Camel Hide
Camel hides are the skins of the dromedary and bactrian camel, taken at slaughter across the Sahel, the Horn of Africa, the Arabian peninsula and central Asia. The hide is thick, coarse fibred and unusually strong for its weight, and it tans into a leather with a distinctive open grain that is used for saddlery and harness, for heavy footwear and sandals, for bags, belts and craft goods, and for traditional water vessels and drum heads in its home markets. Supply is small beside the bovine trade and it is pastoral rather than industrial, coming from village and municipal slaughter rather than from packing plants, so the material reaches the market through collectors and is graded piece by piece. Vegetable tanned camel hide is the form most often traded internationally.
Listed camel hide markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
A camel hide contract turns on the animal and the region it came from, the tannage, the area and substance of the piece, and a defect count that reflects pastoral rather than industrial slaughter.
Substrate, tannage and state of processing
7 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Species and typeDeclared | Dromedary or bactrian. The bactrian carries a heavier coat and a different fibre structure and the two are contracted separately. |
| Age and sex classDeclared | Adult or young stock, male or female. Young stock gives a finer grain and a lighter substance. |
| Preservation or tannageDeclared | Wet salted, dry salted, air dried, pickled, vegetable tanned, chrome tanned wet blue or crust. Air dried material is common at origin and it must be inspected for insect and heat damage. |
| Tanning agentDeclared | Vegetable tannage from mimosa, quebracho, chestnut or acacia, chrome, or a combination. Vegetable tanned camel is the traditional and most traded form. |
| CutDeclared | Whole hide, side, neck, butt or shoulder. Hump and neck material differs in substance from the flank and it is often separated. |
| Hair stateDeclared | Hair on or dehaired. Hair on hides face animal health restrictions at several destinations. |
| Split stateDeclared | Full substance or split to a stated thickness. The hide is thick enough that splitting is normal for lighter articles. |
Selection, size and substance
5 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| AreaSquare feet or square decimetres, per piece | Measured on a calibrated measuring machine after tanning. Camel hides vary widely in area, so the contract states a band rather than a single figure. |
| Green weightKilograms per piece, in a stated band | Raw and salted material trades by weight band. Adult camel hides sit well above a bovine hide of the same area. |
| SubstanceMillimetres, measured at the stated position | Determined under ISO 2589. Substance varies across the piece more than it does on a bovine hide, so the measuring position is written into the contract. |
| SelectionDeclared, as the named selection | Large, medium and small selections by area band, with the customary trim named. |
| Piece count per bale or palletCount | Origin material often ships baled rather than palletised. The count and the bale weight go on the packing list. |
Grading and defect assessment
9 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| GradeDeclared, as the named grade within the stated ladder | Graded on a lighted table by defect count and position in the cutting area, from a clean first selection to a lowest selection carrying open damage. |
| Saddle and harness scarsCount and position | Working camels carry rub damage across the hump, the girth line and the neck. It is the characteristic defect of this hide and it sits in the best part of the piece. |
| Brand marksCount and position | Ownership brands are usual across pastoral herds. Position in the butt is priced separately from count. |
| Thorn and scratch damageCount, and depth as grain deep or through | Browsing damage from acacia and thorn scrub, heavier on rangeland stock than on penned animals. |
| Parasite damageCount and position | Tick and mange scarring. It shows as pitting across the flank and it is common in pastoral supply. |
| Flay cuts and holesCount, and length or size | Village and municipal slaughter uses hand flaying and cut damage is more frequent than in plant killed stock. |
| Sun and heat damageAssessed on inspection | Ground drying in direct sun sets the collagen and the affected area will not tan. It shows as a horny translucent patch. |
| Insect and beetle damageCount of holes | Dried hides stored at origin attract hide beetle. A live find at discharge is a rejection rather than a discount. |
| Putrefaction and hair slipAssessed on inspection | Bacterial damage from delayed curing in heat. It is the main risk in Sahel and Horn of Africa supply. |
Chemical and physical analysis
9 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Tannin content and degree of tannagePercentage by mass, on the dry weight | Determined by the hide substance and water soluble analysis. It is the vegetable tannage equivalent of a chrome oxide figure. |
| Shrinkage temperatureDegrees Celsius | Determined under ISO 3380. Vegetable tanned material sits materially lower than chrome tanned material and the contract states which tannage the figure is read against. |
| MoisturePercentage by mass | Determined by oven drying under the IUC method. It governs storage life and it is the difference between a shipped weight and a landed weight. |
| pH and difference figurepH units, measured on an aqueous extract | Determined under ISO 4045. A low pH with a large difference figure indicates free acid that will damage the fibre in storage. |
| Matter soluble in dichloromethanePercentage by mass | Determined under ISO 4048. The fat and oil content, which governs how the material takes further processing. |
