The Brazilian footwear industry kicked off 2025 on a high note, witnessing significant growth in exports. According to data from the Brazilian Footwear Industries Association (Abicalçados), the first two months of the year saw a total export of 21 million pairs of shoes, generating USD 174.23 million. This marks a 14.7% increase in volume and a 2.7% rise in revenue compared to the same period last year.
February alone proved to be a standout month, with 9.6 million pairs exported, amounting to USD 85.9 million. This represents an 18.9% increase in volume and an 8.9% growth in revenue compared to February 2024.
Abicalçados’ Executive President, Haroldo Ferreira, attributed this growth to a favorable exchange rate, as a stronger dollar against the Brazilian real has made Brazilian footwear more competitively priced in the global market. He highlighted that the average price of exported footwear dropped by 10.5%, reaching USD 8.26 per pair.
A notable trend in February was Argentina surpassing the United States as the top importer of Brazilian footwear. Argentina imported 1.24 million pairs for USD 22.2 million, marking an impressive 96.5% growth in volume and a 62.2% increase in revenue compared to the same month last year.
Over the two-month period, Argentina’s imports totaled 1.87 million pairs, generating USD 32.58 million, a 58% surge in volume and a 31.6% rise in revenue.
Despite Argentina’s remarkable February performance, the United States remained the largest importer of Brazilian footwear over the two-month period.
In February, the U.S. imported 792,880 pairs, generating USD 18.16 million. This represented a 4% decline in volume but a 4.2% increase in revenue compared to February 2024.
For the entire January-February period, the U.S. imported 1.93 million pairs, contributing USD 37.17 million to Brazil’s export earnings. However, this marked a 0.6% increase in volume and a 4.5% drop in revenue compared to the same period last year.
Spain ranked as the third-largest importer of Brazilian shoes. In February, the country imported 1.54 million pairs, spending USD 3.8 million a 93.6% increase in volume and a 41.2% growth in revenue from February 2024.
Over the two months, Spain imported 3.64 million pairs for USD 8.64 million, marking a 24.1% increase in volume but a 2.7% dip in revenue.
Among the Brazilian states, Rio Grande do Sul remained the top exporter despite a slight decline. It shipped 5.6 million pairs, earning USD 82.15 million, reflecting a 1% drop in volume and a 2.7% decrease in revenue.
Other key exporting states included:
- Ceará:
Exported 8 million pairs for USD 42.57 million, recording a 20.3% increase in volume and a 3.6% rise in revenue.
- São Paulo:
Shipped 1 million pairs, generating USD 14.95 million, marking 33.8% growth in volume and a 17.6% increase in revenue.
Brazil’s footwear imports showed a strong upward trend in early 2025. In January and February, 7.9 million pairs entered the country, amounting to USD 97.43 million a 14.1% rise in volume and a 7.4% increase in revenue compared to 2024.
The top sources of imported footwear were:
- China:
Supplied 2.68 million pairs for USD 9.25 million, reflecting a 2.8% drop in volume and a 3.5% decline in revenue.
- Vietnam:
Exported 2.5 million pairs to Brazil, generating USD 47.9 million, representing 24.2% growth in volume and a 9.2% increase in revenue.
- Indonesia:
Sent 1.48 million pairs, contributing USD 23.5 million, with 47.25% growth in volume and a 37% rise in revenue.
Apart from finished footwear, imports of footwear components (such as uppers, heels, soles, and insoles) also increased. The total value of component imports reached USD 9.64 million, marking a 21.7% rise compared to the first two months of 2024. The main suppliers were China, Paraguay, and Vietnam.
