Australian Hide, Skin and Leather Exporters Association Inc (AHSLEA) is a voluntary trade Association whose membership comprises the major exporters of Australian cattle hides, calf skins, sheep and lamb skins, kangaroo skins and goat skins. The members handle product from raw through to finished material with the majority being raw through to wet blue material. Members account for approximately 90% of the Australian hide/skin production and in the vicinity of 85% of the exports of raw/wet blue hides/skins.
The Association, as the national peak body, is a member of the International Council of Hides, Skins and Leather Traders’ Associations (ICHSLTA) and attends the Annual Meetings and plays an active role in the business of the Council. The Association supports the use of the International Contracts for hides/skins and for finished leather and encourages members to use these contracts in their commercial operations.
Association members regularly exhibit at leather trade fairs around the world and AHSLEA organises an Australian pavilion providing meeting areas and booth facilities for its members at fairs where there is Australian interest. The Association has supported the All China Leather Exhibition Shanghai since its inception – many members making use of the pavilion facility provided by the Association at this Fair. The Association also supports other major leather fairs.
The Association’s members draw hides and skins from an Australian cattle herd of around 28 million head and from a sheep flock of around 75 million head, the numbers dependant on market and weather conditions.