Muhammad Luqman

Ostrich leather products have gained popularity with Pakistan's upper class due to their luxury appeal, durability, and unique texture. The distinctive quill pattern, softness, and breathability of ostrich leather make it a sought-after material for high-end fashion enthusiasts.

“A number of footwear companies, especially those based in Lahore and Sialkot, are producing ostrich and crocodile leather shoes and other products, but due to the high prices of products, they are targeting mainly a niche market,” Mansoor Ehsan, former chairman of Pakistan Footwear Manufacturers Association (PFMA), told WealthPK.

Ostrich leather, according to the tanners, is the third strongest and most precious leather in the world after crocodile and snake leather. It is widely used in the entire world, including Pakistan, to manufacture best quality leather products including shoes, brief cases, book covers, wallets, belts, and purses.

He said most of ostrich leather shoes were exported to the Gulf and Europe, as it was very difficult for an average Pakistani to buy a pair of such shoes for Rs30,000 and above. The companies producing these products are employing all the selling techniques to reach out to their customers, including personalized advertainments on various social media platforms besides the physical outlets.

“This way, the manufactures of ostrich leather products are targeting their clientele abroad besides meeting the local demand,” the PFMA former chairman said. However, there’s a need for skilled manpower to produce such an exuberant item in a more professional manner to satisfy the quality-conscious clientele.

Before the COVID epidemic in the year 2020, the Pakistani manufacturers used to get local ostrich leather in abundance, as the farming of this South African bird had become very lucrative in this part of the world those days due to the increasing demand for ostrich meat. “But things changed in the wake of corona epidemic in Pakistan, as the farmers wound up the ostrich breeding business.

Now most of the ostrich leather is imported by shoe-makers,” said Raja Tahir Latif, the pioneer of ostrich farming in Pakistan, in an interview with WealthPK. Raja Tahir Latif’s Pakistan Ostrich Company (POC) established ostrich farms in Lahore and Sheikhupura and introduced ostrich meat shops in Lahore and other big cities of Pakistan besides starting manufacturing ostrich leather products like shoes and belts.

“Pakistan has the potential to generate approximately $800 million annually from the ostrich leather industry. This significant foreign exchange revenue can be achieved by focusing on the production and export of high-quality leather garments and footwear,” he said. Besides meat and leather, ostrich fat is used in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.

Its soft feather is crafted into comfortable pillows, cushions, dusters, and even certain car filters. He said after the decrease in ostrich farming in Pakistan, most of ostrich leather demand was being met by imports from South Africa and China. “We can import ostrich leather from neighboring Iran, which is the second major producer of ostrich meat next to South Africa but it is not possible due to the current international situation,” the POC chief executive said.

He said the increasing demand for ostrich leather products across the world provided a big opportunity for Pakistan’s industry. This leather is soft, durable, and strong, making it ideal for luxury fashion products. Renowned brands such as Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci, Hermès, Bottega Veneta, and Smythson use it in their creations and outsource production in developing countries, especially in the Asian continent.

An estimated 700,000 ostrich hides enter the global market annually, with the majority sourced from African nations. To benefit from this opportunity, Pakistan’s government should come forward to promoting non-traditional exports like ostrich leather products. “Pakistan can again become home to the African bird if the Punjab government restores support to the ostrich farming,” Raja Tahir Latif said.

Credit: INP-WealthPk