Artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as one of the main drivers of transformation in the footwear industry, with a growing impact on critical areas such as planning, production, logistics, and customer relations. Even so, the adoption of this technology remains uneven, constrained by limitations in investment, skills, and technological integration.
This is one of the key conclusions of the latest study by APICCAPS, developed by World Footwear project, which analyses how companies in the sector are implementing AI solutions and what tangible gains are already being observed in an industrial context.
The report paints a realistic picture: far from an immediate revolution, artificial intelligence is being introduced incrementally, through pilot projects focused on specific use cases with measurable returns. Even so, early results point to significant improvements in key indicators such as planning time, production efficiency, quality, and energy consumption.
Competitive pressure accelerates change
The global context helps explain this trend. The footwear industry, valued at over 400 billion dollars and expected to grow robustly in the coming decade, faces a demanding combination of factors: intense international competition, cost pressure, increasing sustainability requirements, and a growing demand for personalization.
In this scenario, according to the study "Artificial Intelligence in the Footwear Sector,” digitalization is no longer optional. Broadly speaking, "artificial intelligence emerges as a critical tool to address this complexity, enabling companies to automate processes, anticipate demand, optimize resources, and improve decision-making.”
The study also highlights that "AI does not replace industrial know-how - it enhances it.” By transforming operational data into actionable insights, the technology allows companies to respond more quickly to market dynamics and reduce long-standing inefficiencies.
From design to production: where AI is already creating value
The application of artificial intelligence across the footwear value chain is already visible on several fronts.
In design, generative AI tools make it possible to explore multiple creative solutions in seconds, accelerating product development and reducing time-to-market. At the same time, data-driven personalization solutions—such as 3D foot scanning—are transforming the relationship with consumers, increasing purchase likelihood and reducing returns.
In production, the impacts are even more evident. Computer vision systems can detect defects in real time, while optimization algorithms dynamically adjust production parameters. The result is less waste, greater consistency, and productivity gains.
In the supply chain, AI enables highly accurate demand forecasting, improving inventory management and reducing stockouts or excess inventory. At the same time, logistics optimization algorithms contribute to more agile and efficient supply chains.
A real-world laboratory of the Portuguese industry
One of the pillars of the study is the analysis of concrete cases developed במסגרת the FAIST project, a national consortium that brings together more than 40 entities and represents an investment of around 50 million euros under the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR).
FAIST operates as a "living lab” to test artificial intelligence solutions in an industrial environment, focusing on their practical applicability and scalability—especially for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Among the examples analyzed is Olifel, which "developed an AI-assisted planning system capable of reducing planning time from eight hours to just one.” At the same time, the production plan compliance rate may reach levels close to 98.5%, compared to around 50% previously.
ISI, in turn, "is investing in the integration of intelligent planning and sustainability, with real-time monitoring of CO₂ emissions per pair produced and optimization of energy consumption.” The company estimates reductions of up to 90% in planning time, along with gains in quality and efficiency.
Meanwhile, MIND "has been applying AI in engineering and cutting processes, particularly in optimizing material usage and reducing sample development time—which can drop from eight weeks to around two.”
Clear gains, but persistent obstacles
Despite promising results, the study identifies a set of structural barriers that continue to limit the adoption of artificial intelligence in the sector.
Among the main challenges are "data quality and fragmentation—often scattered across legacy systems—the high initial investment, particularly significant for SMEs, the lack of specialized skills in AI and data analysis, integration difficulties with existing industrial systems, and the absence of clear return metrics, which makes it harder to scale pilot projects.”
These factors are compounded by a cultural dimension: "resistance to change and distrust of ‘opaque’ systems continue to slow adoption in some organizations.”
New paths forward
In light of this scenario, the study advocates a pragmatic approach. "Rather than large disruptive transformations, companies should focus on specific projects with well-defined objectives and clear performance indicators.”
The idea is to identify a concrete problem—such as reducing planning time or improving quality—and develop data-driven solutions based on already available data, ensuring gradual integration into operational processes.
The results from FAIST demonstrate that "this approach can generate significant gains even in traditional industrial contexts, strengthening companies’ competitiveness and resilience.”
An inevitable transformation
The conclusion of the APICCAPS study of the World Footwear report "Artificial Intelligence in the Footwear Sector” is unequivocal: "artificial intelligence is moving from the experimental phase to practical application in the footwear industry.”
Indeed, although the pace of adoption varies between companies, the direction is clear. "In an increasingly demanding global market, the ability to integrate technology into production and decision-making processes will be decisive for competitive positioning.”
For the Portuguese industry, which has been strengthening its position in higher value-added segments, "AI represents not only an opportunity, but a strategic necessity.” The question is no longer whether artificial intelligence will be adopted, but how quickly each company will be able to integrate it into its business model.
