World production of stagnant footwear. Portugal is the 18th producer

Dand according to data from World Footwear Yearbook 2026 released today by the Portuguese Association of Footwear Industries, Components, Skin Articles and their Succession (APICCAPS), this evolution “confirms the hegemony of Asia” in the worldwide production of footwear, keeping China in the lead, with 13,700 million pairs and a quota of 55.6%, followed by India, with 3,000 million, and Vietnam, with 1,700 million.

On the other hand, Europe “takes on an increasingly secondary role” in world production, representing only 2.1% of the total, behind South America, with 4.5%, and Africa, with 3.3%.

Still, notes the association, “the European continent retains relevance in the most value-added segments and in the international distribution networks”.

In this context of strong concentration of production in Asia, APICCAPS points out that “Portugal maintained a relevant industrial position”, with 74 million pairs produced in 2025, occupying the 18th place worldwide.

In 2025, the country exported 69 million pairs of USD 1.949 million (about EUR 1,718 million at the exchange rate in the reference period), and imported 68 million pairs of USD 981 million (about EUR 844 million), thus recording a trade surplus close to USD 968 million (about EUR 833 million).

More than half of Portuguese exports in quantity, 58%, corresponded to leather footwear, “confirming the national position in segments with higher added value”, he points out.

APICCAPS also points out that the Portuguese industry has distanced itself from the Spanish competitor in the productive sector by manufacturing 14 million more pairs, with Spain producing 60 million pairs, exporting 164 million and importing 365 million, with a trade deficit of more than $2,000 million.

Numbers that emphasize “show the increasing weight of Spanish imports and re-exports, while Portugal preserves a stronger industrial base and a positive trade balance”.

For the president of the association, Portuguese performance “shows that it is possible to maintain a competitive industry in Europe, even in the face of very strong global competition”.

“Portugal continues to invest consistently in industry, innovation, technology, qualification and productive capacity. The 74 million pairs produced in 2025 and the commercial surplus close to $1,000 million dollars show that there is a solid and competitive industrial base,” says Luís Onofre, stressing that “this capacity did not arise by chance,” but “is the result of decades of investment and a permanent investment in modernization.”.

World Footwear Yearbook data also indicate that in 2025 world exports fell by 0.1% in quantity but grew by 1.6% in value, reaching 172,000 million dollars (about 147,000 million euros).

The average export price recovered to $11.65 per pair, still below the maximum of $11.96 reached in 2023.

For Luís Onofre, these data “confirm a reality that requires a firm response from Europe”, and the fact that world shoe production is increasingly concentrated in Asia “cannot mean a concentration of opportunities and rules of international trade”.

“ We cannot accept that the concentration of production in Asia is a concentration of world trade and a loss of European industrial capacity. Europe must defend its interests and ensure that free trade is also balanced trade, based on conditions of fair and reciprocal competition,” he said.

Also according to World Footwear Yearbook, Asia also maintains a dominant position in international trade, ensuring 84.3% of exported pairs.