11,305
people employed
U.S. other leather and allied product manufacturers employed 11,305 people in 2023.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 ↗Industry reference
U.S. leather goods manufacturing statistics
Current, citable figures on the small U.S. manufacturing sector behind leather goods. Updated September 8, 2026.
2023 at a glance
These figures cover Census category NAICS 3169, Other Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing. It is a manufacturing measure, not a retail-market estimate.
The numbers
A sector built in small shops.
633
business establishments
There were 633 U.S. establishments in other leather and allied product manufacturing in 2023.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 ↗587
small establishments
587 of those establishments had fewer than five employees, or about 93% of the sector.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 ↗9,387
people in other leather goods
The Census category for all other leather goods and allied products accounted for 9,387 employees in 2023.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 ↗$489.8M
annual payroll
Annual payroll for other leather and allied product manufacturing totaled $489.8 million in 2023.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 ↗How to read this
Leather goods are a distinct slice of American manufacturing.
The Census category used here covers other leather and allied product manufacturers. It is separate from leather tanning and finishing, footwear manufacturing, leather apparel, and retail stores. That distinction matters when comparing figures, because a large consumer-market number can describe a very different part of the trade.
The strongest takeaway is the shape of the sector: most establishments are small, and the work is spread across specialized makers and manufacturers. That makes this a useful reference for writers covering American-made goods, craftsmanship, manufacturing, and leatherwork.
Sources and methodology
Use the original data when precision matters.
Primary source
Every statistic on this page comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 County Business Patterns national data file. The page uses the rows for NAICS 3169 and, where noted, NAICS 316998.
Open the 2023 Census data file ↗Definitions
County Business Patterns counts business establishments with paid employees. Payroll is reported in thousands of dollars, and the figures above have been converted to dollars for easier reading.
Read the Census methodology ↗Last updated
September 8, 2026. This page is refreshed when the Census Bureau releases a newer annual County Business Patterns file.
Cite this page
American Handcrafted Leather. “U.S. Leather Goods Manufacturing Statistics.” Updated September 8, 2026. American Handcrafted Leather.
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