This is one of the key conclusions of the latest study by APICCAPS, developed by World Footwear project, which analyses how companies in the sector are implementing AI solutions and what tangible gains are already being observed in an industrial context.
The report paints a realistic picture: far from an immediate revolution, artificial intelligence is being introduced incrementally, through pilot projects focused on specific use cases with measurable returns. Even so, early results point to significant improvements in key indicators such as planning time, production efficiency, quality, and energy consumption.
Competitive pressure accelerates change
The global context helps explain this trend. The footwear industry, valued at over 400 billion dollars and expected to grow robustly in the coming decade, faces a demanding combination of factors: intense international competition, cost pressure, increasing sustainability requirements, and a growing demand for personalization.
In this scenario, according to the study "Artificial Intelligence in the Footwear Sector,” digitalization is no longer optional. Broadly speaking, "artificial intelligence emerges as a critical tool to address this complexity, enabling companies to automate processes, anticipate demand, optimize resources, and improve decision-making.”
The study also highlights that "AI does not replace industrial know-how - it enhances it.” By transforming operational data into actionable insights, the technology allows companies to respond more quickly to market dynamics and reduce long-standing inefficiencies.
From design to production: where AI is already creating value
The application of artificial intelligence across the footwear value chain is already visible on several fronts.
In design, generative AI tools make it possible to explore multiple creative solutions in seconds, accelerating product development and reducing time-to-market. At the same time, data-driven personalization solutions—such as 3D foot scanning—are transforming the relationship with consumers, increasing purchase likelihood and reducing returns.
In production, the impacts are even more evident. Computer vision systems can detect defects in real time, while optimization algorithms dynamically adjust production parameters. The result is less waste, greater consistency, and productivity gains.
In the supply chain, AI enables highly accurate demand forecasting, improving inventory management and reducing stockouts or excess inventory. At the same time, logistics optimization algorithms contribute to more agile and efficient supply chains.
A real-world laboratory of the Portuguese industry
One of the pillars of the study is the analysis of concrete cases developed במסגרת the FAIST project, a national consortium that brings together more than 40 entities and represents an investment of around 50 million euros under the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR).
FAIST operates as a "living lab” to test artificial intelligence solutions in an industrial environment, focusing on their practical applicability and scalability—especially for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Among the examples analyzed is Olifel, which "developed an AI-assisted planning system capable of reducing planning time from eight hours to just one.” At the same time, the production plan compliance rate may reach levels close to 98.5%, compared to around 50% previously.
ISI, in turn, "is investing in the integration of intelligent planning and sustainability, with real-time monitoring of CO₂ emissions per pair produced and optimization of energy consumption.” The company estimates reductions of up to 90% in planning time, along with gains in quality and efficiency.
Meanwhile, MIND "has been applying AI in engineering and cutting processes, particularly in optimizing material usage and reducing sample development time—which can drop from eight weeks to around two.”
Clear gains, but persistent obstacles
Despite promising results, the study identifies a set of structural barriers that continue to limit the adoption of artificial intelligence in the sector.
Among the main challenges are "data quality and fragmentation—often scattered across legacy systems—the high initial investment, particularly significant for SMEs, the lack of specialized skills in AI and data analysis, integration difficulties with existing industrial systems, and the absence of clear return metrics, which makes it harder to scale pilot projects.”
These factors are compounded by a cultural dimension: "resistance to change and distrust of ‘opaque’ systems continue to slow adoption in some organizations.”
New paths forward
In light of this scenario, the study advocates a pragmatic approach. "Rather than large disruptive transformations, companies should focus on specific projects with well-defined objectives and clear performance indicators.”
The idea is to identify a concrete problem—such as reducing planning time or improving quality—and develop data-driven solutions based on already available data, ensuring gradual integration into operational processes.
The results from FAIST demonstrate that "this approach can generate significant gains even in traditional industrial contexts, strengthening companies’ competitiveness and resilience.”
An inevitable transformation
The conclusion of the APICCAPS study of the World Footwear report "Artificial Intelligence in the Footwear Sector” is unequivocal: "artificial intelligence is moving from the experimental phase to practical application in the footwear industry.”
Indeed, although the pace of adoption varies between companies, the direction is clear. "In an increasingly demanding global market, the ability to integrate technology into production and decision-making processes will be decisive for competitive positioning.”
For the Portuguese industry, which has been strengthening its position in higher value-added segments, "AI represents not only an opportunity, but a strategic necessity.” The question is no longer whether artificial intelligence will be adopted, but how quickly each company will be able to integrate it into its business model.