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African leather designers to compete for top honors

Peter 6th Mar, 2025 Industry Elaine Wandera
African leather designers to compete for top honors

This Contemporary Leather Armour Collection by Uganda's Ochom won the apparels category at last year's event. FILE PHOTO


Entries are now open for the Africa Talent Leather Design competition —a premier platform for Africa’s designers to showcase their creativity in leather products design and commitment to sustainable fashion.

The competition, which started receiving entries on March 3, is organized by the Leather & Hide Council of America (L&HCA) and the Africa Leather and Leather Products Institute (ALLPI), according to a recent press release.

There will be winners in the three categories of apparel, accessories, and footwear.

  • Submissions will close on June 6, 2025 and selected designs will be announced on July 2, 2025 then the designers will be invited to submit the physical products, which must be comprise at least 50% cowhide leather.

“Now in its third year, the Africa Talent Leather Design Showcase serves as a transformative platform promoting leather as the material of choice for a sustainable future,” the statement said.

The organisers aim to champion the principles of slow fashion across the continent while showcasing Africa’s outstanding design talent.

  • Over the past five years, the campaign has engaged over 7,500 students from 720 universities across 48 countries, fostering innovation, responsible material use, and slow fashion advocacy – basically celebrating leather’s beauty, versatility, strength and durability, and providing a platform for designers to showcase their creativity while embracing sustainability.

By recognizing and rewarding innovation, the event serves as a launch-pad for designers to build their careers and their businesses in the leather industry.

“The Real Leather. Stay Different. Africa Talent Leather Design Showcase 2025 champions leather as the material of choice for a sustainable future, providing designers across Africa with the skills, exposure and platform to harness its beauty, versatility and durability. Now is Africa’s time to lead in creating ethical, high-quality leather products and shaping the future of sustainable fashion,” said Nicholas Mudungwe, the Executive Director of Africa Leather and Leather Products Institute.

The winners will be awarded in December 2025.

At last year’s event, Uganda’s Eddie Louis Ochom won the apparels category, with his Contemporary Leather Armour Collection - a bold fusion of Ugandan heritage and modernity.

  • The Africa Leather and Leather Products Institute (ALLPI) is a specialized intergovernmental organization under COMESA, dedicated to advancing the leather and leather products value chain across Africa. Headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, ALLPI serves as a hub for innovation, research and policy advocacy to enhance the sector’s competitiveness and sustainability.
  • The institute provides technical support, capacity building and technology transfer to member states, empowering SMEs and fostering value addition. ALLPI champions environmental sustainability, promotes regional trade harmonization and strengthens integration through collaboration with stakeholders across the continent.

By addressing key challenges and unlocking opportunities in the leather industry, ALLPI contributes to job creation, economic growth and Africa’s global competitiveness.

Its work aligns with Africa’s vision for industrialisation and sustainable development, positioning leather as a key pillar for regional transformation.

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