As reported by ECO, Portugal climbed to 18th place among global footwear producers in 2025, accounting for 0.5 percent of worldwide production by value and 0.3 percent by volume.

By comparison, Spain dropped out of the world’s top 20 producers, underlining the growing competitiveness of the Portuguese industry.

International markets

The report, published by the Portuguese Footwear, Components, Leather Goods Manufacturers’ Association (APICCAPS), also highlights the country’s continued success in international markets.

Nearly 93 percent of all footwear manufactured in Portugal last year was exported, reaching customers in 174 countries across five continents.

Portugal ranked as the world’s 15th largest footwear exporter by value, generating US$1.95 billion (around €1.7 billion), while placing 17th by export volume with 69 million pairs sold abroad.

Germany remained Portugal’s largest export market, accounting for almost a quarter of overseas sales, followed by France, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom.

Over the past five years, Germany, Spain and the United States have recorded the highest growth in demand for Portuguese footwear.

Although exports to the US declined during 2025 following the introduction of new tariffs, the American market has still expanded significantly over the long term.

Premium production

Paulo Gonçalves, APICCAPS Executive Director, said Portugal’s achievement should be measured not by production volume alone but by its strong export orientation and its focus on higher-value products.

On the contrary to many major manufacturing countries that rely on low-cost mass production, Portuguese companies continue to compete in premium market segments.

This strategy is reflected in export prices, as the average value of Portuguese footwear exports increased by 2.5 percent in 2025 to US$28.25 per pair, making Portugal the world’s second highest-priced footwear exporter after Italy.

While Mexico has almost matched Portugal’s average export price, APICCAPS argues the comparison is misleading because Portugal exports almost all of its production and sells considerably more footwear internationally, both in value and volume.

The report also points to an ongoing transformation within the sector, as leather footwear now represents 58 percent of exports, down from 69 percent three years ago, while products made from rubber, plastics and textile materials continue to gain market share.

Resilient industry

Despite global economic uncertainty, Portugal’s footwear industry has proved relatively resilient.

According to official figures, exports fell by 2.7 percent during the first five months of 2026, a smaller decline than many competing countries, including Spain, China, Brazil and Turkey.

Furthermore, APICCAPS said this reinforces the industry’s long-term strategy of investing in innovation, sustainability and higher value-added manufacturing, supported by initiatives such as the PRR-funded BioShoes4All project.