Global footwear output reaches 24.6 billion pairs in 2025 as export volumes stall and value rises
World footwear production grew 2.9% to 24.6 billion pairs in 2025 while exports were flat at 14.74 billion pairs, according to the 2026 World Footwear Market Report from Spain's AEC. Export value still rose 1.6% to close to $172 billion, and Spain's output fell 14.2% to about 60 million pairs.
Global footwear production reached 24.6 billion pairs in 2025, up 2.9% from 2024, while export volumes stalled and export value advanced again. The figures come from the 2026 World Footwear Market Report prepared by the Spanish Association of Footwear Component Companies (AEC), reported by Cadena SER.
Exports totalled 14.74 billion pairs, a change of −0.1% year on year. Export value rose 1.6% to close to $172 billion, and the average world price stood at $11.65 per pair. The report covers production, consumption, exports and imports by country and product type, together with average prices, positioning matrices, consumer trends, forecasts for 2026–2030, company rankings and a commercial plan for the Spanish components sector.
Growth comes from price and product mix
The longer trend is sharper than the annual data. Over the past decade export volume grew about 3.3% while export value advanced 35.7%. The report attributes the gap to prices, product mix, brand positioning and the incorporation of technical, environmental and comfort features rather than to placing more pairs on the market.
According to AEC Director General Álvaro Sánchez, “the future of footwear will not be decided by volume alone, but by the capacity to bring design, innovation, performance, sustainability, speed and safety to the entire value chain”. He added that the sector “is not growing mainly by selling more pairs, but through price developments, an improved product mix, brand positioning and the incorporation of greater technical and environmental features”.
Asia concentrates production and export volume
China remained the leading producer with 13.66 billion pairs, followed by India with 3 billion and Vietnam with 1.658 billion. The ten largest producers accounted for 89.5% of the world total, and capacity continues to shift towards Vietnam, Indonesia, India and other Asian hubs.
In exports, China concentrated 61.2% of pairs shipped and Vietnam 11.2%. Europe occupies a different position: its average export price reached $34.76 per pair against $8.02 in Asia. AEC links that differential to European specialisation in premium, technical, comfort, safety, outdoor and fashion products, and in output subject to stricter documentary and environmental requirements.
Spain falls to 23rd place
Spain produced approximately 60 million pairs in 2025, 14.2% less than in 2024. The country lost four positions in the world ranking, from 19th to 23rd, and its output now represents 0.24% of the global total.
AEC argues the data show the need for a specific industrial policy for footwear and its components, better plant competitiveness, more productive investment and equivalent conditions of competition for all products entering the European market. Sánchez said Europe “must strengthen controls at origin and guarantee that any footwear placed on our market meets the same strict standards of quality, safety and sustainability”, adding that “protecting the consumer also means protecting the industry that does comply”.
Demand sits in Asia, imports in the United States
World consumption stood at around 22.5 billion pairs. China was the largest market with 4.817 billion pairs, or 21.4% of the total, followed by India with 2.772 billion and the United States with approximately 1.95 billion. Consumption intensity remained highest in North America and Europe, at 4.6 and 4.1 pairs per inhabitant. The United States was again the leading importer, with 1.986 billion pairs and 15.7% of world imports.
For the Spanish components industry, the report identifies openings in:
- lower-impact materials and technical textiles
- lightweight, high-performance soles and comfort insoles
- premium leathers and finishes, findings and adhesives
- traceability and chemical compliance
- rapid prototyping and circularity solutions
AEC proposes combining the defence of European markets — particularly Italy, Portugal, France and Germany — with a larger presence in Vietnam, India and Indonesia, the development of proximity chains in the Mediterranean, Turkey, Morocco and Mexico, and access to premium markets in North America, the Gulf and Japan.
