Positive year for Italian exports
Exports of the Italian footwear sector increased in 2017. The industry closed the year with growth of 3.4% in external sales (after a 2.6% increase reported in the previous year)
According to the latest data from the Confindustria Fashion Study Centre for Assocalzaturifici (Italian Footwear Manufacturers' Association), in 2017 Italian footwear exports were worth more than 9.5 billion euros (including finished shoes and components), which compares to approximately 9.2 billion (in 2016).
The performance was particularly positive in the last quarter, which saw a 6.6% increase in value for exports in the footwear sector, after two lacklustre quarters (+1.8% in the second quarter and +1% in the third). The increase for the Veneto, Tuscany and Puglia regions crossed the 7% threshold.
The European Union (EU) has always been the main destination for Italian footwear exports: 7 out of 10 pairs of shoes are sold to a fellow EU member. Five of the seven main Italian regions for footwear have an EU country as their main customer: France for Veneto, Emilia Romagna, Puglia and Campania and Germany for Marche.