According to the latest economic bulletin prepared by the Confindustria Accessori Moda Research Centre for Assocalzaturifici, exports totalled 3 billion Euro between January and March, representing a 1.6% decline in value and a 3.6% drop in volume compared with the first quarter of 2025. Overseas markets account for around 90% of the industry’s total turnover, underlining the sector’s dependence on international demand.
“The figures confirm the concerns companies expressed at the beginning of the year,” said Giovanna Ceolini, President of Assocalzaturifici. “While domestic consumption has shown slight signs of recovery, this has not been enough to offset the slowdown in international markets, which remain the sector’s main growth engine.”
Ceolini added that geopolitical tensions, rising energy and raw material costs and an increasingly unpredictable global trading environment continue to delay purchasing decisions by international buyers and put additional pressure on manufacturers.
Export performance varied significantly across markets. France remained the largest destination for Italian footwear, with export values increasing 6%, despite a 3.6% decline in shipment volumes. By contrast, exports to Germany fell 10%, reflecting weaker demand in one of Italy’s key European markets.
Outside Europe, international tensions had an even greater impact. Exports to the Middle East declined 33%, including a dramatic 62% drop in March following the escalation of regional conflict. Shipments to countries of the former Soviet bloc were down 21%, while exports to the United States fell 7.4% in value as companies continued to deal with the impact of additional import tariffs introduced in 2025.
Despite weaker export sales, Italy’s footwear trade surplus improved. The sector recorded a trade balance of 1.3 billion Euro, an increase of 10.9% compared with the previous year, largely because imports fell more sharply than exports. Imports declined 9.5% in value, reflecting softer domestic demand for foreign-made footwear.
The domestic market offered a rare positive signal. Italian consumers spent 1.28 billion Euro on footwear during the first quarter, with retail sales increasing 1.7% in value and 2.1% in volume compared with the same period last year. Growth was driven primarily by women’s footwear and trainers, with trainers and sports shoes accounting for 41% of total consumer spending on footwear.
Nevertheless, the industry’s production base continues to shrink. During the first three months of 2026, Italy lost 85 footwear manufacturing companies and 808 jobs compared with the end of 2025.
Labour market pressures also remain significant. Across the leather supply chain, companies relied on 6.2 million hours of wage supplementation during the quarter. Although this represents a 40% reduction compared with the peak levels recorded in 2025, the figure is still more than three times higher than before the pandemic.
Against this backdrop, Assocalzaturifici is calling for stronger measures to support internationalisation, improve competitiveness and safeguard employment. “It is essential to strengthen the international position of our companies and ensure stability for a sector that remains one of the cornerstones of Made in Italy,” Ceolini concluded.