| Water soluble matterPercentage by mass | Determined under ISO 4098. Unfixed salts and tanning agents that migrate and bloom on the surface. |
| Chromium VIMilligrams per kilogram, maximum | Determined under ISO 17075. Restricted in leather articles placed on several markets, and tested on arrival rather than taken on trust. |
| FormaldehydeMilligrams per kilogram, maximum | Determined under ISO 17226. Restricted for articles in contact with the skin and for childrens articles. |
| Restricted substancesMilligrams per kilogram, maximum, by named substance | Azo dyes releasing restricted amines, pentachlorophenol, dimethyl fumarate and the substances named on the buyer restricted substances list. |
Delivery, documentation and certification
9 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| PackingDeclared | Palletised and strapped, bundled in packs of a stated count, or drummed. The pack count and the pallet weight are written into the contract. |
| Weight basisDeclared | Shipped weight or landed weight, gross or net of salt, with the survey house named. Weight loss in transit is a normal feature of salted goods and the basis settles who carries it. |
| Veterinary health certificateCertificate, issued by the competent authority of the exporting country | Hides and skins are animal by-products and they move under veterinary control. The certificate names the approved establishment and the treatment applied. |
| Establishment approvalApproval number, issued by the destination authority | European Union approval number or the equivalent registration at the destination, named on the contract where it is required. |
| Convention permitPermit, issued by the exporting country management authority | Required for listed reptile species. The permit number, the species and the piece tags travel with the shipment. |
| TraceabilityDeclared, with the abattoir or collection point named | Country of origin, abattoir and the tannery of processing. Increasingly a contract term rather than a courtesy, because the finished goods brands audit it. |
| Tannery audit and certificationCertificate, with the scheme and rating | Leather Working Group rating, chemical management certification or organic certification, named on the contract when it is contracted. |
| Container and carrying conditionDeclared | Ventilated or reefer stuffing, the carrying temperature and the humidity control. Wet blue and salted goods spoil in a hot container. |
| Restricted substance complianceDeclared, against the named list | Compliance with the destination chemical restrictions and with the buyer restricted substances list, evidenced by test report. |
Grades outside this list trade on request. Send us the contract specification you work to and we will price against it.
Locations
| Country | Region | We trade it as |
|---|---|---|
| Niger | Maradi, Zinder and the Sahel pastoral belt | Origin and destination |
| Sudan | Khartoum, Omdurman and the Kordofan pastoral belt | Origin and destination |
| Chad | Ndjamena and the Sahel pastoral belt | Origin and destination |
| Mali | Bamako, Mopti and the Niger delta pastoral belt | Origin and destination |
| Somalia | Berbera, Bosaso and the Somali pastoral belt | Origin and destination |
| Ethiopia | Addis Ababa, Modjo and the highland skin trade | Origin and destination |
| Kenya | Nairobi, Nakuru and the Athi River tanneries | Origin and destination |
| Nigeria | Kano, Sokoto and the northern skin trade | Origin and destination |
| Egypt | Cairo, the Robbiki leather city and Upper Egypt | Origin and destination |
| Morocco | Fes, Marrakech and the Casablanca tanning cluster | Origin and destination |
| Saudi Arabia | Riyadh and the Gulf pastoral trade | Origin and destination |
| United Arab Emirates | Dubai re-export and Gulf consumption | Destination |
| Iran | Tabriz, Mashhad and the Qom tanning cluster | Origin and destination |
| Mongolia | Ulaanbaatar and the steppe pastoral belt | Origin and destination |
| Kazakhstan | Almaty, Shymkent and the steppe pastoral belt | Origin and destination |
| India | Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Punjab | Origin and destination |
| Pakistan | Punjab, Sindh and the Karachi tanning cluster | Origin and destination |
| Turkiye | Tuzla, Corlu, Izmir and Usak | Origin and destination |
| Italy | Arzignano, Santa Croce sull Arno, Solofra and the Veneto tanning districts | Origin and destination |
| Spain | Igualada, Ubrique and the Levante tanneries | Origin and destination |
| France | Annonay, Graulhet and the Millau skin trade | Origin and destination |
| Germany | Rhineland and Bavaria tanning and automotive leather | Origin and destination |
| United Kingdom | Northamptonshire, the Scottish borders and the West Country | Origin and destination |
| Mexico | Leon and the Guanajuato leather cluster | Origin and destination |
| China | Hebei, Zhejiang, Guangdong and Shandong | Origin and destination |
| Vietnam | Ho Chi Minh City and the southern tanning and footwear cluster | Origin and destination |
| Thailand | Samut Prakan and the Bangkok tanning belt | Origin and destination |
| Japan | Himeji, Tatsuno and the Tokyo leather goods trade | Destination |
| South Korea | Busan and the Seoul leather goods trade | Destination |
| Hong Kong | Trading, re-export and the Greater China supply chain | Destination and trading hub |
| Singapore | Regional trading, finance and re-export | Trading and finance |
| Russia | Central and Volga federal district tanning | Origin and destination |
| Tunisia | Footwear and leather goods manufacture for the European market | Destination |
| Switzerland | Luxury goods manufacture and the Geneva trade | Destination |
Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown here.
