Indonesia’s Leather Industry Gets Green Technology Boost from UGM
EU-funded ELEGTEC initiative strengthens technical capabilities, industry collaboration and leather testing infrastructure in Indonesia.
LW Desk
Indonesia is looking to strengthen the global competitiveness of its leather industry through sustainable technologies, improved technical capabilities and stronger collaboration between academia and industry. Gadjah Mada University (UGM) is contributing to this effort through its European Union-supported ELEGTEC project, which focuses on advancing environmentally friendly leather processing.
The initiative, titled Enhancing Sustainability and Green Leather Technology in Indonesia (ELEGTEC), aims to build expertise among academics, students and industry professionals while strengthening technical infrastructure for the leather sector.
Speaking at the project's final conference held at UGM's Faculty of Animal Husbandry in Yogyakarta on October 26, 2026, Dean Prof. Bambang Suwignyo highlighted the university's efforts to support the national leather industry. UGM has been developing a Laboratory for Leather Technology, By-Products and Animal Husbandry Waste to strengthen research and technological capabilities across the industry ecosystem.
He said that greater investment in science, technology and collaboration would help Indonesia develop a more sustainable and internationally competitive leather sector.
The initiative comes at a time when Indonesia's leather and footwear industry is demonstrating positive export performance. Exports reached US$4.85 billion in the first half of 2026, registering a 5.28% increase compared with the same period last year.
However, the industry continues to face challenges, including the availability of raw materials, the adoption of environmentally responsible processing technologies and increasing competition from non-leather alternatives. Strengthening research and technical capabilities is therefore important for maintaining the sector's growth and position in international markets.
International collaboration and technical development
According to ELEGTEC Project Coordinator Prof. Yuny Erwanto, the project was conceived to improve the capabilities of universities and industry stakeholders in developing sustainable leather processing technologies.
UGM established an international consortium involving Ege University in Türkiye, the National Technical University of Athens in Greece and the University of Pisa in Italy. Indonesian partners included the Indonesian Tanners Association (APKI), the Leather, Rubber and Plastic Testing and Standardization Center and several universities.
The project received approximately Rp3 billion in funding from the European Union's Erasmus+ program. The support was directed towards capacity-building activities and the development of a leather product testing laboratory intended to meet international standards.
During its three-year implementation, lecturers, students, educational staff and industry representatives participated in training programs in Türkiye, Greece and Italy, gaining exposure to international expertise and practices.
UGM expects these initiatives to contribute to improved product quality, stronger testing capabilities, wider adoption of industry standards and the development of cleaner processing technologies.
Through ELEGTEC, the university aims to strengthen the relationship between research institutions and industry, supporting Indonesia's transition towards a more sustainable and competitive leather manufacturing sector.
