§1What this business is
Strap parts are cut from leather on a clicking press, the edges are skived thin, glued and folded, a lining is attached, the buckle is fitted and the strap is stitched and finished. The NSIC profile uses full-chrome upper leather for the face and cow, buffalo or split leather for the lining. Buyers are watch makers and assemblers, watch shops and repairers, and wholesalers of watch accessories.
Capacity: 1.8 million straps a year.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
Someone who has worked in a leather-goods or footwear unit and can find watch-brand or wholesale buyers.
Who it is not for
Someone without bulk buyers lined up — 1.8 million straps a year needs large orders.
Advantages
- Small space and a 5 HP load are enough
- Simple leather-goods machines: clicking press, skiving and sewing machines
- Straps wear out and are replaced more often than the watch
- The same machines can also make belts and small leather goods
Drawbacks
- Many watches now come with metal, silicone or smartwatch bands
- Leather prices and quality swing with the hide supply
- Hand finishing decides quality — rejects cost money
- The profile prints no sales or profit figures, so you must work out your own prices
Skills you need
- Cutting leather with little waste
- Skiving and edge folding
- Stitching on a flat-bed machine
- Selling to watch makers and wholesalers
Why difficulty 2/5: Simple machines and process, but you need steady bulk buyers.
§3Market
Who buys
- Watch makers and assemblers
- Watch shops and repairers
- Wholesalers of watch accessories
How it sells
- Direct supply to watch brands
- Wholesale markets for watch parts and accessories
Good to know
- The NSIC profile prints no market or price data.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Clicking press (hand operated) | — | — |
| Leather skiving machine | — | — |
| Flat-bed industrial sewing machine | — | — |
| Stamping machine | — | — |
| Punching machine | — | — |
| Tools and equipment | — | — |
From: NSIC project profile — Wrist Watch Straps (Leather) — private guide — confirm locally
- Full-chrome upper leather (cow, buffalo, goat or sheep)for the strap face
- Lining leather (cow, buffalo or split leather)for the back of the strap
- Bucklesbought ready-made
- Thread and adhesivefor stitching and edge folding
- Packing materialfor dispatch
From: NSIC project profile — Wrist Watch Straps (Leather) — private guide — confirm locally
In our raw material database
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam registration
- GST
- State Pollution Control Board consent if your state asks for it
- Trade licence from the local body
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- MudraCentralActiveLoan up to ₹20 lakh, no collateral
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
- Stand-Up IndiaCentralClosed₹10 lakh – ₹1 crore loan
At ₹17.5 lakh it fits PMEGP (manufacturing projects up to ₹50 lakh) and MUDRA (loans up to ₹20 lakh); CGTMSE backs a loan without collateral; Stand-Up India suits SC/ST and women founders.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: NSIC profile: machinery and equipment plus working capital for 3 months (raw material, utilities and salary) = ₹17.5 lakh, printed as one figure. Land and building are not included.
Working capital: Three months of working capital (raw material, utilities and salary) is inside the ₹17.5 lakh; the profile does not print it separately.
Year not printed on the NSIC profile — check current machinery 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
- Demand moving to metal, silicone and smartwatch bands
- Leather price and quality swings
- Large orders depending on a few buyers
- Rejects from poor stitching or finishing
§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 watch strap making 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, GST), 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 Watch Strap Making?
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.