Tunisia’s leather and footwear industry posted a strong performance in 2024, as exports covered 163.9% of imports, reaching a total value of 2,182 million dinars
According to figures from the Export Promotion Centre (CEPEX), Italy continues to be Tunisia’s top destination for footwear exports, valued at 1,018 million dinars, followed by Germany, France and Slovakia.
For other leather products, France led the list ahead of Italy and Germany.
During the sixth sector-based meeting organized by CEPEX, industry representatives discussed plans for Tunisia’s participation in upcoming global trade fairs in 2026.
Participants emphasized the need to boost digital marketing around the “Made in Tunisia” label to raise international visibility and attract more buyers.
The leather and footwear sector currently employs around 28,700 people and includes nearly 200 companies, with 184 fully focused on exports.
The industry’s structure includes 10 tanneries, 135 footwear producers, 45 leather goods manufacturers and 10 companies specializing in leather clothing.
CEPEX said its regular meetings aim to strengthen Tunisia’s global position through collaboration with industry professionals, the National Federation of Leather and Footwear, the National Center for Leather and Footwear, the Tunisian Company for Foreign Trade Insurance (COTUNACE) and representatives from the banking sector.