The Portuguese industry association Apiccaps aims to boost footwear exports to the United States with a new marketing campaign. The association is organising the “Portuguese Shoes Showcase New York” on 1 and 2 December 2026. The event is intended to serve as a gateway for Portuguese brands into the North American market and to bring manufacturers together with buyers, wholesalers and retailers. It will take place alongside FFANY Market Week, during which buyers from department stores, premium boutiques, retailers and distributors will be in the city looking for new collections and suppliers. “The United States is too important for the Portuguese footwear industry not to have a much stronger presence in this market,” argued Apiccaps’ managing director, Paulo Gonçalves. Each company receives personalised support to ensure a promising positioning in the United States. “We don’t just want to bring Portuguese shoes to New York. We want to bring companies there that are prepared to do business in the United States,” explained Gonçalves. “The aim is quite clear: we want to sell more Portuguese shoes in the United States. Above all, however, we want to build lasting commercial relationships that enable our companies to grow sustainably in this market.”
In 2025, according to figures from World Footwear – on which the association relies – Portugal exported 1.8 million pairs of shoes worth 84 million euros to the United States. Paulo Gonçalves believes there is scope to increase these figures significantly. “We have the products, quality, design, industrial capacity and responsible production practices. We have everything we need to sell more in the United States. The challenge now is to match our companies with the right buyers and turn this potential into business,” he explained. According to Apiccaps, the North American market is currently going through an interesting phase. It is characterised by high consumer purchasing power and an interest in European brands that stand for quality and sustainability. “Portugal will not conquer the US market on price alone, nor is that our approach. We must set ourselves apart from the competition through quality, design, flexibility, sustainability and the ability to manufacture in Europe,” emphasised Gonçalves.
