Global footwear production to decline by 1.5 billion pairs in 2023

In 2023, global footwear production fell by 6% to 22.4 billion pairs, the lowest figure in the last decade, with the exception of 2020 and 2021, during the pandemic. The figure appears in the World Footwear Yearbook 2024, recently published by the Portuguese footwear association APICCAPS.

The decline in production was mainly due to a drop in consumption in the main world markets. In the USA, production decreased by 749 million pairs, in China by 398 million pairs and in the European Union by 399 million pairs.

Last year, 14 billion pairs were exported worldwide, a decrease of 9.1% compared to 2022. The value of global exports fell by 6.1% in 2023 to $168 billion, which was, however, the second-highest value ever recorded.

Footwear production remained highly concentrated in Asia, where nearly nine out of ten pairs of footwear were manufactured. Asia accounted for 87.1% of global production. China remained the world's leading producer of footwear, with a global market share of almost 55%. India's share of global production increased to 11.6%.

In terms of consumption, Asia accounted for more than half (54.7%) of total global footwear consumption in 2023, followed by Europe and North America with shares of 13.9% and 13.4% respectively. China remained the world’s largest footwear consumer country, although its global share fell to 17.1%. Consumption in the US declined significantly and the country lost its status as the world’s second largest footwear consumer country, behind India.

In 2023, 14 billion pairs of footwear were exported globally, worth US$168 billion, corresponding to year-on-year decreases of 9.1% and 6.1%, respectively, in traded volumes and transaction values. Of these exports, 63.8% originated in China. Vietnam accounted for 9.5% of exports, followed by Indonesia with 3.2%. These three countries together accounted for more than three-quarters of global footwear exports.

The average export price per pair of shoes was $12 in 2023, an increase of 3.2% compared to 2022. Over the past decade, the average price has increased by 38.8%. The largest increase in the average price, 65%, was recorded for textile-based shoes, compared to a 24% increase for leather shoes.