Despite the declining trend of the monthly shoe store retail sales and persistent macroeconomic headwinds such as supply chain disruptions and the continuous rise of inflation, US companies are displaying some optimism towards the remaining year. That is not the same as saying there is no caution or concerns on the horizon. The pace of the increase in footwear prices is in fact slowing, suggesting that the pressure of demand might be no more at work in the US. The critical point is that consumer confidence collapsed due to inflation and the war in Ukraine, which might restrain consumer spending this year   

We spoke with Laure Babin, the CEO of the zero-waste sneakers brand Zèta. Made exclusively from recycled, vegan and recyclable materials, the shoes are designed in Bordeaux, manufactured in Portugal and sold only across Europe to reduce the carbon footprint   

This is one of the main outcomes of the most recent edition of the World Footwear Business Conditions Survey. Access the complete report free of charge and read more about the expectations of our panel of international footwear experts   

The safety footwear Portuguese company held a demonstration action to introduce solutions which have, or will have, an impact on the future of the footwear industry and our planet as well   

The bottlenecks that have constrained the country’s supply chains are now extending from the docks to the freight rail networks, raising costs and difficulties for importers