APLF (Asia Pacific Leather Fair), one of the most important international events for the leather industry, returns to Hong Kong from March 12 to 14 for its 42nd edition. The event confirms its strategic role in the sector despite the current geopolitical instability.
As in previous editions, the central themes for 2026 are once again sustainability and innovation in materials, with several sessions dedicated to the development of bio-based materials, circular design, and new alternatives to traditional leather.
Among the main events is the NextGen Fashion Material Tech Talk, a forum dedicated to next-generation materials that brings together brands, startups, and researchers working on more sustainable solutions for the supply chain. But beyond the “next gen” of materials, APLF also continues to give space to a new generation of talent.
Last year, through the L.E.D. Project, developed in collaboration with the Consorzio Vera Pelle Italiana Conciata al Vegetale, APLF offered six young international designers the opportunity to work with Tuscan vegetable-tanned leather. This year’s edition will instead give creative space to three young designers from Turkey, China, and Vietnam, who will present new leather bag concepts as part of the Design-a-Bag contest.
Every year, APLF brings together tanneries, suppliers, manufacturers, designers, and buyers from around the world. Over time, the fair has evolved into a global networking and product-sourcing event, structured around three main areas: APLF Leather, dedicated to leather; Materials+, focused on innovative materials; and Fashion Access, centered on the production of footwear and accessories.
Inside the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, the new edition of APLF will bring together around 800 international exhibitors and 15,000 visitors from 90 countries.
