NAIROBI, AFRICA | FEBRUARY 2026
The 4th Edition of the RLSD Africa Talent Leather Design Showcase has officially been launched, reaffirming Africa’s growing influence in shaping the future of responsible, design-led, and sustainable fashion. Anchored within the global Real Leather. Stay Different. campaign, the 2026 edition builds on six years of worldwide engagement that has reached thousands of designers and students across dozens of countries.
More than a competition, RLSD Africa is a continental movement redefining how creativity, value, and sustainability intersect within Africa’s fashion and design landscape. The showcase celebrates leather’s beauty, versatility, strength, and durability, while providing designers with a credible platform to demonstrate originality, craftsmanship, and responsible production.
Through targeted education and engagement, RLSD Africa equips designers with a deeper understanding of leather as a natural material derived from hides that are by-products of the meat and dairy industries. This approach reinforces ethical material use, informed design decisions, and long-term value creation. By recognising and rewarding innovation, the showcase continues to serve as a launch-pad for designers to build meaningful careers and sustainable businesses.
Beyond the competition, RLSD Africa cultivates a growing network of continental ambassadors, designers empowered to advocate for responsible leather craftsmanship and long-lasting design. At its core, the initiative champions Slow Fashion, directly challenging the wastefulness of fast fashion by promoting high-quality leather products designed to endure.
Speaking at the launch of the 2026 edition, Kerry Brozyna, President of the Leather and Hide Council of America, said:
“As RLSD Africa enters its fourth year on the continent, one thing is clear: Africa is no longer participating in the sustainability conversation from the margins—it is helping define it. Leather explains how. As a renewable raw material from the food industry, transformed through skill and craftsmanship into products made to last, leather demonstrates responsibility and longevity in practice. RLSD Africa exists to elevate this truth through design.”
Nicholas Mudungwe, Executive Director of the Africa Leather and Leather Products Institute, added:
“RLSD Africa has matured into a continental platform linking design, industry, and policy. As Africa advances its leather value chains, initiatives like RLSD play a catalytic role, translating raw potential into globally competitive, sustainable products while anchoring value creation in African talent.”
RLSD Africa Talent Leather Design Showcase 2026 – Here is what you need to know:
Proven Impact: Africa’s Talent on the Global Stage
Over the past three years, RLSD Africa has established strong credibility through measurable impact and designer progression. The platform has produced Most Commendable Designers whose work has gained international recognition, including Ethiopia’s Ruth Girmay, awarded Most Commendable Designer in 2023 and 2024, and Farida Eid, awarded Most Commendable Designer in 2025, each representing Africa on global RLSD stages.
About RLSD Africa
The Real Leather. Stay Different. (RLSD) Africa Talent Leather Design Showcase is a transformative competition that positions leather as the material of choice for a sustainable future. Now in its forth year in Africa and sixth globally, it forms part of the consumer-facing campaign led by the Leather and Hide Council of America (LHCA) to secure and strengthen leather markets worldwide. In Africa, the initiative is implemented in partnership with the Africa Leather and Leather Products Institute (ALLPI) and coordinated by CBiT. RLSD Africa champions the principles of slow fashion, challenging the wastefulness of fast fashion by promoting leather’s beauty, versatility, strength, durability, and sustainability. The Competition highlights Africa’s exceptional design talent while engaging and educating designers on leather’s applications and eco-friendly credentials, creating ambassadors who influence the fashion industry, and recognising and rewarding innovation as a pathway to thriving careers and businesses. By celebrating creativity and promoting ‘Slow Style’ as an ethical and environmentally responsible alternative, RLSD Africa empowers a new generation of designers with international visibility, market access, mentorship opportunities, and a platform to shape the global conversation on sustainable fashion.
ABOUT LEATHER AND HIDE COUNCIL OF AMERICA (LHCA).
The Leather & Hide Council of America (LHCA) is the driving force behind the U.S. leather industry, committed to promoting the quality, sustainability and traceability of U.S.-sourced leather. Established in 2020 through the merger of two historic industry associations, United States Hide, Skin and Leather Association (founded in 1979) and Leather Industries of America (founded in 1917), LHCA represents approximately 75 member companies and serves as a vital advocate for the leather supply chain.
LHCA offers comprehensive services, including government relations, public relations, and trade assistance, with a mission to protect and grow a strong and sustainable global market for leather. By collaborating with key stakeholders, including the USDA, the council actively works to develop new markets for agricultural exports and ensures that leather remains a premium material of choice.
A champion of sustainability and innovation, LHCA drives best practice in ethical production, educates stakeholders on technical advancements and fosters global partnerships to secure the industry’s future. The council also supports regional events and initiatives, providing critical insights and resources to promote leather’s enduring value in fashion and beyond.
ABOUT AFRICA LEATHER AND LEATHER PRODUCTS INSTITUTE (ALLPI).
The Africa Leather and Leather Products Institute (ALLPI) is a specialized intergovernmental organization under COMESA, dedicated to advancing the leather and leather products value chain across Africa. Headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, ALLPI serves as a hub for innovation, research and policy advocacy to enhance the sector’s competitiveness and sustainability.
The institute provides technical support, capacity building and technology transfer to member states, empowering SMEs and fostering value addition. ALLPI champions environmental sustainability, promotes regional trade harmonization and strengthens integration through collaboration with stakeholders across the continent.
By addressing key challenges and unlocking opportunities in the leather industry, ALLPI contributes to job creation, economic growth and Africa’s global competitiveness. Its work aligns with Africa’s vision for industrialisation and sustainable development, positioning leather as a key pillar for regional transformation.
For more information, please contact:
Press Contact: Edward Mwasi
Office Line: +245 700 000 757
Website: chooserealleather.com/competition/africa-competition/
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