mrs Dudhia emphasised the importance of up-skilling in terms of artisan skills and product finishes for the sector as a whole to be able to compete on a more level playing field internationally. “While that’s a challenge, it’s also very exciting because young designers are coming up with various products and designs of their own not just the traditional piece. There is much talent out there and we want to tap into that. The furniture that you have seen is locally made by Zambians. And again the collaboration with Zamleather stemmed from proudly made in Zambia,” she added. The automotive sector is another one that can benefit from leather for those customers that require custom upholstery finishing or who are looking to upgrade their car interiors. There is still a long way to go for the tanning industry in Zambia with challenges such as poor quality of raw hides resulting from over branding of cattle and having only two tanneries in the country, but the opportunities for leather are immense. The time to tap into the leather sector is now, and the creative industries can help to accelerate its growth. Richard Franklin is General Manager of Zamleather, a division of Zambeef Products