Leather industry in tamilnadu the state accounts for 70 per cent of leather tanning capacity in India and 38 per cent of leather footwear and components. The exports from Tamil Nadu are valued at about US $762 million, which accounts for 42 per cent of Indian leather exports. Hundreds of leather and tannery industries are located around Vellore, Dindigul and Erode its nearby town Ranipet, Chennai, Ambur, Perundurai and Vaniyambadi. According to an all India survey of leather product industries carried out by CLRI, there are 144 footwear/footwear components manufacturers, 155 leather garment manufacturers and 139 leather goods producers in the state of Tamilnadu. Besides these registered producers, there are a large number of small producers and job workers with 50 or 10 machines producing garments and leather goods. Theirs number could run into lie providing employment to over 150000 persons directly in the state of Tamilnadu. It is estimated that a significant percentage (over 75%) of workers in these factories are women.