§1What this business is
Pieces of the needed shape and size are cut from trimmings of vegetable-tanned (VT) leather and soaked in water overnight. They are moulded to shape on the same hand press by changing dies, then treated with oil, wax or preservative, coloured, checked and packed. The washers go into hand pumps, kerosene stoves, kerosene lanterns, other pumps and machines. The profile says the machines and raw material are easy to get and the unit suits rural areas.
Capacity: 5,000 washers a month.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
Someone near a tannery cluster or hand-pump spares market who wants a small home-based unit.
Who it is not for
Anyone expecting fast growth — this is a small, steady spares trade.
Advantages
- Tiny investment and hand-operated machines
- Raw material is tannery waste (trimmings)
- Hand pumps and pumps need washers replaced often
Drawbacks
- Kerosene stoves and lanterns are fading out, shrinking part of the market
- Rubber and synthetic washers compete on price
- Low price per piece — volume matters
Skills you need
- Cutting and splitting leather
- Moulding with dies
- Oil/wax treatment for long life
- Selling to spares dealers
Why difficulty 2/5: Very easy to set up, but the market is narrow and partly shrinking.
§3Market
Who buys
- Hand-pump and pump spares dealers
- Kerosene stove and lantern repairers
- Machine repair shops
How it sells
- Supply to spares and hardware shops
- Sales through rural hand-pump mechanics
Good to know
- The profile says these items have good demand in rural and suburban areas.
- It prices washers at ₹5 each.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Hand press | 1 | ₹8,030 |
| VT leather splitting machine | 1 | ₹3,520 |
| Tools, dies and equipment | lot | ₹2,200 |
From: MSME-DI Hyderabad project profile — Leather Gaskets and Washers Making
- Vegetable-tanned (VT) leather trimmings250 kg a month at ₹42 a kg
- Oil, wax, preservative and colourpart of other materials, ₹1,000 a month
From: MSME-DI Hyderabad project profile — Leather Gaskets and Washers Making
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam registration
- Trade licence from the local body
- GST registration once turnover crosses the limit
§6Schemes & subsidies
A MUDRA Shishu loan covers the ₹30,000 cost; PMEGP also funds such village units.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Fixed capital ₹13,750 (hand press ₹8,030, VT leather splitting machine ₹3,520, tools, dies and equipment ₹2,200) + working capital for one month ₹16,200 = total capital investment ₹30,000 as printed. Workshop 300 sq ft rented at ₹2,500 a month.
Working capital: ₹16,200 a month: 250 kg of VT leather trimmings at ₹42 a kg (₹10,500), other materials ₹1,000, helper, rent and sundries.
Year not printed on the MSME-DI Hyderabad profile; the prices are old — check current machinery and material prices.
§8Export potential
Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export
Export council / board: Council for Leather Exports (CLE)
- Confirm the 8-digit ITC(HS) line with DGFT or your customs broker before shipping.
- You need an Import Export Code (IEC) from DGFT before the first shipment.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Falling use of kerosene appliances
- Substitution by rubber washers
- Supply of good VT trimmings
- Low selling price
§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan
A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.
- Days 1–30: Visit a working leather gaskets and washers unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
- Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Udyam registration, Trade licence from the local body), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
- Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.
§11Who to connect with
Associations, clusters and training institutes — the directory is being built. Connect
§12Watch
There is no episode on this business yet. Shows are coming soon on the Podcast page.
Want to start Leather Gaskets and Washers?
DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.
¶Sources
Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.