A recent newsletter compiled by the U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia stated that Ethiopia is developing its own brands in the global leather market in the hope of achieving higher profits.
The newsletter said that in New York, Paris, Tokyo and other global fashion centers, shoppers with big wallets will find the name of the new brand “Taytu” in women’s bag stores of GUCCI and Chanel. “The Ethiopian government supports the export of finished leather products with high added value, rather than semi-finished products.” Taytu Trading General Manager Salpi Nalbandian said.
Taytu Leather Products Sales Alliance was established in 2006 when the Ethiopian government identified the leather industry as a huge potential and profitable industry. The sales alliance is responsible for promoting products for 12 leather product manufacturers in Ethiopia. Sales have grown from US$25,000 in the year of establishment to US$85,000 in the last fiscal year. In the past five months of this fiscal year, Taytu has received orders worth US$70,000 from abroad. At the same time, the Taytu store in the capital Addis Ababa has experienced a surge in sales due to its entry into overseas markets.
An Ethiopian leather products company called Jonzo plans to enter the leather shoe market. The company’s current main products are leather jackets and handbags, some of which are promoted by Taytu. The company’s general manager hopes to begin exporting footwear products to Brown Shoe Company, headquartered in St. Louis, USA, in 2009.
The communication stated that the United States Agency for International Development, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, and other organizations are helping Ethiopia develop leather processing and brand promotion.
