News
Netherlands Retail: Confidence gap widens, footwear lags
Recent developments in the Dutch retail market reveal an increasing gap. Although consumer confidence has deteriorated sharply, retailers remain positive and footwear imports have shown resilience. Yet, footwear continues to lag behind the broader retail sector, facing weaker demand, persistent price pressure, and inconsistent sales. Meanwhile, online retail remains structurally strong, reflecting the ongoing shift in consumer purchasing behaviour
Marius Wirtz named CEO of OrthoLite
The leadership change will see Glenn Barrett move to a senior advisory role at Coats, while Marius Wirtz takes charge from Hong Kong, bringing materials and speciality chemicals experience
Dr. Martens CEO signals confidence with share purchase
Ije Nwokorie's purchase of 112,500 shares follows Dr. Martens’ return to profit growth in FY26, signalling confidence as the British footwear company prepares to move from stabilisation to scaling
Inspiramais to return to São Paulo in July
Focused on innovation, design and sustainability, the event will present new materials while offering research-based guidance to support product development and future collections
Mario Jorge Machado re-elected EURATEX President
The European Apparel and Textile Confederation’s re-elected President is set to push for fair competition, better import controls and a transition that strengthens rather than weakens the industry
UITIC Congress heads to Jakarta in 2027
Organised with KRISTA Exhibition and supported by APRISINDO, the congress will combine expert-led sessions, international networking and links to Indo Leather & Footwear Expo
Pakistan footwear exports rise despite weakness in the leather segment
Exports of Pakistani footwear increased in the first eleven months of the 2025-26 fiscal year, driven by strong growth in the other footwear segment. Leather and canvas footwear continue to struggle
Amir Pourirani from BASF Performance Materials: the industry is moving to a system-design mindset
In today’s interview, we spoke to Amir Pourirani, Marketing Director of TPU for Asia Pacific at BASF Performance Materials division. We talked about how early-stage collaboration between material suppliers can unlock multiple benefits, among other topics
German consumer confidence ends downward slide but remains weak
German consumer confidence increased slightly in May, after a period of decline. However, consumers were still not optimistic about their financial and economic future
Portuguese footwear industry received at the United Nations
At a United Nations session in New York, the Portuguese footwear industry emphasised its continued investment in innovation, sustainability, and technological development
Expo Riva Schuh and Gardabags 105 draws 8 000 participants
The Italian trade fair specialising in footwear, bags and accessories welcomed around 8 000 participants to its last edition, with attendance numbers broadly similar to those of the June 2025 edition
Kohl’s appoints Elliott Rodgers as Chief Operating Officer
The US-based store chain has appointed Elliott Rodgers as Chief Operating Officer. With more than 20 years’ professional experience, he most recently was Chief Operations Officer at Foot Locker
Spanish fashion retailer Tendam posts strong full-year results
The Spain-based fashion retailer, which owns labels such as Cortefiel and Pedro del Hierro, has reported a strong performance in the 2025 financial year, marked by growth in revenue and profitability
US retail sales continue to rise
According to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, powered by Affinity Solutions, retail sales rose for the eighth consecutive month in May, despite high gas prices and ongoing inflation
Frasers Group launches offers for Hugo Boss and Accent
The UK-based conglomerate is seeking full control of the Australian retailer Accent Group and a larger stake in Hugo Boss through two separate takeover offers announced this month
German fashion market holds steady in 2025 despite economic uncertainty
Despite ongoing economic uncertainty, the fashion and accessories market in Germany remained stable in 2025, generating 58.5 billion euros in sales, a modest increase compared to the previous year
AAFA releases industry glossary of traceability terms
The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) has published a glossary of traceability terms, with the aim of promoting clarity, consistency and a shared understanding across the global supply chain
Álvaro Sánchez from AEC and FUTURMODA: without components, there is no footwear
In today’s interview, we spoke to Álvaro Sánchez, CEO of the AEC association and the FUTURMODA trade fair. Among other topics, we talked about the state of the Spanish industry, trends, and the recent challenges encountered by trade fairs
Alessandro Iliprandi appointed new President of UNIC
At the Italian Tanneries Association’s last Annual General Meeting, which marked the association’s 80th anniversary, Alessandro Iliprandi, the CEO of Bonaudo, was elected as the new president of UNIC
New York event explores Portugal’s role in premium footwear manufacturing
Portugal’s growing importance in global footwear sourcing was the focus of a New York event on the 27th of May, which was attended by representatives from Reformation, Coach, Kate Spade New York, Revolve, Rag & Bone and Proenza Schouler
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