According to the Brazilian Association of Leather, Footwear and Components Companies (Assintecal), footwear components exports increased by 22% in the first nine months of 2022, as compared to the same period of last year, reaching 331.9 million US dollars. When compared to the pre-pandemic interval (2019), Brazilian footwear component exports rose by 21%. In September, alone, exports of components grew by 36% year-over-year, amounting to 40.13 million US dollars.

Between January and September, the category most exported by the sector was chemicals for leathers, generating 153.4 million US dollars, reflecting a growth of 16%, as compared to the same period of last year. This category was followed by footwear uppers (88.3 million US dollars, up by 17%), chemicals for footwear/adhesives (38.22 million US dollars, up by 36%) and soles (21.69 million US dollars, up by 47%).

Exports to Latin American countries have been decisive for this outcome. "Today, of the ten main destinations of components abroad, six are from Latin America", notes Luiz Ribas Júnior, Assintecal's International Market Manager.

"In addition to our Latin American neighbours, who have been substituting imports from China with Brazilian imports in order to avoid high freight costs, the highlight also goes to shipments to the United States, a country that took fourth place among the main international destinations. The average growth of exports to Latin America and the United States is almost 37%, much higher than the general growth (+22%)", added Assintecal's International Market Manager.  

Main Export Markets

Argentina takes the lead as the main destination for Brazilian footwear components exports in the first nine months of the year. In this period, exports to Argentina grew by 42%, year-over-year, generating 71.9 million US dollars.

The second-largest buyer was China, having purchased 63.35 million US dollars in yellow-green components from January to September, which reflects an increase of 1%, as compared to the same period of 2021.

Next, came Portugal, which imported 44.13 million US dollars in Brazilian footwear exports in the first nine months of 2022, up by 48%, on a comparable basis to the same period of 2021. The fourth was the US, as exports to the North-American country generated 8.5 million US dollars from January to September, up by 58%, year-over-year.