In 2024, Portugal exported 68 million pairs of shoes to 170 countries, cementing its position as Europe’s second-largest footwear producer, behind Italy and ahead of Spain. Yet, despite this strong output, most global production remains concentrated in Asia—a challenge Portuguese footwear aims to tackle through strategic investment and innovation.

At the Welcome to the Industry of the Future conference, held on November 18–19 at Porto’s Palácio da Bolsa, APICCAPS (Portuguese Association of Footwear, Components, Leather Goods and Related Products Manufacturers) and the Portuguese Footwear Technology Centre gathered industry leaders to discuss the sector’s evolution amid technological, economic, and environmental changes.

Luís Onofre, president of APICCAPS, opened the session by highlighting the dominance of Asian mass production, which accounts for 90% of the 24 billion pairs of shoes produced globally each year. He described this model as “unsustainable” but stressed that Portugal has the creativity, knowledge, tradition, and technology to offer a competitive alternative. “Portugal has clearly demonstrated this ambition,” he said.

Supporting this ambition, the Portuguese footwear industry has invested €120 million over the past three years in automation, robotics, and sustainability. Onofre called this “the largest investment cycle in the footwear sector in Portugal” and a “decisive step” toward transforming the industry into one of the most modern worldwide.

Luís Onofre, president of APICCAPS – Fotografia: Facebook Portuguese Shoes

This investment is being channelled through two key initiatives: the BioShoes4All project, with €60 million dedicated to developing sustainable materials, products, and processes (presented at MICAM in Milan), and the FAIST project (Agile, Intelligent, Sustainable, and Technological Factory), which received €50 million to advance automation, robotics, and sustainable production.

Florbela Silva, FAIST project coordinator, told FashionNetwork.com, “The market is evolving, and we have to keep pace—not just in production methods but also in developing new products. No matter how sustainable or modern we are, it only matters if our products sell.” She added, “Innovation cannot stop with current projects. Continuous modernisation is essential to meet the evolving expectations of consumers.”

Sofia Moreira de Sousa, representing the European Commission in Portugal, praised the sector as “a clear example of how strategic participation and adaptability can turn challenges into competitive advantage.” She emphasised that automation, robotics, artificial intelligence, and new consumer models will “redefine Europe’s role in global value chains,” and that the European Commission aims to support a more digital, sustainable, and aware footwear industry.

Closing the conference, Rosana Perán, president of the European Confederation of the Footwear Industry (CEC), underscored that “Europe cannot just be a consumer market.” She highlighted the importance of technology serving people and concluded: “With FAIST, an extraordinary step forward has been taken, proving that progress can be achieved without losing sight of tradition.”

Portugal’s footwear sector, through strategic investment, innovation, and sustainability, is positioning itself as a credible and competitive alternative to mass production, aiming to define the future of the global industry.