Hide is one of the oldest raw materials which have been used trough the time. Human have been using leather since Paleolithic period till nowadays for different purposes. Hide and leather product manufacturing are national economy industry in which hide tanning and handling, suitcase, bag etc., product manufacturing are combined, including harness and shoes manufacturing industries. Hide manufacturing industry is the oldest industrial industry in Latvia. There is only one working hide handling manufacture in Latvia - A/S Rital, located in Jelgava city. This hide handling manufacture uses Latvia’s livestock. Most used livestock are cattle (cows and oxen). Most of all production (95%) A/S Rital exports to another EU states. Just 5% of all production is left in Latvia. There are 83 legal livestock slaughterhouses in Latvia. Most of those slaughterhouses orient oneself on pigs and cattle (like cows and calves) slaughter. In nowadays Latvia have been declined from “golden crater” – hide manufacturing and processing. These actions were in Latvia ante-bellum. There is an unsolved question about the use of hide and skin (also leather) for the industrial needs. The aim of this publication is to interpret the situation in hide manufacturing industry in Latvia. All gathered facts shows that this branch of national economy is not utilized. It is necessary to manage historical and experimental researches which haven’t been realized in the hide industry up to this time.