The Kenyan leather industry urgently needs innovative solutions and research to become profitable. This was said during the 2nd workshop on Eco-Tanning Processes in Kenya and the East African Region held in Nairobi. The event brought together tanning industry players, researchers in areas of leather processing and marketing, environmental scholars and regulators. The industry, was termed as‘a sleeping economic giant’ but was tipped to awaken the country’s manufacturing sector, create job opportunities in line with President William Ruto’s focus on leather, pharmaceuticals and edible oil value chains to grow the economy.