Technical footwear at the top of the Portuguese industry

In 2025, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE), it was technical footwear that drove the performance of the Portuguese industry on foreign markets. While leather footwear exports grew by just 0.2%, technical footwear increased by 14.5% to 213 million euro.

In 2025, the most significant figures include a 25% increase in the ‘Other plastic footwear’ segment and a 6.6% growth in the ‘Footwear with textile uppers’ segment. Safety footwear also increased by 14.1%. In concrete terms, Portugal exported around 68 million pairs of shoes last year, worth around 1.718 billion euro – up 0.8% on the previous year. This performance is particularly significant at a time when major competitors are grappling with declining production and exports. “The Portuguese footwear industry once again demonstrated resilience in a particularly challenging international context, bucking the downward trend seen in several manufacturing countries,” said Luís Onofre.

According to the President of APICCAPS, “the ability to diversify the offering and adapt to international preferences confirms the strategic maturity of the Portuguese district. At this time of global uncertainty, the sector demonstrates that innovation in materials and manufacturing flexibility are decisive factors in ensuring competitiveness and sustainable growth.”