Trade

Import surge continues to raise concerns in Brazil’s footwear industry

Feb 19, 2026 Brazil

Brazil’s footwear imports surged in January, with a year-on-year increase of 34.3% in volume and 31.2% in value. This increase comes amid slowing domestic consumption and weakening national production

Following a record year in 2025, imports continued to rise in January 2026. According to data compiled by the Brazilian Footwear Industries Association (Abicalçados) based on Secex records, January saw a new import record, with the highest volume since 1997.

Footwear imports totalled 4.46 million pairs and 62.9 million US dollars during the month, reflecting increases of 34.3% in volume and 31.2% in value as compared to January 2025. The main contributors once again were the Asian countries Vietnam, China and Indonesia, which together accounted for 84% of January imports in terms of both dollars and pairs.

According to Haroldo Ferreira, CEO of Abicalçados, the result is worrying for the national footwear industry as it comes amid a slowdown in domestic demand, which fell by 2.3% in 2025. “The increase in footwear imports to Brazil, particularly those priced very low, is a cause for great concern as it is detrimental to domestic production. Last year, domestic production fell by 2.2%”.

In January, Brazil imported 1.5 million pairs of shoes from Vietnam, worth 32.57 million US dollars – an increase of 34.3% and 31.2%, respectively, as compared to the same month in 2025. China followed with sales of 1.26 million pairs of shoes worth 3.44 million US dollars, representing increases of 75.7% and 31.4% respectively. Indonesia supplied 996 thousand pairs, worth 17 million US dollars, marking increases of 34.2% and 41.4% respectively.

Declining Exports

Meanwhile, in January, Brazil exported 9.4 million pairs of shoes worth 71.5 million US dollars. This reflects a decrease of 17.7% in volume and 18.8% in value, on a comparable basis to the same month of the previous year.

The impact of Trump’s tariffs has affected exports to the US, Brazil’s main destination market, which saw a year-on-year decline of 26.8% to 832.9 thousand pairs and 45.7% to 10.23 million US dollars in January.

Exports to Argentina were also affected by the slowdown in consumption and competition from Asian producers on the international market. In January, Brazil exported 286.9 thousand pairs of shoes, worth 4.42 million US dollars, marking respective decreases of 54.9% and 57.4%.

Brazilian footwear industry

According to the World Footwear 2025 Yearbook (more information available here), footwear production rebounded to pre-pandemic levels in 2024. However, exports fell by 17% while imports increased by 26%, highlighting the industry’s strong focus on the domestic market.

Image Credits: Bruna Scheiner on Unsplash

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