Timing
Harvest is when the hides and skins come off the killing floor at origin, which follows the slaughter calendar rather than a crop season. Arrival is when a shipment from that origin typically lands in a consuming market. The gap between them is curing or tanning, veterinary clearance and the voyage.
HarvestArrival
| Origin | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niger | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecCollection through the Maradi and Zinder markets runs year round with a lift in the dry season when herds move to market and drying conditions are reliable. |
| Sudan | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecPastoral slaughter across the year, heaviest in the dry season and around the major festivals. |
| Somalia | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecBerbera and Bosaso ship through the year, with the livestock export season setting the rhythm of local slaughter. |
| Ethiopia | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecLowland pastoral supply moving through Modjo and Addis Ababa, lifting around the festival calendar. |
| Chad | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecDry season collection from the Sahel belt, moving out through Ndjamena and the regional corridors. |
| Mongolia | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Sep to Jan, arrival Dec to AprBactrian supply concentrates in the autumn and early winter slaughter before the coldest months. | ||||
| Pakistan | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecCollection lifts sharply around the Eid al Adha slaughter, which moves through the calendar each year. |
| India | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecRajasthan and Gujarat supply feeding the Kanpur and Tamil Nadu tanneries, with the monsoon slowing yard work. |
Windows outside this pattern trade on request, including carry, forward positions and material already sitting in a destination warehouse.
Customs, packing and contract terms
Indicative terms for camel hide. Tariff classification is the importer’s responsibility and limits change, so confirm both against the destination customs authority and the current regulation before you fix a contract.
- HS heading4103.90 Other raw hides and skins, including camel
- PackingWet salted hides bundled on pallets with the salt percentage declared, wet blue on 1 t pallets under shrink wrap, dry salted and crust in bales. Salt content and trim standard are the two clauses that decide claims.
- Container loading20ft: 18 t to 22 t wet salted. 40ft for palletised wet blue at around 24 t. Ventilated or reefer stow on long transits to control putrefaction.
- Contract and arbitrationInternational Council of Hides, Skins and Leather Traders Associations contracts, or the terms of the origin association, with arbitration under ICHSLTA rules or at the contract seat. Selection, trim and take-off standard defined at the point of contract.
- Destination limitsVeterinary health certification under Regulation 2016/429 and animal by-product rules under Regulation 142/2011, CITES permits for reptile, ostrich and other listed species, EU REACH restriction of chromium VI at 3 mg/kg in leather articles, and US Lacey Act and Endangered Species Act controls.
Common questions
What grades of camel hide does SIP Global trade?
We quote 39 published grades of camel hide, including Species and type - Declared, Age and sex class - Declared, Preservation or tannage - Declared, Tanning agent - Declared, Cut - Declared and Hair state - Declared. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is camel hide graded?
A camel hide contract turns on the animal and the region it came from, the tannage, the area and substance of the piece, and a defect count that reflects pastoral rather than industrial slaughter. Grading runs on 5 systems: Substrate, tannage and state of processing, Selection, size and substance, Grading and defect assessment, Chemical and physical analysis and Delivery, documentation and certification.
Where does SIP Global trade camel hide?
We trade camel hide in Niger, Sudan, Chad, Mali, Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria and 26 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is camel hide harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are Niger: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; Sudan: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; Somalia: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; Ethiopia: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; Chad: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec. Harvest is when the lot is taken at origin, arrival is when a shipment from that origin lands in a consuming market. Windows outside this pattern, including carry, trade on request.
What is the HS code for camel hide?
Camel hide is normally classified under HS 4103.90 (other raw hides and skins, including camel). The heading follows the form the goods are in at the border, and national tariffs extend it beyond six digits, so confirm the full line with the destination customs authority before you fix a contract.
How do I get a price for camel hide?
Send the grade, the origin and the delivery window to the SIP Global desk. That is enough for a trader to come back with a level and a settlement route. 1 listed camel hide market is published on this page, each with its full specification and terms. We take both sides, physical and financial, prompt to long dated.
Standards and data sources
The grading language on this sheet follows published standards. Trade volumes and tariff lines are public record. Verify anything here against the source.
- ISOInternational Organization for Standardization
- UN ComtradeOfficial international trade statistics by HS code
- ITC Trade MapBilateral trade flows and tariff data
- FAOSTATFAO production and trade series for agricultural commodities
Price this with our desk
Grade, origin and window if you have them. If what you are carrying does not fit the sheet above, describe it in your own words and a trader will take it from there.