Italy’s footwear industry is showing early signs of stabilisation in the second half of 2025, despite an uncertain global economic backdrop. According to a survey by Confindustria Accessori Moda for Assocalzaturifici, sector turnover is expected to reach €12.8 billion by year-end, representing a 3.1% decline from 2024 – a significantly milder contraction than last year.
Although revenues in the first nine months were still down 4.1%, the third quarter recorded a much smaller drop of just 0.9%, indicating a clear slowdown in the downturn. Assocalzaturifici President Giovanna Ceolini said this confirms the resilience of Made in Italy, even in a challenging geopolitical environment.
Exports tell a more encouraging story. In the first eight months of 2025, Italian footwear exports reached €7.72 billion, while volumes increased by 4.3% to 131.8 million pairs. The average export price fell to €58.6 per pair, reflecting a market correction after the sharp price increases of 2022–2023.
The European Union remains the backbone of Italian exports, absorbing around 70% of shipments. Exports to the EU grew by 2.2% in value and 7.6% in volume, with Germany standing out thanks to a 6% increase in value and a 10% rise in quantities.
Outside the EU, the Middle East emerged as the most dynamic region, with export values up 13%, led by a 20% surge in the United Arab Emirates. Türkiye and Mexico also posted solid growth. In contrast, the Far East saw a sharp contraction of more than 20%, reflecting weak demand in China, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea. The CIS region, including Russia, also remained under pressure.
The US market showed modest value growth of 2.9%, despite a 4.2% drop in volumes. The sector is closely monitoring the impact of new US-EU tariffs, which more than half of exporting companies say are already affecting their business.
Domestic consumption remained flat overall, only matching 2024 levels thanks to a positive third quarter. It is still nearly 8% below pre-Covid levels. Industrial production fell by 8.5% in the first nine months, and the number of active footwear companies and employees continued to decline.
Despite these pressures, easing use of short-time work schemes suggests a more cautious but stabilising outlook for 2026, with export-driven markets expected to lead the recovery.
