“We expect 2025 to be a year of consolidation for Portuguese footwear in international markets,” stated Paulo Gonçalves, spokesperson and communication director of APICCAPS—Associação Portuguesa dos Industriais de Calçado, Componentes, Artigos de Pele e seus Sucedâneos, during the MICAM footwear fair in Milan.
The association highlighted that the sector exports over 90% of its production worldwide, minimizing dependence on a single market, which it considers “highly advantageous” for the national industry.
However, Paulo Gonçalves noted the “deep instability” in the international market and mentioned that the past two years have been challenging for the fashion sector, particularly for Portuguese companies.
APICCAPS finds it impossible to make forecasts for the coming months or years.
On July 27, the European Union and the United States reached a trade agreement imposing a 15% customs tariff on European products.
The association sees this agreement as potentially beneficial for Portugal, considering that major international players will face higher tariffs, such as China, which will pay 30%.
India will face a 50% tariff, similar to Brazil, while Mexico’s will be around 25%.
“In the competitive international scene, we are relatively well-positioned; however, we don’t hide that if companies, especially Asian ones, find it harder to export to the U.S., they might compete with us in other strategic markets,” pointed out Paulo Gonçalves.
The spokesperson stated that Portugal often acts as a “testing ground,” given the country’s bold choices in footwear design and manufacturing materials.
Nonetheless, he warned of the need to “educate” consumers, explaining that shoes made with recycled materials are not necessarily cheaper.
He also noted that consumers today make more conscious choices, buying less but opting for “more environmentally friendly” footwear, and some even return to past styles, reviving old shoes.
Regarding company support, Paulo Gonçalves mentioned that during the transition between community frameworks, aid becomes “more bureaucratic and slower.”
Despite this, in terms of external commercial promotion, by 2023-2024, 80% of incentives have already been paid to companies.
APICCAPS now expects that, by the end of the month, the 2025 aids will be regularized.
The Portuguese government, in Milan, assured today that it will expedite and simplify support for companies, especially for internationalization, and stated that cases of fraud are isolated.
The MICAM fair, celebrating its 100th edition, features over 1,000 brands and expects around 42,000 visitors.
There are 42 Portuguese companies present at the event.
According to data provided by APICCAPS, in the first half of 2025, Portuguese footwear exports increased by 3.7% in value, reaching 843 million euros.
Between January and June, 36 million pairs were exported, up by 5.4%.
In 2024, footwear cluster exports reached 2.147 billion euros.
Last year, Portugal produced 80 million pairs of shoes, with 68 million pairs exported, worth 1.724 billion euros.
During this period, Portuguese footwear was sold in more than 170 countries, with Belize being the newest destination.
The Strategic Plan for the Footwear Cluster expects an investment of 600 million euros by 2030.
