Abstract: As a novel, clean and efficient heat source, the application of microwave in leather industry has aroused intensively research interest of scientists. Herein, the research progress of microwave irradiation in the main processes of leather processing, including drying, dyeing, fatliquoring and tanning, was summarized, and the shortcomings in the existing research were pointed out, which provides a reference for the effective application of microwave technology in leather processing.