Fashion
The future of footwear amid economic fragmentation and the digital revolution
Published
January 6, 2026
As part of an international conference organised under the auspices of the FAIST programme (Agile, Intelligent, Sustainable, and Technological Factory) and promoted by APICCAPS* and CTCP**, Vasco Rodrigues, a professor at Portugal’s Catholic University, presented an overview of the global footwear industry, charting its history, examining its present, and outlining its future prospects.
In his view, China’s entry into the WTO in 2001 was a genuine turning point for the sector. In the first five years of membership, China’s exports more than doubled and continued to grow markedly, although the pace has slowed since 2015. This prompted major international manufacturers to diversify their supply chains, relocating production to Asia and exporting from China.
An overwhelming majority of production takes place in Asia
Today, 90% of the 24 billion pairs of shoes produced worldwide come from Asia. The main producers are China, followed by India (whose exports are virtually non-existent), Vietnam, Indonesia, and Pakistan. Notably, each of these countries manufactures more shoes than Europe as a whole, which accounts for just 2.3% of global output.
In terms of footwear consumption, Asia once again leads. Europeans buy four pairs of shoes per person a year, North Americans five, and Africans just one pair, making Africa the least tapped continental market. Trade flows show that Asia is the principal hub of the global footwear trade.
Comfort and technology, two essential factors in footwear
However, shifts in consumer preferences and distribution channels have brought about significant changes in the market. Vasco Rodrigues cites, for example, the rise of e-commerce and the declining importance of independent shoe boutiques, eclipsed by major retail chains. Professor Rodrigues notes: “Thanks to e-commerce, we can reach the whole world, but not all companies have the structure and capabilities required to engage in this type of business.”
Several factors could reshape the global footwear industry, beginning with demographics, according to Vasco Rodrigues. United Nations data indicate that Asia and Africa are the two most populous regions, and Europe is the only continent where a population decline is expected. The picture is more nuanced at country level.
An unstable international environment
While consumer preferences are harder to predict, several key determinants have been identified, such as comfort, consumers’ sensitivity to sustainability, and their level of trust in the product. Technology is also seen as a driving force that could shape the sector’s future.
On the economic front, the conference noted that the industry is going through a period of fragmentation and the re-formation of blocs. “The trajectory of the US is highly unpredictable, and projections point to uneven global economic growth,” stresses Rodrigues. He notes that growth in Europe is likely to be relatively slow compared with other regions, and that the risk of a crisis in China remains a concern.
*Portuguese Footwear, Components and Leather Goods Manufacturers’ Association.
** Portuguese Footwear Technology Centre.
FashionNetwork.com with World Footwear
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China will step up building a higher-level China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, Chinese President Xi Jinping said while holding talks with visiting Vietnamese President To Lam.
China and Vietnam are accelerating efforts to navigate bilateral trade towards a more balanced and sustainable course.
President Xi Jinping recently held talks with visiting Vietnamese President To Lam.
During the visit, Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Le Manh Hung called for a restructuring of production, trade and supply chains alongside stronger investment cooperation.
Xi said both countries should work together in their modernisation drive, accelerate the alignment of development strategies and prioritise infrastructure connectivity.
While meeting Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao during the state visit, Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Le Manh Hung called for a restructuring of production, trade and supply chains alongside stronger investment cooperation.
Wang said both sides should focus on implementing the high-level common perceptions, including raising bilateral trade turnover to $500 billion in future.
Hung urged China to expand imports of Vietnamese goods, broaden the list of products eligible for tariff preferences and further open its market. He also called for the mutual recognition of quarantine results for agro-forestry-fishery products, facilitation of Vietnamese exports via cross-border e-commerce, and expansion of Vietnam’s trade promotion offices across Chinese localities, according to a Vietnamese news agency.
China will continue to support Vietnam in setting up additional trade promotion offices, following those already established in Chongqing, Hangzhou and Haikou, Wang responded.
China also expressed readiness to support Vietnam’s stronger exports through cross-border e-commerce, encouraging greater visibility of the Vietnam National Pavilion on Chinese e-commerce platforms beyond JD.com to better promote Vietnamese products to Chinese consumers.
China has consistently been Vietnam’s largest trading partner and second-largest export market, while Vietnam continues to be China’s biggest trading partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
British actors Simone Ashley and Tom Blyth star alongside models Alva Claire, Babacar N’Doye and Sacha Quenby and a cast of synchronised swimmers and divers.
Burberry’s High Summer 2026 campaign captures Britain’s nostalgic lido culture through a sunlit film featuring Simone Ashley and Tom Blyth.
Blending heritage check with pastel tones, the collection spans swimwear, relaxed tailoring, raffia bags and lightweight layers, evoking effortless, poolside summer style.
Directed by Francis Plummer, the campaign reflects a warm, communal British summer mood.
The campaign film is directed by Francis Plummer and shot by photographer Ryan McGinley. The cameras move from loungers to diving boards, catching mid-air dives and friends stretched out in the hazy afternoon light. Before long, the best spots by the pool are claimed with a Burberry towel. Summer has begun. The film is underscored by the TONE remix of ‘Beating’ by Tirzah.
‘A lido holds a particular kind of nostalgia for the British. The moment the sun comes out, we make the most of the weather. We wanted to bring to life a warm summer’s day spent in and around the water’s edge with friends.’ said Daniel Lee Chief Creative Officer, Burberry.
Key styles
The High Summer 2026 collection features the Burberry Check in heritage-inspired sand beige and pastel shades of aubergine purple and cornflower blue.
The iconic Burberry Check bikini is the beach essential, alongside matching swimsuits and men’s swim shorts trimmed with check.
Poolside separates include tops, skirts and shirts cut from cotton voile, plus cover-up dresses woven with a tonal Burberry Check and deckchair-inspired stripes. Ruffled trims and ties at the neckline capture the floaty, effortless feel of the collection. Festival
tank tops in ribbed cotton jersey are trimmed with check straps, while looks are wrapped in lightweight wool silk scarves.
For men, collared shirts and shorts are tailored to relaxed lines and finished with fresh interpretations of the Burberry Check, from textural weaves to intricate embroidered designs. The co-ord set is crafted from lightweight cotton poplin printed with a playful seahorse pattern in honeysuckle pink.
The classic cotton piqué polo shirt comes in a spectrum of vivid and neutral colours. Burberry Check is subtly placed at the placket and trims the collar of T-shirts in soft cotton jersey.
Lightweight hooded jackets are ideal for cooler evenings and unexpected showers, the new-season designs woven in aubergine purple and cornflower blue check.
In shoes, the new Knight Runner sneakers offer a streamlined, low-profile shape for summer. Sandals are elevated in the form of the whipstitched leather Baez and check-trimmed suede Urchin styles, while Burberry Check slides and Pavilion sandals are made for the beach.
Lightweight Margate bags are handcrafted in Madagascar from locally sourced raffia palm leaves, dyed in signature sand beige Burberry Check. Accessories include crocheted bucket hats and wraparound sunglasses, designed to shield from the sun.
Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (JP)
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