The Real Leather. Stay Different. (RLSD) Africa Talent Leather Design Showcase is a transformative design competition that promotes leather as the material of choice for a sustainable future. Now in its third year in Africa and fifth globally, RLSD is the consumer-facing initiative of a global campaign led by the Leather and Hide Council of America (L&HCA). In collaboration with the Africa Leather and Leather Products Institute (ALLPI), the competition promotes the principles of slow fashion across the continent while highlighting Africa`s exceptional design talent.

The competition is open for registration and submission of design entries from March 3, 2025 and closes on June 6, 2025 midnight BST. Winning designs will be announced on July 2, 2025, followed by an invitation to submit physical products. The submission period for physical products will run from July 4, 2025, to August 6, 2025. The competition is open to anyone over the age of 18 years who are either SMEs or studying a design course in university and their entries must be at least 50% cowhide leather by surface area and use natural materials wherever possible. While exceptions may be made for items such as zippers, snap fasteners, the overall design will be evaluated holistically, and a list of materials must be provided with submissions.