Snake Skin
Snakeskins are the tanned skins of python, boa, water snake, cobra and rat snake, taken from wild harvested and captive bred stock and turned into an exotic leather with a scale pattern that no other substrate reproduces. The skin is thin, strong and highly figured, and it is used for luxury handbags, footwear, watch straps, belts, wallets, small leather goods and musical instrument coverings, with the pattern and the symmetry of the scale rows determining what the piece can be cut into. The trade is small, tightly documented and closely controlled: most of the traded species are listed under the international convention on trade in endangered species, so every skin travels with a permit, a tag and a traceable chain back to a registered source, and the compliance record is as much a part of the contract as the grade.
Listed snake skin markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
A snakeskin contract turns on the species and the legal source, the width and length of the piece, the tannage and finish, and a defect count assessed over a scale pattern where a single flaw breaks the symmetry the article depends on.
Substrate, tannage and state of processing
7 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| SpeciesDeclared, by scientific name | Named by binomial rather than by trade name, because the convention listing, the permit and the customs classification all follow the scientific name. |
| Source codeDeclared, as the source code on the permit | Wild taken, ranched, captive bred or captive born, stated with the code that appears on the export permit. It is a legal term, not a quality term, and it is checked at both borders. |
| Preservation or tannageDeclared | Salted raw, dried raw, pickled, chrome tanned, vegetable tanned, crust or finished. Crust and finished are the usual international trading forms. |
| Tanning agentDeclared | Chrome, chrome free, vegetable, aldehyde or combination. The tannage governs how the scales lie and whether they lift with wear. |
| Cut and presentationDeclared | Belly cut, back cut, or whole round skin. A belly cut opens the skin along the ventral scales and shows the flank pattern, a back cut shows the dorsal pattern, and the two are different articles. |
| Scale finishDeclared | Natural, glazed, matt, semi matt or with the scales laid and set. The finish is contracted against a sealed reference sample. |
| Colour stateDeclared | Natural, bleached, dyed to a stated shade against a sealed swatch, or printed. Shade matching across a lot is a contract term for leather goods buyers. |
Selection, size and substance
6 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| WidthCentimetres, measured across the widest point of the belly | The governing dimension in this trade. Skins are sorted and priced in width bands and the band, not the length, sets the article the skin can make. |
| LengthCentimetres, measured from the neck cut to the tail | Stated with the width. The usable length excludes the tapered tail section, and the contract says where the measurement stops. |
| Usable lengthCentimetres | The length over which the width holds within the contracted band. It is what the cutter actually works with. |
| SubstanceMillimetres, measured at the stated position | Determined under ISO 2589. Snakeskin is thin and the tolerance is tight, because a shaved through patch shows immediately. |
| Scale row count and symmetryCount of rows, and the alignment across the centre line | The pattern is the product. Row count and the symmetry of the pattern about the spine decide whether a matched pair of pieces can be cut. |
| Piece countCount, with individual tag numbers | Skins are traded as individually tagged pieces and the tag numbers are listed on the packing list and on the permit. |
Grading and defect assessment
10 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| GradeDeclared, as the named grade within the stated ladder | Graded piece by piece on a lighted table by the number and position of defects in the usable area, with a defect in the centre of the belly weighted far more heavily than one at the edge. |
| Missing or lifted scalesCount and position | Scales pulled off in handling or lifted by an incomplete tannage. It is the defect that most often condemns a piece and no finishing hides it. |
| Scars and healed woundsCount, and depth as scale deep or through | Injuries taken in life, showing as a break in the pattern. The pattern discontinuity is the damage, not the strength loss. |
| Shed marks and moult linesAssessed on the lighted table | Marks left where the skin was taken close to a moult. They print as dull bands across the pattern. |
| Flay cuts and holesCount, and length or size | Damage from skinning. A cut across the belly scales runs the length of the usable area. |
| Pattern symmetryAssessed against the centre line | How evenly the pattern falls either side of the spine. Asymmetry rules out the matched pieces that a bag or a pair of shoes needs. |
| Colour and shade uniformityAssessed against a sealed swatch under a stated light source | Shade consistency within a piece and across the lot, assessed under the illuminant named in the contract. |
| Scale adhesionAssessed by a flexing and rubbing check | Whether the scales stay bonded under flex. A poorly tanned skin sheds scales in wear and it is tested before acceptance. |
| Fastness to rubbing and lightAssessed under the IUF fastness methods | Colour transfer under dry and wet rubbing, and fading under light exposure, tested for dyed and finished goods. |
| Tag integrityAssessed on inspection | Whether the convention tag is present, intact, legible and matched to the permit. A broken or missing tag makes the piece untradeable regardless of its quality. |
Chemical and physical analysis
9 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Chromic oxidePercentage by mass, on the dry weight | Determined under ISO 5398. It is the direct measure of how much chrome the hide has taken and it separates a properly tanned wet blue from an under tanned one. |
| Shrinkage temperatureDegrees Celsius | Determined under ISO 3380. The temperature at which the collagen contracts in water. It is the single most reliable check that the tannage is complete. |
| 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
13 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. |
