Italy’s leathergoods manufacturers achieved revenues of almost €7.5 billion in 2021, an increase of 25% compared to the previous year, but still 17% short of the figure for 2019, writes Leatherbiz.

At the end of 2021, Assopellettieri said there were 4,149 companies in the sector, employing a combined total of just under 33,000 people.

All of these figures come from a preliminary report that a research team at wider business organisation Confindustria carried out on behalf of Assopellettieri.

The report said that leathergoods representatives the researchers had spoken said they had experienced a substantial improvement in 2021 compared to the previous year and could see light at the end of the covid-19 tunnel, but many said they were concerned about the effect that rising costs and ongoing restrictions to some international markets might have on the recovery.