Exporting Leather Boots with rubber soles for Women..........
HS Code : 64039110
When India’s exports were on a decline over the last couple of years, one product category that did not lose its shine is leather boots. On the contrary, its exports from India surpassed that of traditional leaders like Germany and Netherlands.
Heard the phrase: “you can’t buy happiness, but you can buy shoes, and that’s kind of the same thing”? Well, if not men, womenfolk will definitely relate to this statement. And why not? There are studies that prove, “when a woman shops, especially for a pair of shoes, the neurotransmitter dopamine is released in large quantity, providing a feel-good high, similar to taking a drug.”
What makes this story of fascination with leather boots satisfying for Indian exporters is that the obsession for leather boots is becoming even more ubiquitous with each passing day. Be it ankle boots, knee-high boots, mid-calf boots, or biker boots – for men, women or children – ‘Made in India’ tag is fast gaining popularity across the globe. The reason is simple – Indian exporters offer high quality boots at lowest possible prices.
In CY2016, India emerged as the fourth largest exporter of leather boots in the world – surpassing traditional leaders like Germany and Netherlands. Data also reveals that India’s share in world exports increased to 6.72% in CY2016, from 5.44% in CY2015. In fact, in FY2017, till February, India had exported leather boots worth $254.49 million against a total of $264.18 million in FY2016 – a trend that suggests that numbers for FY2017 will surpass that of FY2016.
"In CY2016, India emerged as the fourth largest exporter of leather boots"
It’s not that easy for an exporter of leather boots to keep those export orders flowing. While he needs to keep up with global fashion trends – and that means visiting the most fashionable cities in the world and attending the best of footwear exhibitions – ensuring high-quality products at competitive price is a big challenge that an exporter needs to overcome. Further, the order size too varies with client, and could range between 1,200 pairs to 20,000 pairs per colour. And not to say, the size of the order plays a huge role in deciding the profit in any business deal. For, big order means one can take advantage of economies of scale and generate higher profits.
Indian exporters are playing up the flexibility card, it is not that they have stopped worrying about the competition from China. Exporters are exploring opportunities in Latin America and Asia
Just like in any business, there are opportunities and there are obstacles in exports of leather boots. But since opportunities outweigh obstacles, exporters believe it’s a risk worth taking. Further, ease of doing business has improved in India over the last few years. Only IEC from www.dgft.gov.in & RCMC for leather from http://leatherindia.org/ is required to export this product.
With the government’s support, India’s leather boot exports is soon expected to scale new heights. More so, as China slowly loses its sheen as an attractive destination for buyers, Indian leather boot manufacturers and exporters would surely benefit the most. If Indian exporters can add some more value to their leather footwear (like flying boots / skating boots / boots with unique fashion design/lighting) & your Branding (Your Brand Name) and promise consistent quality, this could be a great time to seize a share from Chinese exporters.
And if you are planning to make the most of this opportunity - you may want to boot up for the show!