The Portuguese footwear industry returned, in 2021, to a positive record. Until October, Portugal exported 58 million pairs of shoes, worth 1.409 million euros, which reflects a 9% increase on a comparable basis to last year.
Europe was once again the reference market for Portuguese footwear, having purchased 49 million national pairs (more 10.3%), at the value of 1.151 million euros (up by of 9.2%). Noteworthy note for the good performance in Germany, with exports growth of 23.4% to 331 million euros. On the other end, the recovery in the French market remains very slow, reporting a decline of 1.1% to 281 million euros.
Outside the community space, sales to the UK increased by 12%, reaching 84 million euros. Exports to the US have also risen, by 12.8%, totalling 60 million euros. Portuguese performance in Australia (up by 44% to 7 million euros), China (up by 4.6% to 16 million euros), Hong Kong (up by 24.5% to 2.6 million euros) and Israel (up by 26.7% to 2.2 million euros) shows signs of recovery too.
"As expected, the year of 2021 saw the sector recover”, highlights Paulo Gonçalves. "In several markets – continued – we reached pre-pandemic levels”. Still, according to APICCAPS’ spokesperson, "recovery will still be slower than we wished”, once "all indicators suggest that the footwear sector at an international level will only recover fully in 2023. In the Portuguese case, "there is an expectation of achieving that goal already in 2022”.
2022 promises
The footwear sector is showing encouraging signs for 2022. "However, we remain dependent on many variables out of our control: the pandemic’s evolution, the vaccination process, and, recurring from these past 18 crazy months, the increase in costs of raw materials and even difficulties in their supply”. "Integrated response capacity (from raw materials to final footwear), small series, creative value propositions, namely in the field of sustainability, are some main arguments behind the growing demand for Portuguese companies”, concluded the spokesperson of APICCAPS.
Leather components and goods
The leather components for the footwear and goods sector has also closed 2021 on a positive note. In terms of footwear components, exports grew by 16% until October, reaching 41 million euros. Performances in Germany (up by 17.4% to 11 million euros), Spain (up by 18.8% to 6.7 million euros) and France (up by 7.5% to 6.5 million euros) were decisive to this outcome.
The leather goods sector continues to exhibit strong signs of growth in foreign markets. In the first ten months of 2021, exports have increased by 25.5%, totalling 156 million euros. 2022 promises
The footwear sector is showing encouraging signs for 2022. "However, we remain dependent on many variables out of our control: the pandemic’s evolution, the vaccination process, and, recurring from these past 18 crazy months, the increase in costs of raw materials and even difficulties in their supply”. "Integrated response capacity (from raw materials to final footwear), small series, creative value propositions, namely in the field of sustainability, are some main arguments behind the growing demand for Portuguese companies”, concluded the spokesperson of APICCAPS.
Leather components and goods
The leather components for the footwear and goods sector has also closed 2021 on a positive note. In terms of footwear components, exports grew by 16% until October, reaching 41 million euros. Performances in Germany (up by 17.4% to 11 million euros), Spain (up by 18.8% to 6.7 million euros) and France (up by 7.5% to 6.5 million euros) were decisive to this outcome.