§1What this business is
Vegetable-tanned leather is buffed and cut to standard patterns on a clicking press, split to thickness, moistened and shaped in a heated moulding press, dried in a hot chamber and trimmed. Side flaps, stirrup straps and the girth belt are fitted, and the saddle is sprayed with pigmented lacquer. The trade is concentrated in Kanpur, Meerut and Ambala, with leather from Phillaur, Jalandhar, Kaithal, Kolkata, Kanpur and Meerut. Race clubs, defence and police departments, riding and sports schools and export buyers purchase saddlery.
Capacity: 60,000 saddlery and harness pieces a year, valued at ₹1.89 crore.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
Someone in Kanpur, Meerut or Ambala with saddlery skills or contacts with equestrian buyers.
Who it is not for
Someone with no link to riding, police, army or export buyers.
Advantages
- Low machinery cost — most money goes into leather stock
- Steady institutional buyers: police, army, race clubs
- Export saddlery has grown faster than other leather items, says the profile
- No pollution in making saddles
Drawbacks
- Small, specialised market
- Needs skilled saddlers
- Working capital is large compared with machinery
- Export buyers expect high finish and fit
Skills you need
- Pattern cutting and moulding of leather
- Hand finishing and fitting of straps and buckles
- Knowledge of riding equipment
- Export and tender work
Why difficulty 3/5: Few machines but a niche market and skilled craft work.
§3Market
Who buys
- Race clubs and riding schools
- Defence and police departments
- Model and sports schools
- Overseas equestrian importers
How it sells
- Government tenders
- Direct supply to clubs and schools
- Export orders
Good to know
- The profile says saddlery and harness exports grew 32.04% against 29.52% for leather and leather products as a whole.
- Two types are made: general-purpose and show-jumping saddles.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Hydraulic clicking press with cutting dies, 1.5 HP | 1 | ₹80,000 |
| Hydraulic moulding press with heating and moulds | 1 | ₹75,000 |
| Heavy leather splitting machine, 60 cm | 1 | ₹25,000 |
| Buffing machine with dust removal | 1 | ₹25,000 |
| Trimming machine | 1 | ₹15,000 |
| Spray booth with two guns and compressor | 1 set | ₹15,000 |
| Hot chamber for drying | 1 | ₹15,000 |
| Strap cutting machine | 1 | ₹10,000 |
From: DC-MSME project profile — Saddlery and Harness (2003)
- Vegetable-tanned leather20,000 kg a month at ₹60 a kg (4 kg per saddle, 5,000 pieces a month)
- Pigments, binders, lacquer, straps, buckles and other fittings₹20 per piece
From: DC-MSME project profile — Saddlery and Harness (2003)
Suppliers in Building Business Bazaar
S.P. Engg. Co · Kanpur →Asia Tannery · Kanpur →Balmer Laurie and Co · Chennai →Benson Industries · Howrah →Bharat Sales Agenices · Mumbai →Clariant (India) Ltd · Kolkata →Dayer (India) Ltd · Chennai →Harman Sales Pvt. Ltd · Mumbai →Ideal Udyog · Agra →Indo-German Shoe Machine Co.(P) Ltd · Mumbai →Indofil Chemical Ltd · Mumbai →Pioneer Tannery · Kanpur →
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam
- GST
- Trade licence
- Importer-Exporter Code for exports
- BIS standard IS 1637 where buyers specify it
§6Schemes & subsidies
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
- Stand-Up IndiaCentralClosed₹10 lakh – ₹1 crore loan
At about ₹52 lakh the project is just above PMEGP's ₹50 lakh limit; CGTMSE (collateral-free guarantee) and Stand-Up India (₹10 lakh–₹1 crore for SC/ST and women) fit.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: DC-MSME profile: land and building ₹8.00 L + machinery and equipment ₹3.00 L (clicking press ₹0.80 L, moulding press ₹0.75 L) + pre-operative ₹0.10 L = fixed capital ₹11.10 L; working capital for 3 months ₹40.53 L; total ₹51.63 L.
Working capital: ₹40.53 L for 3 months; vegetable-tanned leather (20,000 kg a month, 4 kg a saddle) is ₹12.00 L a month.
Prices from 2003 — machinery, land and raw-material costs will be much higher now.
§8Export potential
Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export
Export council / board: Council for Leather Exports (CLE)
- Export saddlery must match the buyer's tree sizes and fittings.
- Confirm the 8-digit ITC(HS) line with DGFT or your customs broker before shipping.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Few large buyers
- Vegetable-tanned leather price
- Rejection on fit or finish
- Long tender cycles
§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 saddlery and harness unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
- Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Udyam, 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 Saddlery and Harness?
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.