| Convention export permitPermit, issued by the exporting country management authority | Required for every listed species. It names the species, the source code, the quantity and the tag numbers, and it must be issued before the shipment leaves. |
| Convention import permit or re-export certificatePermit or certificate, issued by the destination or re-exporting authority | Required at the destination for the higher listed species and for any onward re-export. The chain of certificates has to reconcile piece by piece. |
| Tag numbers and reconciliationSchedule of tag numbers | The tag numbers on the pieces, on the packing list and on the permit must agree exactly. A single mismatch holds the whole consignment. |
| Legal acquisition findingDeclared, with the supporting document | Evidence that the source, whether wild harvest quota or registered breeding operation, was lawful in the country of origin. |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Indonesia | West Java, Central Java and the Sidoarjo cluster | 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 |
| China | Hebei, Zhejiang, Guangdong and Shandong | Origin and destination |
| India | Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Punjab | Origin and destination |
| Bangladesh | Dhaka, Savar and the Hazaribagh and Hemayetpur tanneries | Origin and destination |
| Pakistan | Punjab, Sindh and the Karachi tanning cluster | Origin and destination |
| Italy | Arzignano, Santa Croce sull Arno, Solofra and the Veneto tanning districts | 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 |
| Spain | Igualada, Ubrique and the Levante tanneries | Origin and destination |
| United Kingdom | Northamptonshire, the Scottish borders and the West Country | Origin and destination |
| Switzerland | Luxury goods manufacture and the Geneva trade | Destination |
| United States | Midwest and Great Plains packing plants, and the Chicago and Milwaukee trade | Origin and destination |
| Mexico | Leon and the Guanajuato leather cluster | Origin and destination |
| Brazil | Rio Grande do Sul, Sao Paulo, Parana and the Centre West | Origin and destination |
| Argentina | Buenos Aires, Santa Fe and the Pampas packing plants | Origin and destination |
| Paraguay | Asuncion and the Chaco cattle region | Origin and destination |
| Colombia | Bogota, Antioquia and the Valle del Cauca | 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 |
| United Arab Emirates | Dubai re-export and Gulf consumption | Destination |
| Turkiye | Tuzla, Corlu, Izmir and Usak | Origin and destination |
| South Africa | Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State and KwaZulu-Natal | 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 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indonesia | 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 DecThe largest source of python and water snake skins, moving under annual harvest quota through Java and Sumatra with tanning in country before export. |
| Viet Nam | 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 DecCaptive bred python from registered farming operations, with year round supply and tanning capacity in the Mekong delta and around Ho Chi Minh City. |
| Thailand | 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 DecCaptive bred and ranched supply from registered operations, with a well established tanning and finishing sector. |
| Malaysia | 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 DecWild harvested python under quota, with the Peninsular and Borneo harvests reported separately. |
| China | 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 DecCaptive breeding operations and a large tanning capacity, buying raw and crust skins and shipping finished skins and made up goods. |
| Italy | 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 DecA finishing origin rather than a producing one. The Tuscan and Veneto exotic tanneries buy crust and supply the luxury goods houses. |
| France | 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 DecA finishing and consuming origin, with tanneries held inside the luxury goods groups working to their own sealed standards. |
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 snake skin. 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 heading4103.20 Raw hides and skins of reptiles
4106.40 Tanned leather of reptiles - 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 limitsMost traded python, boa and monitor species are CITES Appendix II, so export and import permits and species level identification are mandatory. EU wildlife trade Regulation 338/97 applies on entry, with veterinary health certification under Regulation 2016/429 and 142/2011, and the US Lacey Act and Endangered Species Act on entry to the United States.
Common questions
What grades of snake skin does SIP Global trade?
We quote 45 published grades of snake skin, including Species - Declared, by scientific name, Source code - Declared, as the source code on the permit, Preservation or tannage - Declared, Tanning agent - Declared, Cut and presentation - Declared and Scale finish - Declared. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is snake skin graded?
A snakeskin contract turns on the species and the legal source, the width and length of the piece, the tannage and finish, and a defect count assessed over a scale pattern where a single flaw breaks the symmetry the article depends on. 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 snake skin?
We trade snake skin in Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, China, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Italy and 20 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is snake skin harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are Indonesia: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; Viet Nam: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; Thailand: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; Malaysia: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; China: 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 snake skin?
Snake skin is normally classified under HS 4103.20 (raw hides and skins of reptiles) and HS 4106.40 (tanned leather of reptiles). 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 snake skin?
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 snake skin 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.