Topics & Events

JICA Industrial Promotion Project (Export Promotion), in partnership with MoTI^[1], LIDI^[2] and ELIA* has spent several years working on increasing the export of Ethiopian sheep leather by improving the marketing and quality of the products. After creating and trademarking the "Ethiopian Highland Leather" (EHL), which is a national brand of sheep leather, the focus is now on the continuous efforts for improving the production process, quality and environmental management at the tanneries for the sustainability of the brand management.

On August 31st, four tanneries have been awarded EHL Certificates after verifying that they have the ability to process sheep leather from raw skin to finishing with quality and environmental control by conducting on-site inspection visit, while also passing the physical and chemical laboratory tests required by the EHL standard. They can now sell their leather under the EHL brand.

On the same day, two LIDI staff members have been certified as the first EHL auditor for tannery. They have gained a lot of experience in auditing tanneries and played a central role in the EHL audits and developing the EHL standards.

Ethiopian sheep leather is famous for being light, thin, soft, yet strong and durable; making it the go to for high end manufacturers of golf gloves, fashion gloves, bags and even garments.

With the establishment of the EHL brand certification system and the development of human resources, it is expected that the number of EHL certified tanneries will increase in the future and increase in the production and export of Ethiopia's high quality sheep leathers.

Congratulations on your certification!

Certified EHL tanneries:

1. Davimpex Enterprise Bahir Dar Tannery PLC - first certified in 2019
2. Ethio-Leather Industries PLC (ELICO) Awash Tannery - first certified in 2019
3. New Wing Addis Shoe Factory PLC (Tannery) - newly certified
4. Pittards Ethiopia Tannery - newly certified

Certified EHL auditor for tannery:

1. Mr. Dagnew Negassa, LIDI
2. Mr. Tsegaab Bekele, LIDI

(Left to Right) Representatives from New Wing Addis Shoe Factory, Davimpex Enterprise Bahir Dar Tannery, ELICO Awash Tannery and Pittards Ethiopia Tannery with their certifications.
* Everyone briefly took off their masks to take a picture before putting them back on again.

Finished leather to be sold with the Ethiopian Highland Leather logo