Kanpur Leather Fair Opens October 30 to Boost Domestic Market
Kanpur Leather Fair 2026 begins October 30 at Motijheel, featuring 46 stalls of leather goods and footwear while connecting local manufacturers directly with consumers.
LW Desk
The seventh edition of the Kanpur Leather Fair will begin on October 30 at Motijheel Lawn-1, bringing leather and footwear manufacturers closer to domestic consumers amid growing interest in direct-to-customer sales.
Organized by the Central Regional Office of the Council for Leather Exports (CLE), the four-day event will showcase a wide range of products, including leather and non-leather footwear, jackets, bags, wallets, belts, handbags and purses. A total of 46 stalls will offer products from local manufacturers, exporters and domestic and international brands.
The fair aims to strengthen domestic sales opportunities for the leather and footwear industry while giving consumers direct access to products manufactured in the Kanpur-Unnao region, one of India's established leather industry hubs.
According to CLE representatives, the event has been extended to four days this year following the response to its previous editions. The council is also considering holding the fair twice a year and arranging a larger venue for future editions, potentially bringing more manufacturers from centres such as Agra and Kolkata into the event.
Direct-to-Consumer Sales Gain Importance
CLE Central Region President Yadavendra Singh Sachan said the expansion of e-commerce and direct-to-consumer business models is changing how companies reach buyers. The fair provides an opportunity for manufacturers to engage directly with customers, showcase their products and explore additional domestic sales channels.
CLE Seeks Stronger Support for Industry Expansion
Speaking about the industry's wider business outlook, CLE National Vice President Mukhtarul Amin, highlighted the opportunities emerging from India's free trade agreements with international markets, including the UK and the European Union. These agreements could improve the competitiveness of Indian leather and footwear products and support export growth.
He also called for an emphasis on “Ease of Scaling Business”, arguing that while measures to improve ease of doing business have supported micro, small and medium enterprises, manufacturers need further assistance to expand production and meet international demand. Industry proposals on the matter have been submitted ahead of the upcoming Union Budget.
Amin added that the domestic market has become increasingly important as Indian manufacturers expand production and meet a larger share of consumer demand. At a time when geopolitical uncertainty and global trade challenges are affecting export businesses, events such as the Kanpur Leather Fair can help companies diversify their sales channels.
He also clarified that reports suggesting tanneries were relocating from Kanpur were incorrect. According to him, the city's tanneries continue to operate, although some entrepreneurs have acquired plots elsewhere for potential future expansion.
The fair is expected to provide local manufacturers with an additional platform to promote Indian products, build consumer relationships and strengthen the domestic market alongside export business.
